A UK project is bringing practical 3D design and printing into hospital education. The University of Surrey reported the funding announcement on October 6, 2026.
From an everyday problem to a prototype
The three-year initiative, led by the University of Nottingham, initially involves 25 schools. Participating settings receive a 3D printer and staff training through a partner university. The Royal Society and Julia Rausing Trust are supporting the scheme.
Pupils will identify something in their environment they would like to improve, develop a design brief, explore ideas, and work toward CAD and printed prototypes. A showcase will bring their projects together.
Learning through making
Our takeaway: the strongest part of this approach is giving a printed object a purpose that matters to its designer. The process makes testing and revising an idea tangible.
The partners are also exploring possible rehabilitation benefits. Those possibilities are an area for investigation, not an established treatment outcome.
Read the University of Surrey announcement.
Featured image: AI-generated illustration of a learning space, not a participating school's photograph.