A new programme at Aston University - Masters in Leadership for Engineering (MiLE) is aiming to transform experienced managers in engineering into influential and respected leaders with the personal and technical expertise to address global business challenges, with integrity, in a resource limited world.
Aston University recognises that companies need people with outstanding business skills as well as specialists, to tackle the challenges facing their business and the world in the 21st Century. Business people increasingly need to consider more fully the ramifications of technology developments on their business operations and strategic directions; it is not enough for engineers to be just good at their job in technical departments and teams.
The School of Engineering & Applied Science has developed a high level masters programme for professional engineers, which aims to equip them for the rigours of the boardroom. Called the Masters in Leadership for Engineering (MiLE), it aims to do for engineering what the MBA has done for business. Created and directed by Professor Alison Hodge MBE CEng CPhys, MiLE will bridge the gap between the technical and business worlds.
Professor Hodge explains, ‘Engineers are responsible for generating wealth for business and benefit for society, because engineers tackle and overcome major challenges such as diminishing water and energy resources. However, engineers often feel that they are ill-equipped to run companies – leaving that to the finance and other specialists. The MiLE programme offers engineering managers the skills to become influential and respected leaders, with the personal and technical expertise to address global business challenges’.
This new programme includes key modules such as leadership, sustainability, marketing, partners and suppliers, strategy, operational efficiency, legal, finance and accounting and is focused onto major challenges impacting business – energy supplies, sustainable resources, complexity of interconnected systems, rapidly changing global markets, business risks, ethical and social responsibilities and knowledge based new business models.
Recognising that senior leaders are too valuable to release from their company operations to study on campus, this programme will be tailored specifically to fit with busy corporate schedules and will include just two residential weeks each year. The programme, which is taught by experts from both the School of Engineering & Applied Science and Aston Business School, designed to enable participants to select topics and projects relevant to their company and personal needs.
Benefits for business include:
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Training and development of individual participants, enabling specialists to become skilled leaders able to influence at a strategic level and motivate teams through in rapidly changing environments
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Improved staff retention and motivation for mid-career staff with potential
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Offers engineers and technical staff the opportunity to develop their “soft skills” in a low risk environment
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Offers non-technical staff the opportunity to understand and develop their interactions with team members in technical disciplines such as engineering
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Projects and activities coupled with company needs – hence accessing the latest business and engineering research in academia to support company initiatives
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Profile raising for the company and its activities, services and products globally, with the potential leaders of the future.
Visit the MiLE course page for further information or alternatively contact Carol Winder, Partnerships Team Leader on Tel: +44 (0)121 204 3555 or c.winder@aston.ac.uk
