Our story

For decades, Sir James Dyson has tackled a systemic problem: the UK’s shortage of engineers. In 2002, he set up the James Dyson Foundation. A charity with a simple mission: to challenge misconceptions about engineering and encourage more young people to consider careers in engineering.  

Across the next two decades, the James Dyson Foundation worked to intervene in the skills crisis, through free educational resources, international design engineering competitions and philanthropic donations to schools and students. Alongside that work, the Foundation supported major initiatives to improve engineering education in the UK. This has included over £23 million of donations to universities and their engineering students.

In 2016, James asked the then Minister for Universities – Jo Johnson MP – what the UK government was doing about the engineering skills crisis. Jo responded with a challenge; that James should set up his own higher education institution for aspiring engineers.

In September 2017, the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology opened its doors, offering approximately 40 undergraduates per year the opportunity to study for a degree delivered and awarded by the University of Warwick, while also being employed within Dyson’s global engineering team. It was the natural next step in James’ support for re-engineering education.

In 2020, following a rigorous assessment by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, we were awarded New Degree Awarding Powers. This enabled us to open admissions for our first independent intake, whose degree is delivered and awarded by the Dyson Institute. The first independent cohort joined us in September 2021.  

Sir James Dyson announced the next stage of development for the Dyson Institute with the update and launch of new programmes, including our plans for an integrated MEng and a MSc conversion programme.

We offer an alternative choice to traditional university provision, with an approach built on established methodologies of teaching and learning, while at the same time pioneering non-traditional programmes of engineering knowledge, professional workplace application and leadership development. An agile institution, quick to respond to feedback and completely committed to continuous improvement.