NMITE and British Army Launch Three-Year Autonomous Robotics Engineering Degree

The New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) has unveiled details of its groundbreaking MEng (Hons) Integrated Engineering (Autonomous Robotics) degree, developed in conjunction with the British Army and set to welcome its first students in September 2026.

The programme, which compresses a traditional four-year Master's in Engineering into three years, aims to equip graduates with practical skills in drone technologies and autonomous systems that address both defence and civilian applications.

Al Carns MP, Minister for the Armed Forces, attended Wednesday's launch event in Hereford alongside NMITE leadership, current students demonstrating autonomous systems and robotics technologies, and representatives from the Army's Experimentation and Trials Group - the type of soldiers who could become future students of the degree.

"This degree reflects the scale of the opportunity in front of us, to equip the next generation of engineers with skills that matter now, and to quickly deliver positive impacts in terms of skills, defence and security capability, and regional growth," said James Newby, NMITE's President and Chief Executive Officer. 

"The fact that we expect many local young people to take on the degree and build their futures with us is incredibly exciting."

Curriculum Designed for Real-World Impact

Professor Alexandru (Alex) Stancu, Academic Lead for the degree, explained that the curriculum has been designed from the ground up to combine rigorous engineering fundamentals with hands-on experience in autonomous systems. "Students (will) engage with the technologies and challenges facing the country today," he said. "I am incredibly excited to be involved and can't wait to start working with students on this project."

The programme builds on NMITE's pioneering, hands-on pedagogy and places strong emphasis on the dual-use potential of drone technologies. Just as GPS and the internet were originally developed for defence before becoming commonplace in civilian life, NMITE's degree will prepare graduates to drive innovation across civilian, commercial, humanitarian, and defence applications.

Brigadier Mike Cornwell, Head of Future Force Development, Army Command, represented the British Army at the event, underscoring the defence sector's commitment to developing the next generation of autonomous systems engineers.

Industry Partnership and Local Impact

The event featured participation from Ollie Holt, one of NMITE's first graduates in Integrated Engineering who finished his studies in 2024 and now works at a Hereford-based drones company. Representatives from local defence and security partners, including Hereford-based Level Peaks, also attended.

A Level Peaks spokesperson emphasised the value of the partnership: "We have a long-standing relationship with NMITE and strongly believe in the value the university brings to the local area and the industries we operate within. Our partnership is built on meaningful collaboration - from investing in students through financial support to sharing knowledge, expertise, and direct industry insight."

The company noted that NMITE's introduction of the MEng in Autonomous Robotics demonstrates the institute's modern, forward-thinking, and industry-relevant academic approach. "This development is particularly exciting and will prove invaluable to the industry, creating new opportunities for collaboration while significantly enhancing student futures."

The programme is now accepting expressions of interest from prospective students at nmite.ac.uk/form/register-your-interest-in-autosy