The ‘Mentoring for Industry Collaboration’ scheme was co-designed with the Business Partnerships and Knowledge Exchange (BPKE) team and the Faculty of Engineering & Design (FED) at the University of Bath.
Developed specifically for the Faculty, the initiative now includes mentor–mentee partnerships across all FED departments, connecting academics with senior professionals from sectors including aerospace, advanced manufacturing, defence, infrastructure, sustainability, and energy and materials.
The scheme allows one-to-one engagement over a twelve-month period, supporting academics in upskilling in knowledge exchange, enabling them to engage effectively with industry and develop long-term partnerships that lead to collaborative research and innovation.
The scheme has a flexible format to meet individual needs, with each pair of mentors and mentees engaging for at least two hours a month, either virtually or in-person, on campus, at the company or in a social setting.
Dr Zac Hickman, BPKE Manager for FED says:
Academics across the Faculty are highly motivated to work with industry, but many, particularly those earlier in their careers, benefit from structured support to build the networks and connections that make collaboration possible. This mentoring scheme provides a practical way to explore opportunities, learn from experienced professionals, and begin translating research into tangible collaborations.
Dr Steven Boakes, Head of KE says:
I’m delighted that the success of the pilot scheme in Mechanical Engineering has led to the scheme being rolled out to the entire Faculty of Engineering & Design. Now even more researchers are set to benefit from the individual bespoke support that mentorship offers and will be better equipped to do KE and realise the value of KE to their research.
High profile senior industry representatives who are enthusiastic about working with the University include alumnus Daniel Weil from defence consultancy, TICQ. He says:
As an alumnus of the University of Bath, it’s been a real pleasure to reconnect with the Faculty of Engineering and share industry perspectives from the Defence sector. Strengthening these links has been hugely rewarding and it’s especially meaningful to give something back to where my engineering journey began.
His mentee, Dr Aykut Tamer from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, says:
It’s a valuable opportunity for me to meet with my mentor to better understand the UK defence industry and explore how my research can achieve greater real-world impact. We have already begun a series of networking activities and planned visits to key stakeholders to achieve this goal.
Also taking part in the scheme is a mentor and mentee pair addressing net zero challenges. Mentor Ali Kemp, Regional Director for Sustainable Waste Management at SLR Consulting, a global leader in sustainability solutions. She says:
I fully support the concept of knowledge sharing and collaboration between academia and industry and this mentoring scheme is a great opportunity to both gain skills and share understanding. I enjoy making introductions and providing insights and ideas from my career experience to support the development of the mentee, and in turn the wider progression of a sector we are both passionate about.
Her mentee, Dr Laiz Souto, Assistant Professor from the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, says:
For me, the mentoring scheme has been a very helpful opportunity to reflect on my professional objectives, share experiences, and learn about climate resilience and net zero challenges facing the industry from a different perspective.