25-Year Rolls-Royce Partnership Expands Aerospace Research in Belfast

Queen’s University Belfast and Rolls-Royce have officially marked 25 years of collaboration by announcing a new University Technology Partnership. The aim of the partnership is to further innovation within the aerospace sector.

The partnership provides stronger linkages between one of the world’s foremost aerospace companies and one of Northern Ireland’s leading engineering institutions.

Decades Of Teamwork

Queen’s University and Rolls-Royce are not new partners. For over 25 years, the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Queen’s has supported Rolls-Royce in the research and development of new technology. This has included research into advanced modeling and simulation.

This partnership has helped Rolls-Royce speed up the development of complex aircraft engine systems. More recently, the two have also begun working more closely together on cybersecurity for advanced aerospace technology.

Establishing this partnership at Queen’s allows Professor Trevor Robinson, the lead, to build on previous achievements. The new partnership will enhance the organization’s design capabilities whilst remaining focused on cybersecurity and simulation technology.

Preparing The Next Generation

Whilst the partnership aims to produce more advanced engines, it also aims to produce more skilled engineers.

The aerospace sector requires a high level of skilled engineers to replace those currently retiring over the coming decades. This partnership will offer students the opportunity to gain valuable experience working with a global engineering manufacturer. By providing this experience, students will gain valuable engineering experience and help ensure that high-value engineering skills remain in Northern Ireland.

“Our company is growing, design time is speeding up, the use of technology is accelerating, and effective cybersecurity is essential. The technology at Queen’s makes our partnership very important. It will help drive forward innovation, as well as developing employability and skills,” says Professor Mark Jefferies, Head of Research Partnerships at Rolls-Royce. “The products that we create at Rolls-Royce will last for decades, and we need a strong pipeline of talent to continue to deliver as a global leader in aerospace manufacturing.”

Both Rolls-Royce and Queen’s University get a lot out of this partnership. Rolls-Royce benefits from fresh research ideas and a steady stream of new engineers, while Queen’s students have the chance to land real jobs in a rapidly evolving aerospace field.