Careers, not courses
Southampton Solent University (Solent) is the lead partner of the South Coast Institute of Technology (IoT), a collaboration of four colleges, two universities and employers. Supported by more than £15m in funding from the Department for Education, the South Coast IoT invites students to become leaders in maritime, engineering and digital with access to the latest innovations, including robotics.
The South Coast IoT is a key driver of ambition and skill in the region, establishing coherent career pathways from school to industry, championing high quality technical education at every level, and breaking down barriers to education and employment. 
Partners
- Southampton Solent University
- The University of Portsmouth
- Havant and South Downs College
- Brockenhurst College
- South Hampshire College Group - Southampton City, Eastleigh, Fareham
- The Isle of Wight College
SMART Centre
The Solent Maritime and Research Technology Centre (SMART Centre) was opened by Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal in January 2026. Located in the Sir Christopher Cockerell building on Solent’s East Park Terrace campus, the centre is home to a range of state-of-the-art facilities that enhance the experience of students and the wider community.
With funding from the South Coast IoT, the building has been transformed into a 2,000m2 state-of-the-art space housing laboratories and workshops for our engineering, maritime, and yacht design courses.
The facility is helping to align skills provision in the Solent region with industry demand by strengthening regional talent pipelines, providing practice-led opportunities for students of all ages and offering facilities that can be utilised by partners and local enterprises.
SMART Centre facilities
- Interactive lab: for 3D printing, manufacturing, and robotics.
- Marine labs: designed to handle the processes of composite construction, from hand- and vacuum-assisted laminating, to pre-impregnated fibre construction and resin infusion.
- Construction materials lab: for testing various construction materials using equipment such as compression and flexura, scratch and impact resistance.
- Fabrication lab: An area for students to fabricate any 3D or practical woodwork for projects. There's also access to laser cutting facilities.
- Towing and stability tanks: for testing hydrodynamic lift and drag components for sailing and motor craft.
- Electronic labs: where electrical maintenance, operational, and fault-finding procedures are demonstrated and practiced on switchboards, motors and circuits.
- Materials testing lab: for teaching materials and destructive and non-destructive testing.
- Welding workshop: for teaching gas, electric arc, and MIG and TIG welding processes.
- Powerplant, lathes, and mills: for bench/hand fitting and the use of machine tools, turning, drilling, and milling.
Study at the SMART Centre
The SMART Centre is home to a huge variety of Solent’s courses. Students that are studying maritime, engineering and construction related subjects are joined by those on design, fashion and computing courses in making the most of the brand new facilities. Find out more about Solent’s offer at an open day or find out more information about specific courses below.
View coursesDeveloping skills for the future
Building on an existing framework of extensive and well-placed initiatives, such as the Solent Maritime Enterprise Zone, the Solent region is on the cusp of a new era of growth and innovation. The South Coast IoT and SMART Centre are at the heart of this with its offer of education from apprenticeships through to degree level courses.
As we look to the future the IoT’s partners are key to continued progress through the contribution of real workplace challenges and collaboration on research and innovation. This approach ensures learning remains relevant, impactful and directly aligned to the world of work, while giving partners access to fresh perspectives, talent and expertise.
Working with industry
The South Coast IoT is central to ensuring a sufficient home-grown workforce with the right skills to meet industry needs. It is working with key employers including, the Royal Navy and Portsmouth International Port, and has support from key local employers such as IBM, QinetiQ, Leonardo, Maritime UK Solent, GKN, DDC, and Teemill with the aim to increase education and employment opportunities across maritime, engineering and digital industries. A key priority of the initiative is to support individuals from under-represented groups to foster valuable connections and access sustainable, well-paid careers.Â
Get involved
Regional and global challenges require creative, interdisciplinary solutions. By bringing together students, academics and partners from across sectors, Solent can co-ordinate and design responses, drive local innovation, and deliver outcomes that build economic and social value.
Whether your organisation wants to develop talent, innovate with academic expertise, influence education, or help design solutions that benefit the region, get in touch.
Together, we can expand opportunity, enhance regional prosperity and deliver meaningful impact.Â
Contact us
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.
Come to an open day
Our open days are the very best way to see what Solent can offer – a perfect opportunity to talk to our lecturers and meet current students, discover our facilities - including the SMART Centre - and explore our campus. 
