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We would like to invite you to provide a project proposal for our Industrial Problem Solving (IPS) student placements.

The IPS module is a unique and practical two week activity for 3rd year Engineering Students at Durham University. The purpose of the Industrial Problem Solving course is to allow our students to work on a “live” project with a local company in the North East applying their already acquired knowledge in manufacturing, maths, mechanics, electronics, electrical engineering and IT in an industrial context.

Usually, we seek project locations in commutable distance from Durham but depending on the project; there may also be the opportunity for activities based at the University.

In principle, the IPS topic can be any interesting short assignment suitable for an engineer – investigation on the shop floor, design, IT or business. At the end of the placement, the students will present their findings verbally to the host company before leaving and writing up their project report.

All IPS projects are carried out on your company’s premises by a pair of students. This increases the resilience of the students and minimises the involvement of company staff. The students operate in pairs so that they can bounce ideas off each other and hence require little ‘minding’ to deliver results. There is no cost to the company. Durham University also meets travel expenses.

Would your business be interested in providing a topic for our IPS student placements? Please find a summary of topics that have been covered in the past here: http://community.dur.ac.uk/ecs.ipc/?cat=1

If possible, I would also like to think ahead from the short term IPS project and see if it is possible to combine it with further placement and study opportunities, such as a summer placement or a final year research project. For example, the IPS project could be a feasibility study augmented by a summer placement (at a small cost to your company). Data gathered during the summer placement, in turn, could be used as the foundation of the final year research project or Group Design work. However, follow on projects are subject to the student’s and academic supervisor’s agreement.

Below are the key dates of the IPS activity – a team of two students per host company:

Option A: 29/04-03/05 (four days)
START Mon 29/04/19 – pm – Students report on site
Tue 30/04/19 – am – University Tutor visit on site
END Fri 03/05/19 – am – presentation of the results on site

Option B: 18/06 -27/06 (eight days)
START Tue 18/06/19 – am – Students report on site
Wed 19/06/19 – am – University Tutor visit on site
END Thu 27/06/19 – am – presentation of the results on site

On the presentations day, we usually arrange for a minibus for about ten students to enable them to attend each other’s presentations to various host companies.

I look forward to discussing your ideas with you.

Best Regards
Oliver Vogt

PS: If you do not object, I would like to publish your proposed project online at our IPS website for future reference: http://community.dur.ac.uk/ecs.ipc

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Industrial Tutor in Engineering Management and Manufacturing
School of Engineering and Computing Sciences ¦ Durham University
Phd CEng Dipl-Ing ¦ T: 07808056724 ¦ E: oliver.vogt@durham.ac.uk
uk.linkedin.com/in/olivervogt ¦ community.dur.ac.uk/oliver.vogt
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External URL: http://community.dur.ac.uk/ecs.ipc