An Institute of Productivity is to be created at the University of East Anglia (UEA), to help educate the next generation of engineers and business leaders.

This will be a regional hub for engineering, technology and management, providing innovative engineering and business solutions and enabling UEA staff and students to work in partnership with local businesses.

It will also enable UEA (www.uea.ac.uk) to create a dedicated School of Engineering by 2021, to educate the next generation of engineers and expand UEA’s role as a provider of training for local businesses.

As well as enrolling 1,268 new engineering students and learners within the first five years, the university will work closely with local Further Education colleges to share engineering facilities and collaborate on closing the engineering skills gap.

The Institute of Productivity will have workshops dedicated to advanced robotics, a 3-D printing studio, a digital design lab and a shared studio space.

Training courses will be developed to enable engineering and manufacturing businesses to learn about — and adopt — new practices, tools and techniques and to collaborate on cutting-edge research projects to boost business productivity and performance.

Fiona Lettice, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) at UEA, said: “At the heart of the Institute of Productivity are the engineers of the future.

"It will support businesses in our region by enabling them to work alongside world-class researchers and students to discover practical solutions to current and future challenges.

"Students and businesses will be able to explore new ideas, prototype designs and create innovative products and services.”