What’s happening
Higher education
2024 has been a successful year in the Institute. We’ve further strengthened our foundations as an excellent HE provider and energised our mission to be a strategic asset to Dyson. This is all possible due to our ecosystem of committed stakeholders - students and graduates, the Institute team, colleagues in Dyson Technology, our governing body, and Sir James and the Dyson family.
Director of the Dyson Institute
Receiving Full Degree Awarding Powers
In May 2024, three years after receiving Provisional Degree Awarding Powers, the Office for Students (OfS) awarded us with full Taught Degree Awarding Powers. The Dyson Institute was the first higher education provider to achieve full Degree Awarding Powers through the NDAPs process. This milestone enabled the Institute to continue the expansion plans announced in November 2023. This included moving our flagship programme to an MEng in engineering, launching a MSc conversion course, and beginning to develop credit bearing modules for Dyson engineers.
An Outstanding Ofsted Inspection
In May we were subject to our first full Ofsted Inspection, over three days inspectors assessed the quality of education, leadership and management, personal development, behaviour and attitudes and the education programme. We were pleased to be awarded with ‘Outstanding’ in all areas. Ofsted reported that “training provided to apprentices is of the highest standard and helps to create world-class engineers.”
Accreditation from the IET
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) awarded engineering accreditation for the Dyson Institute’s BEng programme, with all ground laid to top this up for the MEng in due course. This accreditation is an endorsement of educational standards in the programme and supports the professional registration and global mobility of the Institute’s graduates.
Our first week of Academic Conferences
For the first time, we hosted a week of conferences on our Malmesbury Campus, inviting colleagues from across engineering and higher education to engage in presentations across a variety of topics. This included, AI and the Future of Engineering, the 11th Special Interest Group in Acoustofluidics, and an event co-hosted with the Engineering Professors Council on ‘Co-designing a neuro-inclusive future.’ To complete the week, we hosted Professorial Inaugural lectures from Professor Beverley Gibbs and Professor Peter Wilson. It was a busy week full of fantastic opportunities to connect with lots of people from across the sector.
Our largest student intake yet.
In September, the Institute welcomed its first cohort of 17 postgraduates, joining to study a two-year conversion master's in computer science. In addition, 46 undergraduates have joined the Institute’s flagship MEng in Engineering. This means the Institute has nearly 200 students enrolled across all years of its programmes, and a further 150 who have already graduated.
Award recognition
We were delighted that both the Institute and individuals in our community have been recognised across a variety of awards this year.
At the Engineering Talent Awards, Kayleigh Poulter, Dyson Institute Graduate, Class of 2023, was awarded Engineering Graduate of the year and overall the Engineering Excellence award for her work in building more neuroinclusion into Dyson products, and Year 4 student Tanzy Kelley was shortlisted for Engineering Apprentice of the Year.
We won the SACPA International Safeguarding Award, which recognises individuals who have demonstrated the values of safeguarding in international settings and contexts. Judges said “the Dyson Institute demonstrated innovative adaptations to safeguarding processes when placing students on work placements in South East Asia.”
Finally, we were awarded FE provider of the year award at The Tribal Celebration of Success Awards awards, recognising our provision and commitment to delivering a strong student experience for every learner.
Our fourth Graduation Celebration
In September we celebrated the graduation of our fourth cohort of students in partnership with WMG, University of Warwick. The day consisted of a formal ceremony with speeches from Sir James Dyson, Chair of Council, Mary Curnock Cook, Class of 2024 Graduate Babajide Popoola, and Vice Chancellor of Warwick, Professor Stuart Croft. Graduates and guests then explored the last four years through an interactive exhibition.
Evaluating the Impact of our graduates
With the first Dyson Institute graduates now 3 years into their full-time careers at Dyson we’ve been able to build a more detailed picture on the impact they’ve made across the business. We’re collecting clear data on their career journeys and how they’re progressing after graduation. This is enabling the Institute to get a much clearer sense on how our programme is equipping the next generation of Dyson Engineers.
