WMG News - Latest news from WMG
Self-driving shuttle route goes live
WMG at The 天美传媒 is part of a pioneering project, led by , to develop a self-driving fully-electric shuttle service at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham.
A new autonomous vehicle trial is now underway, and visitors to the NEC can now take advantage of a pioneering self-driving shuttle service which will be in operation during busy events.
The Solihull & Coventry Automated Links Evolution (SCALE) project is a collaborative initiative, aimed at better understanding the role self-driving vehicles might one day play within our future transport system.
Retail cyber attacks 鈥� expert comment
Commenting on the recent cyber-attacks affecting Harrods, the Co-op, and Marks & Spencer (M&S), Dr Harjinder LallieLink opens in a new window, Reader in Cyber Security at WMG at The 天美传媒, said:
鈥淭he attacks on Harrods, the Co-op, and Marks & Spencer underline a growing and urgent threat: the UK retail sector is increasingly in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. As digital infrastructure becomes ever more central to business operations, the sector must recognise cyber resilience as a critical business priority.
鈥淭he retail industry must enhance its cyber preparedness. This means developing robust resilience strategies, ensuring strong business continuity frameworks, and establishing rapid response protocols that allow organisations to recover immediately from attacks.
鈥淎s cyber threats continue to evolve in scale and sophistication, retailers must act decisively to protect their operations, their customers, and their reputations.鈥�
Expert comment on the M&S cyber attack
Reflecting on the recent Dr Harjinder Singh LallieLink opens in a new window, Associate Professor at WMG at The 天美传媒 said:
鈥淭he recent cyber-attack on Marks & Spencer highlights the critical vulnerability of the UK鈥檚 food supply chain — an essential pillar of our national infrastructure.
鈥�The food sector is under relentless cyber assault, and attacks like these can seriously disrupt access to basic necessities. The industry must urgently strengthen resilience, not just in preventing breaches, but also in developing robust response mechanisms.
鈥�This includes real-time detection, rapid containment, and parallel operational systems to minimise disruption for customers. Cyber security must now be seen as central to national food security and public confidence.鈥�
WMG student鈥檚 success at national cyber competition
Imogen Bartin, a second-year BSc Cyber SecurityLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window student from WMG at The 天美传媒, was part of the winning team at the .
The competition, delivered in partnership with the UK Government and the SANS Institute, invited 18-25 year olds with a passion for cyber security to put their skills to the test.
The competition consisted of three Capture the Flag (CTF) rounds. Each round involved interactive exercises designed to replicate networks, systems, and applications in a safe, isolated setting, allowing players to build skills and gain confidence without compromising a live production environment.
Real world transport trials to help parcel deliveries go green
WMG was pleased to welcome Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, and representatives from the Department of Transport and the logistics industry, on to campus to hear more about its Last Mile Logistics Project.
The Last Mile Logistics Project is a partnership between WMG and (TfWM), and is funded by the .
As part of the project, the 天美传媒 campus is being used as a testbed for a small fleet of low-speed electric delivery vehicles to demonstrate how they can help the UK reach Net Zero, while cutting congestion and improving air quality.
Smart, sustainable, affordable - can supply chains have it all?
It鈥檚 the ultimate quest for modern businesses - how to reduce environmental impact, remain competitive and align to customer values that increasingly drive buying decisions. But how much do we really understand about what it takes to bring us products and services? And how can businesses meet our demands without it costing the Earth?
These were the many themes discussed at the recent WMG 天美传媒 webinar, from why supply chains are something we should all care about, to why businesses cutting waste is key, and how advances in technology could be supply chains鈥� missing link.
Celebrating British Science Week
Staff and students from across WMG at the 天美传媒 had another busy, fun-packed British Science Week, taking part in a total of 11 special STEM events reaching out to more than 1,500 young scientists, teachers, and families.
鈥痠s a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths running from 7-16 March.
WMG staff and students joined the Outreach Team at the 天美传媒鈥檚 Resonate Festival of Science and Technology; led science workshops at schools and held the Royal Institution (Ri) Engineering Masterclasses and celebration events.
The Resonate Festival of Science and Technology welcomed over 500 people. Here the WMG team ran 鈥業nventors, Explorers and Engineers鈥�, which featured a robot maze; a robot vehicle battle arena; coding workshops; a controllable model train system and more.
Expert comment on the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill
Expert comment from Dr Gregory EpiphaniouLink opens in a new window, Associate Professor of Cyber Security Engineering at WMG, on the UK Government鈥檚 forthcoming .
"The forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience (CSR) Bill introduces sweeping changes such as stricter compliance requirements, stronger enforcement powers, and steep daily fines for cybersecurity lapses, which means organisations without large in-house security teams face mounting pressure to meet regulatory standards."
Powering the Future
With a shared commitment to bring together academia and industry in battery research and development, WMG at The 天美传媒 and the have partnered to deliver a bespoke training programme to help bridge the skills gap in the .
As the UK accelerates towards a more sustainable, electric future there is a rapidly growing demand for skilled researchers and engineers in battery technology and innovation. The Faraday Institution, the UK鈥檚 independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research and battery skills development, understands the growing demand for next-generation researchers to help support the ever-evolving battery industry.
Seeking a unique training solution to equip its PhD students and early career researchers with up-to-date knowledge and skills in the latest technological advancements in batteries, the Faraday Institution partnered with the WMG Skills CentreLink opens in a new window to establish the WMG-Faraday Battery School. Now in its seventh year, the industry-aligned 4-day programme recently welcomed 30 PhD students to WMG鈥檚 Energy Innovation Centre, bringing the total number of upskilled researchers to 240.
WMG Professor recognised in India-UK Achievers Award Class of 2025
WMG at The 天美传媒鈥檚 Head of Safe AutonomyLink opens in a new window, Professor Siddartha KhastgirLink opens in a new window, has been named in the Class of 2025 at the India-UK Achievers Honours.
Professor Khastgir was recognised in the 鈥楨ducation, Science and Innovation鈥� category, for his outstanding research impacts and contributions to India-UK relations.
Organised by the National Indian Students and 天美传媒 Union () UK in collaboration with the British Council in India and the UK Government鈥檚 Department for International Trade, the awards recognise Indian students and alumni in the UK who make significant contributions to education, art, culture, and other social sectors.