Note from the publisher

Citation

(2002), "Note from the publisher", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 74 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2002.12774aaa.001

Note from the publisher

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal was delighted to be amongst the supporting members of the annual AAU Autumn Conference and Celebration Launch in October 2001. The major launch of the AAU and its web site (www.aau.ac.uk/) was held on 24 and 25 October at the University of Bristol.

The Association of Aerospace Universities (AAU) is a focus for activities in the Higher Education sector relating to UK Aerospace and supports industry through the provision of world class education, research and consultancy.

It aims to enable universities to collaborate and promote courses and research expertise and enhance links with the aerospace industry by:

• •

  The development of specialist Higher Education

• •

  Collaboration between Higher Education, the aerospace industry and commerce

• •

  Dialogue between Higher Education, professional bodies, the industrial sector and government

• •

  Marketing and networking

Since 1989, there has been a move towards forming the AAU. Because of the long-term demise of many aeronautical working parties, consistent advice on aerospace matters has been increasingly unavailable from the UK aerospace universities. Academia, Government and Industry increasingly needed to have better networking and co-operation.

Plate 18 Dr. John Barnes, President of the AAU, addressing the Association's conference, held at Bristol University, Bristol, UK

In 1997 the SBAC held an Aerospace Academia Forum at Coventry University. The Forum was designed to explore ways that universities could help the UK Aerospace Foresight Technology initiative, and hence help stop a perceived industrial decline. A meeting prior to this event prompted the setting of exploratory meetings of universities interested in forming an Association of Aerospace Universities.

This resulted in the formal initiation of the AAU in 1998 at London Guildhall University. All UK aerospace universities were invited to these meetings. Since then the membership of the AAU has risen steadily and now stands at 21 universities and 6 corporate members. These are:

Universities: Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, City (London), Coventry, DeMonfort (Leicester), Farnborough, Glasgow, Hertfordshire, Imperial College of Science and Medicine, Kingston, Liverpool, London Guildhall, Nottingham, Oxford, Salford, Surrey, Swansea, Queens (Belfast), UMIST (Manchester), UWE (Bristol)

Corporate: Emerald (Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology), Merlin Flight Simulators, Reaction Engines Ltd., Rolls- Royce (Aero-Engines), Rutherfors Appleton Laboratory, QINETIQ

Six editions of News from the AAU have been published in Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, together with several technical and educational papers. Further submissions are encouraged.

For further information about the AAU please see www.aau.ac.uk

For futher information about Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, including how to subscribe and notes for potential contributors, please see www.emeraldinsight.com/aeat.htm