On 3 June, teachers and students from the Design, Manufacture and Project module relocated their final exam venue from a traditional classroom to an outdoor water pool, showcasing the innovative spirit and practice-orientated learning environment at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC).
Led by Associate Professor Adam Rushworth, who waded into the pool to evaluate each unique design, from paddle-wheeled craft to dragon-boat inspired prototypes, the exam highlighted the creativity and engineering prowess of the students.
Students enrolled in this module often find themselves with oil-stained clothes and metal-dusted hands as they machine parts, troubleshoot leaks, and refine designs.
“In practice, students need to face the challenges of design flaws, manufacturing errors, and debugging. Repeated failures are commonplace. Only through these processes can students begin to appreciate the complexity of engineering practice and the sense of achievement that comes with success.” Adam stated, emphasising how ‘getting your hands dirty’ helps forge real-world problem-solving skills.
Air infiltration, water leakage, instability, and insufficient buoyancy added layers of complexity to each test session, turning them into real-time assessments of the students' resilience, teamwork and troubleshooting abilities.
Design, Manufacture and Project is a core module for the Mechanical Engineering programme at UNNC. It requires students to complete a comprehensive engineering project: designing and building a boat powered by a steam or Stirling engine from scratch.
With its outstanding pedagogical design and innovative hands-on approach, this module was recognised as a National Level First-Class undergraduate module in 2023.
In recent years, UNNC’s Mechanical Engineering undergraduates have consistently achieved remarkable outcomes: many pursue further studies at prestigious institutions such as University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and Cornell University, while others launch careers with global industry leaders including Siemens, BOSCH and SAIC-GM.