The New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) has taken another major step towards reshaping the future of UK engineering education, hosting a high-profile event alongside the British Army to spotlight its new MEng (Hons) Integrated Engineering (Autonomous Robotics) degree.
Following its initial announcement in December, the programme is set to welcome its first cohort of students in September 2026, positioning NMITE at the forefront of autonomous systems, drone technology and robotics education. The event brought together industry leaders, defence specialists, policymakers and students to explore how the degree will address the growing demand for skilled engineers in both defence and civilian sectors.
A high-profile showcase of future engineering
Held at NMITE’s Hereford campus, the event was attended by Al Carns MP, Minister for the Armed Forces, alongside senior figures from the British Army. It was hosted by James Newby, NMITE’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Jesse Norman, Chair, and Professor Alexandru (Alex) Stancu, Academic Lead for the Autonomous Robotics degree.
Current NMITE students were also on hand to demonstrate real-world applications of autonomous systems, including drone technologies and robotics platforms, offering a glimpse into the hands-on learning approach that defines NMITE’s teaching model.
Representing the Army was Brigadier Mike Cornwell, Head of Future Force Development at Army Command, alongside members of the Army’s Experimentation and Trials Group — soldiers who could themselves become future students on the programme.
Engineering skills for today’s challenges
Speaking at the event, James Newby highlighted the broader impact of the new degree, not just for students, but for the region and the UK’s security capabilities.
“This degree reflects the scale of the opportunity in front of us — to equip the next generation of engineers with skills that matter now, and to quickly deliver positive impacts in terms of skills, defence and security capability and regional growth,” he said. “The fact that we expect many local young people to take on the degree and build their futures with us is incredibly exciting.”
Professor Stancu also shared insight into how the programme has evolved since its announcement.
“The curriculum has been designed from the ground up to combine rigorous engineering fundamentals with hands-on experience in autonomous systems,” he explained. “Students will engage directly with the technologies and challenges facing the country today. I’m incredibly excited to be involved and can’t wait to start working with students on this project.”
Industry partnerships at the core
A key strength of NMITE’s model is its close relationship with industry. Among those attending was Ollie Holt, one of NMITE’s first Integrated Engineering graduates, who completed his studies in 2024 and now works for a Hereford-based drone company.
Also present were representatives from Level Peaks, a local defence and security specialist and long-standing NMITE partner. The company exemplifies the type of industry collaboration students on the Autonomous Robotics degree will benefit from.
A spokesperson for Level Peaks said:
“Our partnership with NMITE is built on meaningful collaboration — from investing in students through financial support to sharing knowledge, expertise and direct industry insight. The introduction of the MEng degrees in Autonomous Robotics demonstrates NMITE’s modern, forward-thinking and industry-relevant academic approach. This development will be invaluable to the industry and significantly enhance student futures.”
A faster route to a Master’s degree
Built on NMITE’s hands-on, project-based pedagogy, the Autonomous Robotics programme allows students to achieve a Master’s in Engineering (MEng) in just three years, rather than the traditional four.
While the course places a strong emphasis on drone and autonomous technologies, it also recognises their dual-use potential. Just as innovations originally developed for defence — such as GPS and the internet — now underpin everyday civilian life, NMITE’s graduates will be equipped to drive progress across commercial, humanitarian and security applications.
The degree aims to produce broadly trained, highly effective engineers, ready to innovate across multiple sectors — a theme that aligns closely with wider discussions around the future of technology, defence and education (see Verge’s coverage on future tech and innovation and education and careers).
How to register your interest
Applications for the Autonomous Robotics degree will open ahead of the September 2026 intake. Those interested in joining the programme can register their interest directly with NMITE via the official form here: https://nmite.ac.uk/form/register-your-interest-in-autosy
