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 was delighted to be awarded an honorary degree, for his contribution to business and engineering, by the University of York on Friday 19 January 2018.

Lord Bhattacharyya began his career as a graduate apprentice at Lucas Industries, subsequently gaining an MSc and PhD in Engineering Production at the University of Birmingham. In 1980, he became Britain’s first ever Professor of Manufacturing setting up WMG, at the University of Warwick.

Over the last 37 years he has built a world class research and education group working with industry to innovate and develop the leaders of tomorrow.

Today, WMG employs over 500 people across research, teaching, professional and administration. There are a total of 19 different research groups working across multiple sectors, and to date over 35,000 students from across 75 countries have studied here.

Our Chairman and Founder, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, was honoured to receive a Special Commendation for WMG’s Contribution to Motoring, at The Guild of Motoring Writers’ annual dinner and awards last night.

The award was in recognition of our significant contribution to the automotive industry. The Guild of Motoring Writers' annual awards are arguably the most prestigious in automotive media. Whilst many of the awards focus on outstanding contributions from journalists there are also special awards for outstanding new competitors in motorsport, as well as for those who have made special contributions to motoring in Britain.

A full list of winners can be found here.

A partnership between WMG, at the University of Warwick, Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, and Coventry City Council has been awarded £80 million to establish a new National Battery Manufacturing Development Facility (NBMDF). The announcement was made by The Rt Hon Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, while attending an energy conference on the University of Warwick campus on Wednesday 29^th November 2017.

The new national facility will be established in the Coventry and Warwickshire area by WMG, the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP and Coventry City Council and it will enable UK based companies and researchers to come together to build and maintain a world leading position in manufacturing technologies for batteries and their components in vehicles and transportation. It will provide a crucial new strategic link between the research, development and full-scale industrialisation for battery technologies across the UK.

It will enable effective partnerships between manufacturers, researchers, and economic development leaders, while remaining independent from commercial interests and it will be governed with transparency.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, Chairman and founder of WMG, at the University of Warwick, was on Friday bestowed two prestigious awards from China – the Great Wall Friendship Award, from Beijing City, and the Chinese Government Friendship Award, the premier national award.

Receiving the awards, on Friday 29^th September, at two separate ceremonies in China is the first time that an individual has received Beijing’s Great Wall Friendship Award and the Chinese Government Friendship Award on the same day.

The Great Wall Friendship Award was presented in appreciation of Professor Lord Bhattacharyya’s ‘enthusiastic support and contribution to Beijing's construction and your friendly cooperation’. Acting Mayor Mr Chen Jining on behalf of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality presented the award at a special ceremony in Beijing.

The Chinese Government Friendship Award, is the highest award offered by the Chinese Government to honour foreign experts. It was presented by Vice Premier Ma Kai at the Ceremony of the Chinese Government Friendship Award in the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square. Vice Premier Ma Kai 'extended warm congratulations on behalf of the Chinese Government and heartfelt thanks for Professor Lord Bhattacharyya’s participation in China's development. We welcome you to be a facilitator of China's modernisation drive, practitioner of the innovation-driven strategy and promoter of international collaboration between China and the world, by making further contribution to the economic and social development of China as well as progress of human civilisation.'

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.

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.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya has been appointed a trustee on the board of the Baker Dearing Education Trust.

Lord Baker and Lord Dearing created the Baker Dearing Educational Trust in 2007 to develop and promote University Technical Colleges (UTCs).

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya has already played an integral role in the development of two University Technical Colleges – the WMG Academies for Young Engineers in Coventry and Solihull. The two state of the art learning campuses cater for students from Coventry, Warwickshire, Solihull, and Birmingham.

Starting his career as a graduate apprentice at Lucas Industries, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya became Britain's first ever Professor of Manufacturing. Throughout his career he has been a passionate advocate for engineering innovation and the revival of British industry.