The 15-week dissertation gives course members the opportunity to deepen their knowledge in their key area of interest through an individual research project. The dissertations can be from any of the Institute for Manufacturing’s research groups and the projects usually include:

• Design management
• Distributed Information and Automation
• Industrial photonics
• Industrial sustainability
• Inkjet research
• International manufacturing
• Strategy and performance
• Technology enterprise
• Technology management

The research period will be concluded with a research conference, where the students will present the outcome of their research to their peers and supervisors.

Past dissertation project topics have included:

• Successful Digital Services: how do they manage their portfolio and strategy?
• Optimising resource requirements and allocations in the production line for off-site construction of modular houses
• Digital Transformation: How do “Predix” and “Digital Twins” disrupt existing business models?
• Automatic Fault Diagnosis for Siemens Gas Turbines with Machine Learning
• Balancing new process technology development with operational needs
• Cyber-human manufacturing systems
• Business Ecosystem Development: Transforming Social Networks to Value Networks
• Chinese Circular Economy Development Strategy