The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, visited WMG at the University of Warwick today (4 May 2018), as part of his ‘homecoming’ tour around Coventry, the city where he was first ordained.

During his visit to WMG, Archbishop Welby toured world-class automotive research facilities, including the Energy Innovation Centre and the new £150m National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC) with WMG Chairman Professor Lord Bhattacharyya.

He also joined a small group of business leaders to discuss the future of smart, connected and electrified vehicles, and the renaissance of the automotive industry in the West Midlands– topics which are at the heart of WMG research and development...

WMG was delighted to welcome Rick Snyder, Governor of the State of Michigan, on Friday (20 April 2018).

Our Academic Director, Professor Barbara Shollock introduced the Governor to WMG and gave an overview of our research capabilities and education programmes including those aimed at the next generation of young engineers and our executive education programmes.

The Governor was then given a tour of our world-class research and development facilities, including the International Manufacturing Centre. There, Professor Paul Jennings explained more about our Intelligent Vehicles research, including our state-of-the-art ‘3XD Simulator for Intelligent Vehicles.’ Professor Jennings also explained more about the UK Central CAV Testbed, a £25m project led by WMG which will see roads in Coventry and Birmingham become the UK testbed for developing the next generation connected and autonomous (CAV) vehicles. This was an area of particular interest as the University of Michigan is home to MCity, a demo ground built specifically for driverless car technology.

Robert Llewellyn hosted TV’s Scrapheap Challenge, starred as one of the crew of the spaceship Red Dwarf, and runs the popular ‘Fully Charged’ YouTube channel about renewable energy.

He spoke yesterday, Monday 19^th March 2018, at WMG, University of Warwick about his passion for renewable energy.

During his event, ‘In Conversation with Robert Llewellyn’, the famous advocate of clean technologies shared his experience of involvement with this field - particularly the move to electric, connected and autonomous vehicles, and how he sees the scale and pace of this technological shift first hand.

Robert also gave his thoughts on how the media covers one of the most transformational changes of our times.

While he was at WMG’s International Manufacturing Centre, he sat in a Tesla Model X - but unlike the other spaceman recently launched into space in a Telsa car, he a had a lot more to say about our clean energy futures.

As well as the Tesla Model X, Nissan Westway were at WMG with the new Leaf, demonstrating the new e-Pedal - and Jaguar Land Rover’s I-Pace completed the line-up of cutting edge electric vehicles on the campus.

Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, founder and Chairman of WMG was delighted to welcome the Education Select Committee to WMG today (Monday 26th February).

Whilst at WMG, the Committee met with current students, studying on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, who were able to talk to them about teaching quality, tutor support, fees and how their degrees are helping them prepare for the world of work. They also met with students who are working and undertaking degree apprenticeships, paid for by their employers, and wanted to understand how their experiences differ to full-time students, and why they chose this route over a traditional university degree.

Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, founder and Chairman of WMG was delighted to welcome Bernadette Kelly, the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport, to WMG today (Thursday 22^nd February).

Bernadette Kelly said ‘It was great to visit WMG and to hear directly from Lord Bhattacharyya about the huge range of its work across many sectors and technologies. The work WMG is doing on battery technology and smart and connected vehicles in particular is hugely important to the transport sector. My Department looks forward to working with the WMG and the region on the Future of Mobility, one of the Government’s Industrial Strategy Grand Challenges.’

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya welcomed Mr Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons to WMG, at the University of Warwick, on Saturday 16th September.

Mr Chandrasekaran was very interested to see for himself some of the projects that WMG and Tata companies are collaborating on, and to understand the breadth and depth of WMG’s research, education and technology transfer activities.

To bring these to life, he was given a tour of WMG’s Energy Innovation Centre, which is going through significant expansion, and will see WMG to continue to provide a unique facility for industry and academia to develop innovative energy storage technology. Mr Chandrasekaran also visited the Advanced Steels Research Centre and the International Manufacturing Centre where the focus was on light weighting, metrology and intelligent vehicles. As well as hearing from the Institute of Digital Healthcare.

WMG, at the University of Warwick hosted a visit from the leader, and deputy leader, of Coventry City Council who were keen to see for themselves the significant investment in automotive research within the City.

Cllr Duggins and Cllr Khan were given tours of the National Automotive Innovation Centre and Energy Innovation Centre, both lead by WMG, where research and development focuses on energy, batteries and autonomous vehicles.

The Energy Innovation Centre is going through significant expansion, which will see WMG to continue to provide a unique facility for industry and academia to develop innovative energy storage technology. The focus is on novel cell materials and chemistries through to ‘2nd life’ and battery recycling, which will keep the UK at the forefront of energy research.

The National Automotive Innovation Centre is a long-term partnership with Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors European Technical Centre providing a critical mass of research capability for the automotive sector. Together teams will collaborate to develop breakthrough designs, technologies and processes making vehicles smarter, lighter and greener.

Cllr Duggins, Leader of Coventry City Council said “To say the National Automotive Innovation Centre is incredible is an understatement. I’m sure there are a lot of people in the City who are not aware of the impact such a centre will have on the City. It will provide major employment and there is no question it is a leading centre, not just for Coventry, but for the UK. The building itself is iconic and a major landmark. This proves what can be done when partners deliver and shows the benefits to the community generally.”

Dr Reuel Khoza, a distinguished thought leader, businessman, President of the IoDSA, and change agent at the forefront of transformation in the South African political economy, received a warm welcome from staff and students at WMG today, some 12 years after his own graduation here.

Hailed as a role model in his native South Africa, in respect of the duties and responsibilities that a citizen can and should take on in the public and national interest, Dr Khoza returned as the Honorary Speaker at this year's graduation.

Professor Lord Bhattacharrya, Chairman and Founder of WMG, said: "I am delighted that Reuel is back with us today. We worked together very closely in the early 2000s when Reuel was with me combining his Engineering Doctorate (EngD) in Business Leadership with the challenge of his Chairmanship of Eskom and the writing of his first book. A remarkable combination by a remarkable man.

Dr Khoza plans to take up an exciting new engagement building links between WMG and South Africa.

Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, founder and Chairman of WMG was delighted to welcome Mr Hu Chunhua the Party Secretary of Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China to WMG, University of Warwick.

Mr Hu Chunhua was accompanied by a senior delegation including Minister Ma Hui of the Chinese Embassy, Mr Wen Guohui, the Mayor of Guangzhou City and the Director Generals of the Guangdong Commerce, Economic and Information, Education, Foreign Affairs, International, Policy, and Science and Technology departments.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya introduced the breadth and depth of WMG’s research, education and technology transfer activities and the long history and impact of its engagement with Chinese organisations. The delegation engaged Lord Bhattacharyya in a discussion about WMG and how its highly successful mode of operation can bring further benefits to Sino-UK collaboration and in particular between Guangdong and Coventry and Warwickshire.

As part of this Lord Bhattacharyya shared his vision of the Smart Motor City, which is, being built rapidly on the research strength of WMG, the can-do approach of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, major companies and innovative suppliers clustering around the new National Automotive Innovation Campus. This research strength was exemplified through visits to two unique facilities in WMG, the 3XD Simulator enabling the implementation of smart and connected vehicles and the Energy Innovation Centre forming the foundation for the proposed National Battery Prototyping Centre.

WMG was delighted to welcome today, Professor Sir Mark Walport FRS, the Government Chief Scientific Advisor, accompanied by Dr Rupert Lewis, Director of the Government Office for Science.

Sir Mark had the opportunity to discuss science, engineering and wealth creation innovations from WMG and how WMG works side-by-side with industry to enable the creation and delivery of innovative new products, processes and services. After meeting with Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, he undertook a tour of WMG’s world-class research facilities, including the International Manufacturing Centre and the Energy Innovation Centre.