What is the Dyson Institute?
Founded in 2017, The Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology is James Dyson’s answer to the UK’s engineering skills shortage. It represents a new education model, offering undergraduates the opportunity to study for an Integrated Masters of Engineering without tuition fees, as employees within Dyson’s global team.
Its History
The Institute was born out of a challenge. In 2016, James Dyson asked Jo Johnson - then Minister for Universities - how the UK government planned to tackle the shortage of engineers. Jo’s answer: start your own higher education institution.
Inspired by this, the Dyson Institute opened in 2017. Each year, approximately 40 undergraduates join to study for a degree, while gaining professional workplace experience and leadership development.
This was the natural next step in James’s commitment to re-engineering education, following the creation of the James Dyson Foundation in 2002 to support STEM education. Since its inception, James has invested a total of £70 million into the programme.
In 2020, the Dyson Institute became the first education provider in the UK to be granted new degree-awarding powers following a rigorous Quality Assurance Agency review. The first independent cohort joined in September 2021 to study for a degree delivered and awarded by the Dyson Institute itself.
To date, 182 students have graduated from the programme, with a further 180 enrolled. Across all cohorts, 34% are female - well above the average for engineering courses in the UK. Today, it is the most oversubscribed engineering degree course in the country.
How does it work?
The programme is a four-year integrated MEng International Engineering degree, combining the academic rigour of a traditional university with the hands on, real-world experience and pace of working in a global technology company. All students are employed by Dyson and earn a starting salary of £23,500 which is subject to tax, paying no tuition fees.
Dyson Undergraduate Engineers work alongside world-class practising engineers, scientists and researchers, applying academic knowledge to solve real-world problems. A professional development programme builds students’ leadership, resilience, self-awareness and professional competence.
“We're offering the brightest aspiring engineers an alternative to a traditional university degree. This is not for the faint-hearted – it is a rigorous engineering education combined with a proper job. I'm looking for people who are obsessive about engineering, passionate about solving problems and fascinated by how things work. People with the ingenuity, creativity and perseverance it takes to develop new Dyson technology."
James Dyson, Founder
First year students live in the Dyson Village, which, designed by James Dyson and Chris Wilkinson, comprises of award winning, five-star accommodation and recreation spaces. Each cross-laminated timber pod has expansive views across Dyson’s Wiltshire landscape and is equipped with a shower room, study space and the latest Dyson technology. The Village also includes a café, bar, gym, cinema, kitchens, communal spaces, laundry rooms and plenty of outside space.
In their third year, students work abroad in Dyson’s Asia offices. After graduating, they will transition into individual accelerated progression pathways, preparing them for future roles as leaders in the business.
