Education Enhancement Fund Application
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Project Title:
‘Formula Student – developing success’
Project Lead:
Prof Andrew Cruden
Faculty/Professional Service:
FEE
Email: a.j.cruden@soton.ac.uk
Tel:
27660
Amount requested: £35,000
Please record details/breakdown of how this amount will be used in Appendix 1
The breakdown of the requested budget is shown in Appendix 1. For the 2014/15
competition year it is intended to maintain the 2014 race car intact, for use as a
development car/driver training aid, hence the budget requested is sought to purchase
parts for an entirely new race car, including new engine. A development car is seen as
necessary to enable the Formula Student Team to make a step change in competition
performance, and to enable Team training and maintain engagement of the over 100
student members of Southampton University Formula Student Team, including enhanced
outreach activities.
What do you want to do?
Brief description of aims/desired outcome
This project will continue the improvement of the Southampton University Formula
Student Team (SUFST), aiming for a top 30 finish in the 2015 competition, by designing
and building an entirely new race car whilst, in parallel, maintaining a test and
development car including use for outreach and recruitment purposes.
Who will benefit?
Ug/pgt/pgr discipline/faculty/all – target and spread
Participation in SUFST is open to all University students, UG, PG and PGR, and the Team
currently enjoy active involvement from students from several Faculties. Additionally the
University itself directly benefits from the profile and continued participation in the
international Formula Student competition, both from the active local and national
publicity generated and the Team members who are fantastic ambassadors for the
University at Open Days/SUSU ‘bunfight’ and other events. Finally, the student members
of SUFST benefit enormously from the opportunity to practice robust engineering design,
build and competition of the race car, including direct experience of project
management, team working, publicity, health and safety and budgeting/procurement, all
essential elements of confident practicing professionals.
What will the resulting ‘good news’ story be?
Underlining the benefit/value of having made the investment - in terms of the student
experience and the distinctiveness of the University
Southampton enjoys a prestige reputation for input to motorsport, principally in the
shape of Alumni such as Adrian Newey, and a recent University Honorary Fellowship
award to Willem Toet, Head of Aerodynamics at Sauber F1. As a result of this well
deserved reputation there is significant student interest in engaging in motorsport and
Formula Student is the leading student focussed international competition in this area.
SUFST has now competed at the UK competition for the last two years (2013 & 2014)
following an absence since 2005, and is now developing the infrastructure, Team spirit
and knowledge to begin to challenge for a top 30 finish in this highly competitive arena.
Our student’s experience is being significantly enhanced through enabling and
supporting an extra-curricular Team effort (SUFST has ~100 members) to design, build
and race a single seater race car meeting stringent design criteria set by the Institution of
Mechanical Engineers, in turn help to sustain and grow Southampton’s reputation in
motorsport. The establishment of SUFST and competition activity over the last two years
is now generating a positive cycle of student capability and pride in representing their
University , and matched with increased investment in automotive related teaching and
research equipment, is maximising the benefit of the investment in SUFST and
prominence of Southampton as home of motorsport and engineering excellence.
How will this tie in with current strategic themes (eg Faculty/University/SUSU)?
This project clearly supports the University and Faculty strategy by investing in delivering
a life enhancing education for our students and from ‘telling our story’ via the associated
publicity and outreach enabled. Our students engage with this project as an extracurricular activity, a clear signal of their interest and commitment, and enhance their
education by ‘learning through doing’ i.e. putting into practice design, theory and project
management skills that are taught throughout their individual courses. Further, SUFST
directly engage in publicising and marketing their activities, by telling their story via
printed and social media, video output and via national television interviews. The ultimate
output of this project is clear: support our students in their desire to compete in
international competitions such as Formula Student, and they will act as our best
ambassadors and deliver our story as a world class, global brand, University delivering a
first class education.
How will you know that you have succeeded?
Ie how will you evaluate it?
A successful output from this project will be directly measured by the final result ranking
position at the Formula Student 2015 competition (ideally in the top 30, but at least
improving on the 2014 position of 66th),and indirectly by the publicity and outreach
material generated both nationally and locally.
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Other support/partners
Who else has been consulted/will be involved – ie. there may be potential to link to other
existing activities, or for a co-developed project (eg. other academic units/departments,
student groups, alumni, employers/business/other external organisations).
Include details of additional financial/in-kind contributions as applicable.
SUFST benefit from continued support from a number of other partners, namely:
1) Faculty of Engineering and the Environment
a. Laboratory space within the Autolab (building 13A) to construct race car
b. Access to student workshop and technician support from Faculty workshop
as necessary.
c. Access and use of rolling road dynamometer within Autolab for load testing
and engine tuning.
2) External Sponsors
a. Avon Tyres– discounted tyres for race car build
b. Metals Supermarket – discounted steel material for race car build
c. National Instruments – donation of electronic data logger
d. Gurit – discounted epoxy for bodywork manufacture
3) University Communications and Marketing Team
a. The Comms Team have assisted with the publicity of SUFST competing at
the Formula Student competition
b. Have produced a video of the SUFST 2014 ‘season’, used by the Team and
University and available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL0LKnBe9M&list=UU63kOMam6uIR2il5tTRYRCA
Project timeline
start date/milestones/completion date
The project will run from 1st November 2014 (start date) until 31st August 2015 (end date)
to accommodate the expected design, build and race ‘cycle’ inherent with competing at
the Formula Student event at Silverstone in early July 2015. The milestones and
deliverables are:
Milestone
Date Due
Delivered by:
Deliverable
Draft Business Logic Plan Sem 1, Week 12
(required for FS
Competition Registration)
and design/build progress
report
SUFST
Draft 2015 Competition
Entry Plan and Progress
report on design and
build.
FS Competition
Registration
SUFST/Prof Cruden
2015 Competition entry
confirmed
SUFST/Prof Cruden
Demonstration of
Progress on car build
SUFST/Prof Cruden
Race Car competes at FS
competition. Report of
competition performance
as part of EEF final report
and lessons learned.
January 2015 (date to be
confirmed, when FS2015
competition dates
released)
First Run of 2015 Race car April 2015
Team competes at
Formula Student 2015
Race Event
July 2015
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Supporting Statement:
Please provide a supporting statement from SUSU President/Dean/PS Director
The Faculty of Engineering and the Environment is very keen to continue to host the
SUFST activity providing space within the Faculty footprint for development of the vehicle,
technician support, academic staff leadership (Prof Cruden), access to our student
workshop, training for non-FEE students in the use of the workshop and access to our
new engine test cell. In addition we take responsibility of ensuring the Health and Safety
of the team, including COSHH provision and safe working practises during build and test
of the car. In addition, last year we also provided funding from our alumni donation funds
to assist with the costs and fully funded the visit of 3 team members to China to take part
in an automotive design competition.
Our significant in-kind and financial support is entirely appropriate in view of the cocurricular nature of the activity to many of our degree programmes and will continue in
2014-15. However, the activity is open to, and is undertaken by, students in many other
Faculties to whom it offers an opportunity to learn about engineering design and practice
as well as team work, project management and other skills key to successful
employment. The publicity benefits to the University of having the car and the team,
especially for student recruitment and on Open Days are broad.
I would therefore welcome the continuation of additional financial support for this activity
from the Education Enhancement Fund in view of its wider benefit to students and to the
University as a whole. The funding will be used to support a step change in the
opportunity for students to be actively involved in vehicle development which will in turn
support the sustained success of SUFST.
Signature:
Name: Anna Barney
Title: Associate Dean (Education)
Date: 30-09-2014
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Appendix 1
Project Costs – detailed budget
Please note that all funds allocated to a project must be spent within the year they have been requested,
funds cannot be rolled over. For this purpose the financial year is 1st August to 31st July. See notes overleaf
re budgeting.
Section 1:
2013/2014
ITEM / EXPEDITURE
£
2014/2015
2015/2016
(if required)
(if required)
£
£
See budget breakdown detailed in Table after Section 3 below
35,000
Sub-total
35,000
Section 2:
2013/2014
2014/2015
2015/2016
(if required)
(if required)
£
£
£
0.00
0.00
0.00
Detail
Student costs
1
Faculty /
Staff Costs2
Training3 &
Travel Costs4
Prof Service
Grade
FTE (or number of hrs)
to be funded
Detail
Sub-total
Section 3:
2013/2014
TOTALS
£
TOTAL EXPENDITURE (A)
INCOME or FUNDING FROM OTHER SOURCES (B)
Assistance sought from Student Centredness Fund
(A) minus (B)
2014/2015
2015/2016
(if required)
(if required)
£
£
35,000
0
35,000
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Formula Student - Budget for 2014_2015
Item
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Description
Powertrain
Drivetrain
Electronics
Steering Wheel
Ergonomics & Driver Controls
Suspension & Wheels
Uprights
Chassis
Aero & Bodywork
Simulation & Testing
FS Registration
Price (£)
6,500.00
4,700.00
1,300.00
350.00
1,500.00
4,250.00
2,500.00
6,750.00
4,150.00
1,250.00
1,750.00
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
TOTAL
£35,000.00
Budget Guidance:
Student Costs
(student internships, student placements, student helpers) – please liaise with Career Destinations in Student
Services when considering appointing a student intern or creating student placements.
1
2
Staff Costs

Consideration should be given to whether this post could be offered as a student internship prior to
bidding for any staff costs.

The relevant HR processes must be followed when bidding for staff costs. Examples include approval
and grading of any job descriptions through Human Resources and liaison with line management to
approval ‘buy-out’ of staff time.

Full costs to be stated including NI and Pension Scheme obligations provided on Finance area of
SUSSED.
Training

Most training can be provided internally through the Professional Development Unit
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/pdu/ and this should be explored prior to any external procurement.
3
Travel

Travel expenses should be claimed in accordance with the University’s expenses and procedures
policy. http://www.soton.ac.uk/finance/central/expenses.pdf
4
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