Home / Partner Universities
STAND-UP is delivered by a consortium of seven leading UK research universities, led by the University of Strathclyde, with funding from EPSRC and UKRI. Each partner brings distinct expertise that contributes to the EngD programme's research themes and training.
The University of Strathclyde leads the STAND-UP consortium through the SEARCH centre, the Sensor Enabled Automation Robotics & Control Hub, which sits within the Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering (CUE). SEARCH is one of the UK's leading research groupings for sensor systems, automated inspection and robotics in safety-critical sectors.
Strathclyde co-ordinates programme governance, the 12 month taught component, the five three-week residentials and EngD@Work places, alongside running its own portfolio of STAND-UP projects.
Robotics, teleoperation, tactile sensing, edge intelligence and autonomous inspection for nuclear maintenance and decommissioning. Lead institution for three STAND-UP projects covering shared autonomy, embedded edge AI and control-aware underwater inspection.
Lancaster projects
Digital engineering, digital threads, trustworthy digital twins, build philosophies for high integrity assemblies, and risk-aware robotic manufacturing in safety critical sectors. Lead institution for four STAND-UP projects in digital manufacturing.
Nottingham projects
Predictive digital twins, integrated computational materials engineering, additive manufacturing of nuclear components, and reliability modelling for safety critical structures. Lead institution for STAND-UP projects spanning materials and design assurance.
Derby projects
Advanced materials, nuclear engineering and structural integrity research. Detail to come
Birmingham projects
Composite materials, structural health monitoring, embedded sensing and digital twinning for safety-critical components. Currently running a STAND-UP EngD on embedded strain sensors for process monitoring, with AWE as a confirmed industry partner.
Surrey projects
Place-based engagement with the Cumbrian nuclear cluster, workforce development and applied research. Detail to come
Cumbria projectsFull descriptions for Birmingham and Cumbria, plus departmental detail and lead academics for each partner, are still to be supplied by the client. Treat the descriptions above as working summaries.
STAND-UP is supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, under the Nuclear Skills Doctoral Focal Award.
STAND-UP projects are co-designed with industry partners who host EngD placements, contribute funding, and bring live engineering challenges to the cohort. Confirmed industry partners on current projects include:
Embedded sensing and digital twinning for safety-critical composite structures.
Submarine build and in-process ultrasonic weld inspection.
Hyperspectral imaging for nuclear canister assessment.
Heavy steel components and the Maritime Supply Chain Innovation Centre.
Causal inference workflows for condition monitoring and safety cases.
Digital twins of propulsion systems and surrogate modelling for certification.
Underwater structural integrity inspection.
Tactile sensing for shared autonomy and edge intelligence in decommissioning.
Interested in hosting a STAND-UP EngD placement, sponsoring a project, or joining the consortium? Get in touch with the programme team to discuss.
