Royal visit marks opening of SMART Centre at South Coast Institute of Technology

South Coast Institute of Technology welcomed Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to the Southampton Solent University campus for the opening of the SMART Centre

February 2026

On Thursday 15 January, Southampton Solent University welcomed Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to campus for the opening of the SMART Centre – a cutting-edge facility home to the South Coast Institute of Technology.

A major investment which encompasses the latest equipment used in the country’s biggest industries, the SMART Centre will train students and apprentices across a broad range of disciplines. During the opening, Her Royal Highness toured the Centre and met Solent’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor James Knowles alongside students. Professor Knowles says:

“The SMART Centre will play a key role in growing the region’s skilled workforce. By working with industry, we have identified the skills employers need the most and delivered an innovative learning centre which will ensure the professionals of the future have those skills. The IoT is a partnership of universities, colleges and employers, and this next step in that relationship showcases how impactful working together in this way can be. It’s an honour to have welcomed The Princess Royal to Solent to see first-hand what collaboration of this kind can achieve, and we look forward to sharing the many success stories that will undoubtedly come from it.”

The SMART Centre is home to laboratories, and specialist workshops. This includes a materials testing lab, welding workshop, lathes and mills, and composite lab. It fully embodies Solent University’s practice-led approach to learning and teaching, ensuring students gain hands-on experience while they learn in areas such as applied mechanics, renewable energy and robotics.

The South Coast Institute of Technology is a partnership of two universities and four colleges who work alongside employers to equip students with the knowledge and practical skills needed to become future leaders. Supported by more than £15m in funding from the Department for Education, the partnership, which is led by Southampton Solent University, serves today’s biggest industries, from maritime and engineering to digital.

Matt Johnson, Director of the Institute of Technology, says:

“The IoT is all about boosting the future success of students while underpinning the sustainability of industry. By investing in the SMART Centre, we’ve created a place where students can learn a huge range of bespoke skills which employers both want and need. The ripple effect of this is significant; supporting economic growth and enhancing social mobility across our entire region.”

The South Coast Institute of Technology continues to meet the needs of many different students and provide an accessible pathway into employment. Breaking down barriers to further and higher education in this way, the IoT delivers a diversity of qualifications – from T Levels to degrees, apprenticeships to professional qualifications – serving a range of people, from school leavers to mature students.

Institutes of Technology are a national network stretching from Truro to Tyneside, collectively comprising over 80 further education colleges, 30 universities, and 100 employer partners. Our mission is to equip individuals with the advanced technical skills that drive innovation and meet employers’ evolving needs.

To get in touch with your local Institute of Technology, see our Find an IoT page.

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