Newcastle University

The team based in Newcastle University’s School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences say the investment into our transport networks, buildings and communication systems is vital if we are to deliver an infrastructure for the 21st century.

And achieving this goal will require a new generation of civil engineers with the vision to build a sustainable infrastructure that will continue to meet our needs in an ever changing environment.

Rated second in the country for research power in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise Newcastle University’s civil engineering department is doing just that.

Chris Kilsby, Professor of Hydrology and Climate Change, is part of a world-leading research team responsible for an EPSRC-funded, £6.1million programme aimed at addressing the fundamental issue of ensuring sustainable infrastructure for the UK.

He explains: “Our infrastructure is acutely vulnerable to weather extremes and other threats and the risk is made much greater because of the interdependence of our key networks – energy, transport, water and telecommunications.

“At the same time, efficient and resilient infrastructure is essential to the growth and competitiveness of the UK economy and to quality of life and the environment in the face of rising demand and increasing energy prices.

“This investment is vital and here at Newcastle we are recruiting some of the best students from all over the UK and worldwide to train to be the engineers who will design, adapt and build the infrastructure for the future.”

An estimated £150 billion has been invested in the UK’s infrastructure over the last five years and experts predict a further £40-50 billion will be needed every year between now and 2030 in order to maintain current levels of service.

Privatisation of key services such as water and energy, new expectations that many decisions are to be taken locally and the fact that information and communications technologies are now integrated into every one of these key networks means the whole system is vulnerable.

Toll roads - one of many of the mooted infrastructure projects and an initiative in which Newcastle University is a world leader - requires the development of hi-tech systems in order to be implemented and the University has received more than £4m in transport research grants to help deliver solutions to managing transport systems.

Professor of Intelligent Transport Professor Phil Blythe said there would be huge demand for excellent civil engineering graduates over the next few years.

“Transport is vital in delivering a successful economy and at the moment it is estimated that congestion and unpredictable journey times is estimated to cost the UK economy up to £20bn a year.

“It is vital that the government invests in new transport infrastructure projects to maintain the UK competitiveness and to utilise the skills and expertise of the world class civil engineering students that Newcastle University delivers.”