WMG News - Latest news from WMG
Securing the future of manufacturing in Wales 鈥� expert comment
Jacqui MurrayLink opens in a new window, HVM Catapult Director of South Wales, spoke at the .
鈥淚 was delighted to join the Welsh Affairs Committee to talk about investment in Wales and how government and businesses can work together to benefit the economy and local communities. Wales is well-positioned to capitalise on the opportunities in manufacturing. To seize those opportunities, it鈥檚 important for government to support skills development (particularly apprentices and degree apprentices), have great planning and permitting services and a pipeline of sites that are ready for investment in strategic areas.
鈥淭he High Value Manufacturing Catapult, including Warwick Manufacturing Group, is uniquely situated to support inward investors and help them connect with supply chains, with more than 3,800 specialists across manufacturing. Catapult鈥檚 modelling capabilities can help investors deploy the most cutting edge and the most productive manufacturing technologies. Bringing industry knowledge, research, innovation and investment together is key to securing the future of manufacturing in Wales.鈥�
UK-India trade deal 鈥� expert comment
Commenting on the UK-India trade deal, Professor Robin ClarkLink opens in a new window, Dean of WMG, said:
鈥淭he UK trade deal with India is very good news for UK manufacturing. The significantly reduced tariffs for advanced manufacturing, automotive and clean energy are particularly welcome, giving UK companies the opportunity to support India's sustainable economic growth, while creating jobs and investment at home.
鈥淲MG, at the 天美传媒, has deep expertise in supporting innovation in the UK and India, with long-standing partnerships with and major investors such as and TVS across sectors including automotive, energy and steel, alongside innovation and education collaborations with leading Indian Business and education institutions, delivering positive impact for our regional and national economy. While further details will be announced, we look forward to building on our experience to help firms identify the growth opportunities that will develop as the UK and India work more closely together.鈥�
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."