Transforming Engineering Education Through System-Level Integration

A strategic partnership delivering a unified, scalable model for experiential learning—transforming how engineering is taught across academic years and programs.

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP

At Quanser, our 10-year strategic partnership with the University of Manchester was designed to go beyond hardware — addressing the larger academic need for cohesive, scalable, and future-ready engineering education. Manchester implemented a solution that aligned virtual and physical systems, simulation tools, and course delivery across levels of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering curriculum.

WHAT’S IN PLACE TODAY

QLabs Virtual and Aero 2 hardware have been deployed as the core platforms for control systems and modeling education.
These platforms are used across multiple modules and academic levels within the Electrical and Electronic Engineering program.
The lab content is delivered using a template-based design, enabling consistency and reusability across courses.
The system integrates tightly with MATLAB Simulink, supporting model-based workflows in both simulation and real-time control
The setup supports both physical and remote lab delivery, ensuring continuity across different teaching modes.

ACADEMIC VALUE & OUTCOME

500 undergraduate and graduate students utilize the Aero lab each year, ensuring broad exposure to real-time control systems.
63 total units of Aero 2 and QLabs Virtual Aero 2 are in active use, enabling scalable deployment across courses and student cohorts.
6 courses currently use the platform, with an expansion plan to support 15 courses across control theory and applied systems.
Curriculum spans from introductory to advanced topics.
A PhD-level research project used Aero 2 and QDrone 2 platforms for fault-tolerant control, demonstrating applicability from teaching to advanced research.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

“The structured lab manuals and live scripts Quanser provides have significantly reduced our preparation and grading workload,” Instructor, Daniel mentions. “Our instructors now spend more time engaging students creatively rather than worrying about logistics.”