The New Engineering Foundation

The New Engineering Foundation (NEF) is an independent and strategically focused charity (registered in England number 1112354) that works with key partners and stakeholders to support the advancement of education for the benefit of the public. It was established in 2004 as a grant awarding charity and a think-tank that focuses on developing science and technology education through:

Instigating Research
Supporting Professional Development
Enabling Knowledge Transfer and Innovation
Our mission is to achieve measurable and visible improvement in vocational STEM education through partnerships by:

Enriching teaching and learning professionalism
Enhancing the capabilities of providers and industry
Empowering individuals to embrace contemporary practice
Thereby, creating a positive impact on practical technical and scientific training for industry in the United Kingdom.

NEF is a Skills Funding Agency (SFA) approved provider and its work is guided by an Advisory Panel of Experts with representation from business and industry, academia, government, public sector agencies and educational trusts as well as other interest groups.

NEF provides support and advice to Government Ministers, parliamentarians and other policy makers on such areas as productivity and skills development, knowledge transfer and business innovation.

NEF is funded by charitable contributions and donations from trusts such as the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and public sector organisations such as the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), Joint Information Systems Committee, Technology Strategy Board (KTP) and Greater London Authority as well as business and industry such as KPMG and Tribal Education.

We look forward to your participation and support of our activities so that together we can achieve significant improvement in our further higher education system.

What we do

NEF supports the development of a credible technical vocational system. In doing so, we have developed a range of innovative strategies and programs that focus on capacity building and professionalism in science, engineering and technology.

NEF's policy work provides a broad array of services to policymakers, educational organisations, and other stakeholders in the educational and public policy arena. NEF research focuses primarily on the issues related to technical vocational educational and continuing professional development to:

Facilitate the development of a productive labour force with the skills, knowledge and attitudes to promote a dynamic and sustainable economy in the UK;
Mobilise and encourage entrepreneurial skills, and integrate them with technical and vocational education and training programmes;
Facilitate expansion of training and development opportunities for non-graduates.