This module will serve as the first of three research modules on the Equipment Systems Engineering apprenticeship programme of study leading to an MEng in Equipment Systems Engineering. This module will focus on the design and scoping of the student's research and identifying the supporting theory and practices for the research. The three research modules provide participant engineers with a comprehensive framework to manage the implementation of Industry 4.0 innovations in their employer's equipment. As part of the research they will undertake a series of workshops and seminars with industry experts and professionals that will run over the course of the apprenticeship programme. The students will produce a substantial piece of research work that will: 1. provide an opportunity to apply the breadth of knowledge and experience acquired during the apprenticeship to a suitable, conceptually challenging, piece of procurement or optimisation work that is coherent and authoritative in its scoping, planning, and execution. 2. allow the student to consolidate their equipment systems engineering knowledge through a substantive piece of action research, which is informed by theory, research and practice that is at the forefront of the discipline. 3. enable students to evaluate methodologies, develop critiques, interpret knowledge and, where appropriate, propose new processes, practices and procedures for the procurement or optimisation of their employers equipment. This module is M graded with 7537 EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS ENGINEERING RESEARCH 3.

The syllabus will provide a broad, supportive, and highly integrated programme of study, designed to facilitate self-management of the research project. Subjects include: - Approaches to action research design and methodology - Business contexts for successful implementation and maintenance of equipment/optimisation initiatives. - External and internal factors and their effects on the behaviour, management, and sustainability of organisation initiatives. - Internal factors, functions and processes, structures and governance, operations and management - Self-reflection and criticality in the research process - Developing skills for reflective, collaborative, and adaptive learning. Academic and practitioner led workshops will link theory to practice informing students' scoping, and design of their company-based work.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Critically identify and evaluate key issues impacting organisations and their environments, identifying relationships and drawing elements together into coherent frameworks to support the initialisation/maintenance of equipment. Identify and engage with key technologies and concepts associated with equipment systems engineering to produce written work that demonstrates a depth of knowledge and application in approach and content. Organise, manage, and sustain a substantial body of work over a period of months and incorporate critical reflection and evaluation as part of the monitoring and control process.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Demonstrate an advanced capability to investigate procurement and or optimisation and the pervasive issues such as technology innovation, behaviour, globalisation, corporate technology trajectory, diversity, business innovation, creativity, enterprise development, knowledge management and risk management etc. that impact on the success of equipment systems engineering activities.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

This apprenticeship is a structured self-directed study programme. Participants will undertake a series of workshops and seminars with industry experts and professionals that will run over the course of the apprenticeship programme. Delivery is blended to allow for the most effective elements of face-to-face contact, web-enabled communication, self-directed study, distance and online learning to be utilised. Participants are exposed to a supportive and dynamic learning environment in which there is an emphasis on peer learning, team learning, critical reflection and feedback. Through the virtual learning environment students have an opportunity to engage with a range of learning methods and problems. Between sessions, students are supported by faculty and staff online. The programme supports the development of all 6 graduate attributes: KNOWLEDGEABLE: Students develop critical thinking as they distil theory into practice through identifying tools and techniques suitable for their context. PROACTIVE: Students make active use of data and research to examine an enterprise problem, and in doing so develop confidence in managing data and making informed decisions based on the scientific method. CREATIVE: Students develop their problem solution, which requires them to integrate existing knowledge in a new way. RESPONSIBLE: Students manage their own problem-solving projects, including submitting their problem statement and method to external scrutiny for consideration. COLLABORATIVE: Students engage regularly with their line manager, work colleagues and supervisor, and must implement and build on the inputs and guidance provided. ARTICULATE: Students develop the ability to communicate challenging, academic and technical concepts to a variety of audiences, academic, strategic, operational inside and outside their organisations.