We are the only university in Europe with our own airport and runway. Through the strong links with industry we have built over the past 70 years, we focus on defining and delivering the aircraft, airport and airspace management of the future.

Using our expertise in propulsion, aeronautical engineering, intelligent automation, autonomous systems, and computational engineering we are creating tomorrow’s air vehicles and businesses here today.  

Our blue-sky research generates concepts that, through then building and testing, we actually put into practice in physical flight demonstrations. Using our airport at Cranfield we show how our ideas are more than theories but work on the ground and in the air. Find out more about our global research airport and expertise in aircraft electrification and urban air mobility.

Because our work starts with ideas and culminates in actual delivery Cranfield offers something for industry partners and also people at all stages of their career.

We have more than 200 doctoral students and 400 MSc Aerospace students drawn from universities around the world. We are the UK’s top destination for aerospace engineering postgraduate students and the largest provider of accredited aerospace degree courses.

Our professional short courses provide highly targeted learning to develop career-enhancing skills.

Our highly sought-after students and researchers work with some of the world’s top aerospace companies on research projects. Through these connections, our students gain insight into the latest technologies and business thinking as part of our teaching.

Cranfield offers unique validation and demonstration facilities. Many of our alumni go on to work in the aerospace, space and associated industries. Senior employees in aerospace organisations around the world have a connection to Cranfield, as former students, researchers or through taking one of our professional development courses.