SIR James Dyson’s challenge to bring more young engineers to Malmesbury could be made easier in the future with the announcement of a Dyson School of Design Engineering at Imperial College London.

Students, the first batch of which will start in October, will have the opportunity to apply for Dyson’s six month industrial placements as part of the course and could return to Malmesbury upon graduation.

The James Dyson Foundation is donating £12million, its largest ever single donation, to Imperial College London to help create a Dyson School of Design Engineering.

The donation has allowed Imperial to buy a building for the Dyson School on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, the first new engineering department established at the university in the last two decades.

Sir James is expecting the new school to develop the next generation of much-needed graduate engineers and technology leaders.

The influx of young minds to the Malmesbury area should provide continued support to local services and suppliers and at the end of their studies students may be able to join Dyson's research, design and development teams to develop technology and fuel the company's 25-year pipeline of technology.

He said: “We want to create engineers who are bold and commercially astute. They will use their skills, nurtured in the Dyson School, to develop future technology that will catalyse Britain’s growing economy.”

Sir James attempted to create a similar school in Bath back in 2008 but was forced to withdraw the bid after planning and funding difficulties.

The first 40 undergraduate students will enrol on a four year MEng course in Design Engineering from October initially using Imperial’s current facilities. The annual intake will increase to 90 by October 2017, when teaching moves to the new building.

President of Imperial College London, Professor Alice Gast, said: “Imperial and Dyson passionately share a vision for educating engineers to elicit innovative thinking and problem solving.

“Design combines the best of technical expertise with creativity and the Dyson School of Design Engineering is uniquely placed to bring these together in its student experience and research."

The curriculum, developed in partnership with Dyson engineers to give industry relevance, blends technical discipline with creativity.

Industry standard equipment and studio space will enable 400 students to design, prototype and test new product ideas.