NTU and Morgan Sindall: Building Futures Together
The strategic partnership with Morgan Sindall Construction was resigned in 2024 for a further three years. The partnership, established in 2018 focuses on providing students with invaluable insights, industrial expertise, apprenticeships, and avenues for collaborative research.
The partnership, which has been instrumental in bridging the gap between academic learning and practical industry experience, will now extend its benefits to even more students and researchers. Over the next three years, Morgan Sindall Construction and NTU will work together to develop new programs and initiatives aimed at enhancing student learning and fostering innovation in the construction sector.
Key Highlights of the Partnership:
- Industry Insights and Expertise: Students will have the opportunity to engage with leading professionals from Morgan Sindall Construction, gaining firsthand knowledge of industry trends, challenges, and best practices.
- Apprenticeships: NTU and Morgan Sindall Group have reached a 2-year agreement worth £1.35million to develop a new level 6-degree apprenticeship in Chartered Surveyor (Quantity Surveying & Project Management). The apprenticeship will be launched in January 2025 and will be available nationwide to all suitable Morgan Sindall Group employees via a block-release delivery model.
- Collaborative Research: Staff and students from NTU will collaborate with experts from Morgan Sindall Construction on research projects that address real-world problems and explore new technologies and methodologies in construction.
- Workshops and Seminars: Along with site visits, guest lectures and assessment panels, linked to live sites and mapped to the curriculum, students will benefit from deeper insights into various aspects of the construction industry, from project management to sustainable building practices.
- Innovation and Development: The partnership will also focus on fostering innovation by supporting student-led challenges that have the potential to bring new ideas and technologies to the construction industry.
Developing the Next Generation of Industry Professionals
Since 2018, NTU and Morgan Sindall have collaborated to prepare the East Midlands’ future construction workforce. Morgan Sindall has provided NTU students with placement and graduate opportunities, insights into supply chain management, and discussions on industry topics. Their contributions to curriculum design ensure our programs align with evolving industry needs.
Morgan Sindall has worked closely with NTU to prepare students for careers in construction by:
- Offering placements and graduate opportunities
- Providing insight into supply chain management and real-world project delivery
- Contributing to curriculum development to ensure alignment with industry needs
Morgan Sindall also supports diversity in the sector through initiatives like Women in the Built Environment, where professionals share experiences and inspire the next generation.
“The last five years have proved the power of partnerships; we now see the placements and opportunities happen by osmosis – they’re firmly embedded into each business, and our students will continue to benefit from that. But we don’t want to stand still... we can collaborate on other important topics such as sustainability, biodiversity, data and management, skills and opportunity."
- Professor Andrew Knight, Executive Dean, School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, NTU
Supporting Innovation and Entrepreneurship
NTU and Morgan Sindall co-developed the Construction Upskill app — a free, mobile-friendly tool designed to support subcontractors with on-the-go training.
Funded by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) as part of the Innovation Driven Procurement (IDP) programme, the app includes:
- Four short, CPD-accredited modules
- Topics on collaboration, resolving progress issues, accessing design information early, and recognising value-adding innovation
- Accessible content tailored for SME contractors and site-based teams
The app builds on previous IDP work, including the creation of 40 Innovation Champions across the construction sector, supported through one-to-one coaching and mentoring.
Advancing Research Through Industry Collaboration
The partnership includes major research initiatives like CarboniCa, an AI-driven tool for whole life carbon assessment in construction.
Originally launched by Morgan Sindall in 2021, CarboniCa has:
- Supported over 100 major projects
- Contributed to reductions of more than 30,000 tonnes of carbon
- Secured nearly £1 million in Innovate UK funding for its next phase
NTU researchers Professor Amin Al-Habaibeh and Dr Emmanuel Manu are leading work to improve the tool’s algorithms, automate data collection, and accelerate carbon assessments by up to 85%.
A new £55,000 grant is supporting CarboniCa Engage and CarboniCa Immerse — two teaching modules that embed the tool into NTU courses, helping students gain practical, in-demand green skills.
Strategic Roundtable: Planning the Future
In March 2023, NTU and Morgan Sindall held a strategic roundtable to reflect on five years of collaboration and set shared priorities for the future.
With 25 professionals in attendance, the event highlighted key areas of focus:
- Carbon and the environment
- Biodiversity
- Data management and visualisation
- Skills and employability
“Working in partnership with NTU has been rewarding for both establishments over the last five years – we have some fantastic talent that has come directly into employment through the programme and that’s great to see. It’s important that we look at the next steps and widen the impact we can make together... Creating positive impact on the environment, improving biodiversity and harnessing our data are key areas we know we can collaborate on.” — Sean Bowles, Managing Director, Morgan Sindall Construction
Get in touch
We welcome opportunities to expand our collaborations. If you're interested in working with NTU to develop talent, support entrepreneurship, or access academic expertise, please get in touch.
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