THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER LBG

Their core work

The University of Westminster is a London-based university with a pronounced research strength in air traffic management (ATM) and aviation systems, where it coordinates major SESAR projects on flight planning, ATM performance modelling, and knowledge transfer. Beyond aviation, they contribute to cloud computing and digital manufacturing research, and maintain a secondary line of work in bio-based polymers for medical and personal care applications. Their ATM group is one of the more active university teams in the European aviation research ecosystem, combining complexity science, machine learning, and behavioural economics to improve flight operations.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2014-2018), Westminster spread across diverse topics — bio-based polymers for medical applications, digital commons, city logistics, and initial aviation projects. From 2018 onward, their portfolio concentrated heavily on ATM and SESAR research, with five coordinated aviation projects and growing use of machine learning and complexity science in flight operations. The bio-polymers line continued but with diminishing involvement, while cloud computing served as a bridge between their digital and aviation work.

Westminster is consolidating as a specialist university group in data-driven aviation research, making them a strong partner for future SESAR and Single European Sky Digital projects.

How they like to work

Westminster balances leadership and partnership roles well — coordinating 9 of 25 projects (36%), with most coordination in ATM where they clearly lead. With 223 unique partners across 27 countries, they operate as a hub rather than sticking to a fixed set of collaborators. Their willingness to coordinate CSA and knowledge-transfer projects (like Engage) suggests they are comfortable in network-building and community roles, not just technical delivery.

A well-connected university with 223 distinct consortium partners spanning 27 countries, reflecting broad European reach. Their densest connections are within the SESAR aviation research community, where repeated project participation creates strong ties to European air navigation service providers and ATM research labs.

What sets them apart

Westminster's ATM research group punches well above the university's general profile — they are one of few UK universities coordinating multiple SESAR projects, combining complexity science, behavioural economics, and machine learning in aviation contexts that most universities cannot match. Their role running the SESAR Knowledge Transfer Network (Engage, their largest project at €2.8M) gives them a unique convening position in European aviation research. For consortium builders, they offer both technical depth in ATM modelling and proven ability to manage knowledge dissemination across large networks.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Engage
  Largest project (€2.8M) as coordinator — ran the SESAR Knowledge Transfer Network, positioning Westminster as a central hub in European ATM research.
• POLYBIOSKIN
  Shows their bio-materials capability: functional biopolymers for skin-contact products spanning medical, cosmetic, and personal care applications.
• Dispatcher3
  Demonstrates their most recent technical direction — applying machine learning to real-world flight planning and dispatcher decision support.