Aberdeen’s booming subsea industry has spawned a new postgraduate course to cope with the demand for highly-qualified engineers.
The University of Aberdeen today (Wednesday, September 5) launched its new postgraduate in Subsea Engineering in front of an invited industry audience at Offshore Europe 07.
The programme will be the first new subsea engineering course launched in the UK for some years.
Professor Albert Rodger, Head of the College of Physical Sciences said: "This new programme is being launched as a partnership with the subsea industry, and is intended to complement existing training and education programmes designed to increase the numbers of engineers entering the subsea profession.
"With Aberdeen City and Shire now an international centre of excellence in Subsea, Aberdeen is a natural home for a high quality specific programme in Subsea Engineering that we hope will become the programme of choice for students wishing to enter the industry."
He added: "This programme reflects the continued increasing engagement between the University of Aberdeen, the offshore industry, and the wider community in both the City of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to promote the region as an international centre of expertise in the energy industries."
The first group of students will enrol in January 2008. The course is fully independent and will be open across the industry.
Chevron is one company to already have provided financial backing to the programme.
Dr John Lawson, subsea engineering co-ordinator at Chevron Upstream Europe, said: "The future prediction for growth in subsea activities is significant, with many technological and development challenges, combined with a shortage of properly educated and trained staff.
"Programmes such as this new MSc will help the industry to meet its future challenges, and clearly Aberdeen is a perfect location geographically. Chevron commissioned a study into the feasibility of launching this new programme at the University of Aberdeen, and we are delighted to support the launch for the benefit of the whole subsea industry".
Dr Neill Renton, one of the staff contributing to teaching on the programme said: "The interest and enthusiasm from companies and other organisations in developing the content for this flagship programme has been outstanding, and exemplifies how close participation between universities and industry can work to the benefit of both.
"The fact that Aberdeen is the base of such subsea expertise will be a massive draw, both for UK students, and those working in the industry overseas. The students will be able to work on real life case studies, and their studies can have a highly practical basis. We are fortunate to be able to draw on the support of companies for student projects and, potentially, scholarships."