University of Greater Manchester
Deane Road, Bolton, BL3 5AB.
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04/11/2026
Congratulations to six University of Greater Manchester engineering students who reached the national final of the IMechE Design Challenge 2026.
Following their success at the Northwest regional final, Ella Jones, Kavan Nolan and Cameron Grundy travelled to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ headquarters in London on 9 October to represent their six-person team, which also included Arabella Roshan-Khan, Ben Hampson and Ella Na-Nagar.
The challenge? Design, build and operate a self-contained wire rope climbing robot simulator—putting engineering knowledge, creativity, and teamwork into practice.
Embedded in our engineering curriculum, the IMechE Design Challenge gives students the opportunity to apply their learning to a practical project, develop technical and teamwork skills, build confidence and engage with the wider engineering community.
Reflecting on the experience, Ella Jones said:
“The challenge was an amazing experience where we had the opportunity to showcase our ideas and creations to IMechE judges, explaining to them how we implemented a suspension system and mechanical methods of reversing the drive direction of the robot. This was an incredible opportunity, and it has given us the chance to strengthen our collaboration, problem solving, and critical thinking skills.”
Dr Mamadou Ndiaye, Programme Leader for MSc Mechanical Engineering, added:
“I’m exceptionally proud of all competing Mechanical Engineering students for their outstanding performance at the IMechE Design Challenge. Their creativity, skill, and dedication define our engineering programmes at the University of Greater Manchester. This success demonstrates our commitment to nurturing industry-ready engineers equipped with practical experience and collaborative teamwork skills.”
Well done to all six students and thank you to Dr Mamadou Ndiaye and Alnablosi Ahmed for supporting the team. A fantastic achievement for our School of Engineering & Built Environment!
#UniversityOfGreaterManchester #IMechE #Engineering #MechanicalEngineering #StudentSuccess
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