Engineering Doctorate Journey

The Loughborough Doctoral Centre in Model-Based Systems Engineering

The aim of the Centre is to create an interdisciplinary cadre of Systems Engineering leaders across industrial domains and sectors with the ability to lead future advancement of MBSE. They will possess both the holistic thinking abilities to approach complex problems systemically and the engineering prowess to systematically formulate solutions to the problems of today and the complex (as yet unimagined) challenges of the future.

The Centre addresses industry challenges in dealing with complex systems through the training of much-needed skills and the research and innovation to create new methods and approaches across a wide range of sectors. The focus will be on industrially relevant problems in the areas such as systems for Net Zero, Health and Healthcare systems, Quantum Systems, Digital Engineering, Defence, and Security.

This programme will graduate a cohort of future Systems Engineering leaders, which will be a network of expertise to drive future development and application of MBSE in industry as a key contribution to long-term economic growth, enhanced productivity, and improved public services through better design and management of complex systems.

As a graduate from this programme, you will become a future thought leader in Systems Engineering with a set of skills that in much demand by industry and government employers.

Research Description

It is expected that the researcher will work with their sponsor and academic supervisor to define the project in detail during the first year of study. We seek students who are ambitious and innovative with a determination to shape their research to achieve impactful, and deployable outputs that will contribute to the technical goals of their sponsor.

Location and Duration

Engineering Doctoral Researchers are located predominantly at one of their sponsor’s sites and visit the Loughborough campus for some elements of training, meetings with academic supervisor, and other events as required.

The length of the programme is 4 years starting in October 2025.

Training and Assessment

Systems Engineering Training

Model-Based Systems Engineering is a formalised approach to Systems Engineering that is being adopted by many organisations that deal with complex, highly connected systems. It underpins all projects in the Doctoral Centre and, as such, it is essential that our researchers are fully equipped to apply it, or develop it, within their research project. During your first year, you will undertake five, assessed, level 7 modules to develop your Systems Engineering capability. These modules are undertaken at Loughborough campus and are structured as follows:

• Online preparation material (12-20 hours) in the two weeks preceding the module.
• One week, in-person study on campus with the Systems Engineering MSc students.
• Completion of an assignment due for submission seven weeks after the end of the on-campus experience, supported by online. tutorials. The assignment typically takes about 40 hours of effort.

The five modules are:

• Applied Systems Thinking
• Systems Architecture
• Validation and Verification
• Systems Design
• Systems Group Project (note this requires 4 weeks preparation activity online with other group members)

It is a programme requirement that all modules must be passed for this EngD qualification. 

Students may also participate in additional Systems Engineering modules from the MSc programme where this supports their training needs and with agreement of their supervisors. These can be undertaken in any year of your study. There is no requirement to obtain credit in these modules although participation in assessment is usually required as a part of the learning experience. 

Additional modules are described on the Systems Engineering MSc page.

Researcher skills

The University also provides extensive training in research and transferable skills, much of which is accessible online. You can read more about this on the Loughborough Doctoral College Training and Events page.

Summer School

The Centre will run an annual summer school that will bring together researchers, sponsors, and leading systems engineers from industry and academia. The summer school will provide support to researchers through additional training as well as a venue for collaboration on a roadmap for future development of the Systems Engineering discipline.

Domain education

Where appropriate, researchers are encouraged to engage with training provided by the sponsor organisation.

Programme Structure and Supervision

You will have primary and secondary academic supervisors and an industrial supervisor. The supervisors are chosen to ensure you get a balance of domain knowledge and Systems Engineering support. In general, you will interact frequently online with the academic supervisors and the industrial supervisor will usually be based in the same location as you. Some face-to-face meetings should take place with your academic supervisors and should be planned by the student with the supervisors.

It is anticipated that you will get some level of experience project work with your sponsor outside of your regular research to gain experience in the domain. However, this should not exceed five months work over the whole of the Engineering Doctorate programme.

The first year includes a considerable amount of training and education: many of your assignments can be tailored to be relevant to your research area. The purpose is to ensure you are fully equipped with the Systems Engineering knowledge and skills you require for effective research in this area. On the modules, you will meet Level 7 (MSc- level) apprentices employed by a range of industries (more than 35 organisations) that will further enhance your knowledge of practical Systems Engineering.

A part-time route is also available which follows a similar structure but over a longer period.