AN engineering design software firm has donated £9.5m worth of state-of-the-art computer programs to Hereford’s new university.

Pulsonix, a leading creator of sophisticated yet easy-to-use engineering design software, is providing New Model in Technology and Engineering with 1,200 licences over the next four years. It will give students full use of its professional printed circuit board design and test software.

Managing director of Tewkesbury-based Pulsonix Bob Williams, said: “We are delighted to provide our software so NMiTE’s students will be working with leading-edge commercial software from the moment they start on the projects for engineering employers.

“Our software is particularly designed to enable engineers to combine advanced electronic components into items they create, for instance for incorporating censors, Internet of Things components and enabling remote and AI control.

“When launched, NMiTE will be Britain’s first dedicated engineering university, and it offers a fresh and much-needed new approach that will help ensure more young people are attracted into this strategically important profession.”

He said his firm was excited to back a university project so close to their headquarters.

NMiTE engineer in residence Toby Kinnaird said the donation is a major help.

“Part of our distinctive approach is that students will be learning through working on real-life commercial projects for employers, and this will enable them to do this using the same Pulsonix software used by hundreds of leading engineering businesses.

“The future of engineering is enabled through the increasing embedding of electronics, for capturing data used in control, AI and for connectivity with the spread of the Internet of things and implementation of Industry 4.0.”