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New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering k (NMITE) has reached a landmark agreement with the UK Armed Forces to develop a groundbreaking new undergraduate degree in ‘Autonomous Systems’ which will be set to welcome its first students in September 2026.
Built on NMITE’s pioneering, hands-on pedagogy, the new degree will lead to a Masters in Engineering (MEng) in three years, rather than the normal four years in traditional universities, and will prepare students to be broadly trained, highly effective engineers with a specialised focus on drone technologies. The programme responds to the UK Government’s
Industrial Strategy and its
Strategic Defence Review, which have both highlighted the urgent need to develop new skills in priority areas, at a faster pace, while ensuring that defence and security investment delivers positive economic impact in left-behind regions.
Al Carns, Minister for the Armed Forces, said: “We are in a new era of threat, which demands a new era for defence skills. Our Armed Forces must have the skills and experience to tackle the modern-day threats head on - including with engineers who can design, build and operate cutting-edge drone technology to defend our country. Through our Strategic Defence Review we are doubling investment in autonomous and uncrewed systems this parliament, putting the UK at the leading edge of innovation in NATO, and training a new generation to keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”
Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, chief of the defence staff, said: “Developing skills in autonomous technologies is critical. Backed by the British Army, NMITE will train the next generation of drone warfare specialists and help make the Army more lethal in an increasingly dangerous world.”
The programme will place a strong emphasis on the dual-use potential of drone technologies. Just as many technologies originally developed for defence are now commonplace in civilian life, from GPS to the internet, NMITE’s Autonomous Systems degree will equip graduates to drive innovation for civilian, commercial, and humanitarian applications as well as for defence.
Innovative new degreeJames Newby, president and CEO of NMITE, said: “This partnership demonstrates NMITE’s unique ability to move quickly to meet national skills needs. We are proud to be shaping this innovative new degree in Autonomous Systems, one that will not only serve defence priorities but also unlock enormous civilian and humanitarian benefits”
Jesse Norman MP, co-founder and chair of NMITE, said: “This degree marks an important step forward for NMITE. It will create huge opportunities for our students, bring significant investment into Herefordshire, and support the county's new defence ecosystem, for the benefit of local people and businesses, and the nation as a whole.”
Leading the development and delivery of the degree is Professor Alexandru Stancu who has joined NMITE as professor of mechanical engineering and academic lead. He brings over 25 years’ international experience in robotics, AI and autonomous systems, including leading the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Research Group at the University of Manchester and founding Manchester Robotics Ltd.
Professor Stancu is an internationally recognised expert in drone and autonomous vehicle technologies, with substantial research, industrial impact, and high-profile deployments in various defence and civilian sectors. He has secured more than £10 million in funding and contributed pioneering work that has advanced both the theory and real-world application of autonomy. His robotics and AI curricula are used in several universities in the UK and worldwide, and he has a strong track record of educational innovation.
NMITE will enrol its first students in 2026 . For more information visit the website
here.