WMG June 2026 recap

Monday 20 July 2026

WMG June 2026 recap

Throughout June, representatives from Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick welcomed Ministers, regional leaders, industry groups, and guests from the University of Ghana. Staff also represented WMG in Parliament and at international graduation ceremonies.

These visits and meetings underscore WMG’s key role in bridging the gap between academia and industry, and highlight its strong commitment to collaboration and innovation regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Mayor of the West Midlands Growth TaskforceLink opens in a new window

WMG hosted the Mayor's Growth Taskforce, bringing together mayoral officials, regional businesses, innovators, and local government representatives to discuss opportunities for regional growth. This included artificial intelligence (AI), finance, the Local Innovation Partnership Fund (LIPF), and the cluster growth plans.

Blair McDougall MPLink opens in a new window

Blair McDougall, MP for East Renfrewshire and Parliamentary Under‑Secretary of State for Small Business and Economic Transformation in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), took part in an SME roundtable alongside Taiwo Owatemi MPLink opens in a new window for Coventry North West.

Following the roundtable, Minister McDougall enjoyed a tour of WMG’s research facilities before chatting to students who spoke enthusiastically about the confidence, teamwork, and technical skills they have developed through their student projects.

All-party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Apprenticeships

Dr Ben Silverstone, Head of Skills Policy and Strategy at WMG, presented evidence on the potential of the apprenticeship system. He was joined by experts from the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), and London South Bank University (LSBU).

Blair McDougall MP visits WMG

UK Global R&D and Science Investment Summit

Professor Kerry Kirwan, Dean of WMG, was part of the delegation representing the University at the Future Innovators: University Innovation Drives Growth reception at the UK Global R&D and Science Investment Summit - Invest in UK University R&D – MidlandsLink opens in a new window at the Royal Society.

Simon Webb, Chief Technology Officer at WMG, also took part in an Industrial Strategy panel session at the event that aims to present regional innovation strengths and investment opportunities to an international audience of investors, research organisations, and industry partners.

University of GhanaLink opens in a new window

Professor Kerry Kirwan welcomed guests from the University of Ghana including Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor; Jemima Anderson, Dean of Internation Programmes and Professor Badu Agyemang, Director of Pan African Doctoral Academy and Professor Felix Asante, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research.

The guests were interested to see WMG’s world class research facilities, with a specific interest in the department’s use of AI in healthcare technologies.

Silverstone Technology Cluster

Following Silverstone Technology ClusterLink opens in a new window's Innovation and Growth Conference, which featured WMG’s Waste2Race car, delegates were invited to the National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC) for an evening of networking and collaboration.

Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Tech (SIM)Link opens in a new window

Professor Robin Clark attended graduation at the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIM). Fifty students graduated this year, bringing the total number of graduates from the Engineering Business Management and Supply Chain Logistics Management programmes to more than 360.