/> Commenting on the Department’s expanded capabilities, Acting Head of Department Professor Yong Yue stated: “Our intention is to expand our reputation as both a teaching and research centre of excellence. We have already experienced an encouraging uptake from our two new undergraduate programmes, with particular interest from overseas students. We are pleased to be able to work with Rohde & Schwarz to ensure our students and researchers get the best out of this investment.”

Rohde & Schwarz’s cutting-edge communications test and measurement equipment will be used by undergraduates, Masters, postgraduate students and researchers alike. A catalyst for the investment was the addition of new electronics courses to the University of Bedfordshire’s portfolio. BEng Hons courses in Telecommunications & Network Engineering, and Computer Systems Engineering began in October 2010, whilst a third undergraduate degree, a BEng Hons in Electronic Engineering, is due to commence in October 2011. To support the expanded syllabus, the department has recruited 10 additional staff and researchers, bringing the total to approximately 40 people.

Noted Phil McCluskey, Rohde & Schwarz UK’s University Programme Manager: “The University of Bedfordshire’s new test equipment gives students the opportunity to develop their skills on precisely the same equipment used by industry. This will ensure they are better prepared for the demands of the workplace and puts them in a great position to continue more advanced research.”


Confirmed Ben Allen, a Professor of Computer Science and recent addition to the Department’s staff: “Rohde & Schwarz’ equipment represents a combination of high functionality, performance and value for money. Thanks to a generous academic discount, we have been able to populate a useful number of seats with the equipment, whilst ensuring that all potential users are equally well catered for, first time users and the more experienced among us.”

As part of its University Programme, Rohde & Schwarz has committed to support the University for three years with staff training on its instruments, teaching material for students and an annual prize for the best final year project in the field of RF & Wireless Communications.

The signal generators acquired by The University of Bedfordshire consist of five SMC100A’s, which have a frequency range of 9kHz to 3.2GHz and a SMBV100A vector signal generator with a frequency range up to 6GHz. The department now also has four FSL6 spectrum analysers with tracking generators, an FSV7 with a frequency range to 7GHz, plus the ZVL-K1 firmware option. The addition of a ZVL6 vector network analyser completes the offering. The complete package allows students to generate, monitor and test a wide range of signals and modulation techniques, across all the most important wireless bands.