The school currently has 180 research students and the main fields of study listed below give an idea of the research areas in which we are active. Research programme structure Research students are normally associated with a group of scientists and engineers engaged on work in the same general area. This team includes the academic supervisor, members of the academic staff, members of the research staff, technicians and other research students. The wide expertise within these teams enables industrial problems to be tackled by people with different backgrounds, which gives a flexible basis for research and development work. Each student is assigned an academic supervisor who is responsible to the director of studies for the student's progress.
Progress is monitored continually by meetings and discussions.
The student is required to submit written reports, give presentations and also attend any lectures and short courses that may be considered to be beneficial during his or her course of study. The welfare and progress of each student is overseen by a research course director and a monitoring panel. A formal review of progress of PhD students is undertaken during each year of study. Funding for research students and the level of funds depends upon the background and qualifications of the candidate and the area of research interest. Funding ranges from research assistantships, which are directly tied to an industrial research programme, through industrial studentships, to research council grants.