The ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ and EuropeÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™s largest defence technology company, Helsing, have signed an agreement which will see them collaborating on a range of initiatives to drive progress in marine autonomy.
Through a new Memorandum of Understanding, the two organisations will work together on research, innovation and testing opportunities and create highly skilled jobs for the regionÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™s marine autonomy sector.
The signing comes just six months after the official opening of HelsingÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™s first UK Resilience Factory located in ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ which is part of the companyÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™s £350 million commitment to the UK.
University staff and students played a leading role in the opening, and the two organisations have been working increasingly close together since then. They are both members of the Team ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ initiative to attract investment to the area.
The resulting agreement will see the University and Helsing promote cooperation and collaboration in knowledge exchange and research and development, as well as sharing access to research and testing facilities.
They will explore opportunities to cooperate in talent acquisition and skills pipelines, through programmes such as apprenticeships and hiring schemes. And they will encourage the growth of the UniversityÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™s directorates and curriculum, with specific focus on marine autonomy, as well as exploring philanthropic efforts that promote vocational pathways into the regional maritime defence sector. Their aim is to ensure a good education leads to a good local job in a growing and exciting industry.
The partnership was signed at Oceanology International 2026, the worldÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™s premier biennial ocean technology exhibition, where the University and Helsing are part of a concerted effort to promote ÂÌñ»»ÆÞÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™s status as the UKÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™s National Centre for Marine Autonomy to a global audience.
Professor Richard Davies
