25 May 2007

Manchester University Press Release

The University of Manchester is to deliver executive education programmes for BP as part of a multi-million pound strategic partnership announced today (Tuesday 15 May 2007).

The two parties will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking their intention to establish a closer working relationship across recruitment activities, research, education, and the application of scientific knowledge.

As part of this relationship, The University has been selected by BP to host “Managing Projects” and “Engineering Management” education programmes, after competing against other leading UK universities.

Managing Projects will draw on expertise within Manchester Business School and the School of Mechanical Aerospace and Civil Engineering to provide world-class project management education to professionals in the BP Group.

It will focus on the management of projects of all sizes by teaching the application of project management processes and principles specific to BP. The unit will also provide a leadership experience to support success in challenging multi-regional business environments.

Engineering Management will provide BP engineering leaders with the processes, tools and knowledge to ensure safe, environmentally sound, cost efficient, reliable and maintainable facilities are designed and can be built to deliver financial and operating expectations.

It will look at deepening skill and capability in the management of teams, understanding how to apply engineering guidelines and avoiding common pitfalls.

The programme will be delivered by academics from the Schools of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering (MACE), Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science (CEAS) and Manchester Business School (MBS).

The courses, which form part of BP’s Project Community Learning Programme, will be delivered during residential periods, separated by non-residential ‘intersessions’ that will allow participants to apply what they have learned.

The programmes will be piloted and introduced over the next year. The total investment from BP across the two training programmes is in excess of £4 million.

The burgeoning relationship between BP and The University of Manchester has also led to the funding of research projects focusing on wind technology.

BP Alternative Energy is sponsoring post graduate research in The School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), and is also looking to draw upon multi-disciplinary expertise within MACE’s wind technology research programme.

Professor Alan Gilbert, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester said: “We are immensely proud that a global company like BP has chosen The University of Manchester to deliver world-class training for its most talented and ambitious people.

“These projects are just the start of what promises to be a long and prosperous partnership that, as it continues to flourish, will bring together the most skilled and gifted individuals from both organisations, forging a special link which spans both commerce and higher education.”

BP’s Group Vice President for Supply and Trading, Brian Gilvary, a Manchester alumnus and Strategic Relationship Manager said: “This is one of our biggest strategic academic partnerships and we are very excited by this important step. It will develop world leading projects and engineering expertise for BP and the next generation of engineers and business people coming out of Manchester University may see at first hand the benefit of this partnership – by providing education to, and challenging and invigorating careers in BP’s technical communities they will help us meet our aspirations.”

Professor John Perkins, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of Physical Sciences, said: “By signing the MoU, we are creating a bridge of opportunity which will bring significant benefits for both The University of Manchester and BP.

“We will be training BP's engineers from all over the world, as well as working with them in research to address the huge challenges of energy supply and demand. It is a credit to our staff that BP has selected them over other world-leading universities."

Other on-going collaboration with BP includes the delivery of strategic training for BP’s senior retail managers through The Retail Centre at MBS.

BP is also sponsoring The University of Manchester’s new Volunteer of the Year Awards. For further information please see www.volunteeroftheyear.careers.manchester.ac.uk.