Modular distance-learning Motorsport Masters Programme

[Mike Meechan]

Hi,

Here at Oxford Brookes, we're looking to develop - with UK academic partners - a modular motorsport masters programme which would be delivered through distance and blended-learning environments.

We're currently divining from industry in Motorsport Valley in the UK what kind of topics and subject material they would like to see in the curriculum, which would have the specific goal of turning good motorsport engineering graduates into good motorsport Engineering managers.

I have to produce a Business Case to support moving forward on this proposal and so have two key questions for the forum:

1) What would be the US (and International) interest in this be, given that you could study in your own country, and probably combine this study with employment?

2) What kind of topics would students (and US industry) like to see in the curriculum of the sort proposed here?

Thanks

[Mike Meechan]

Hi,

Here at Oxford Brookes, we're looking to develop - with UK academic partners - a modular motorsport masters programme which would be delivered through distance and blended-learning environments.

We're currently divining from industry in Motorsport Valley in the UK what kind of topics and subject material they would like to see in the curriculum, which would have the specific goal of turning good motorsport engineering graduates into good motorsport Engineering managers.

I have to produce a Business Case to support moving forward on this proposal and so have two key questions for the forum:

1) What would be the US (and International) interest in this be, given that you could study in your own country, and probably combine this study with employment?

2) What kind of topics would students (and US industry) like to see in the curriculum of the sort proposed here?

Thanks

[drivetrainUW-Platt]

why another post? there are 3 going already, you can reply once you start a topic......

[kwancho]

So, you said you want to turn motorsport engineers into motorsport engineering managers? I don't know about other people, but I'm sure the majority of us don't have formal motorsport engineering teaching, aside from seminars and the like. If I were to do this, I'd like total motorsport immersion for the duration. Doesn't mean lectures 24/7, but I think that if we can focus entirely on motorsport and not have other things on our mind like at school, the time would be most valuable.

[ben]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike Meechan:
which would have the specific goal of turning good motorsport engineering graduates into good motorsport Engineering managers.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The problem with the IMechE and engineering in the UK in general is that you are pressuring young recent grads into being managers way too soon.

What about just making people good tech specialists first? My best managers (one in particular from my former life in the aerospace sector) were/are good tech specialists.

It commands more respect when your manager could do your job as well if not better than you having had that experience.

I remember a Racecar Engineering article about graduates of Cranfield's Motorsport Engineering and Management course, and most seemed to be in technical sales...

Ben

[Mike Meechan]

Along with Cranfield and Swansea Institute, I was one of the academia-based Core Members of the Skills Education and Training Group of the DTI Motorsport Competitiveness Panel process begun by Patricia Hewitt three years ago.

There was a multitude of evidence, both anecdotal, achieved through face-to-face interviews conducted (by myself and others) with key motorsport industrialists, and documentary, to suggest that good management and other soft skills were absolutely key to increased competitiveness and business success.

The proposed programme is for employee upskilling primarily, and is not aimed specifically at new graduates, but more towards good engineers who have been in work for perhaps 5 to 10 years, and who have been identified as having excellent management potential.

Having worked in industry for over 20 years, I would argue that good engineers don't always make good engineering managers, but the nature of the profession means that people are (usually?) promoted within an engineering environment because of their technical prowess, rather than their ability to manage. This programme - which is industry-focused and market driven - would seek provide the skills, education and training to bridge the divide.

Mike

Manager, Motorsport Knowledge Exchange
Oxford Brookes University