Module 1: ROS2: Fundamentals and Applications

If you or your team have any involvement or interest in autonomous systems, unmanned platforms, or robotics - this is a great opportunity to get hands-on with the framework that's fast becoming the industry standard across both defence and commercial sectors.

What the course covers

Before a robot can navigate, perceive, or act, it needs a language. ROS2 is that language. 

This short course introduces you to Robotic Operating Systems (ROS2) from the ground up. Across five carefully structured sessions, you'll move from the core building blocks of the ROS2 environment (topics, messages, and transforms) through to bringing robots to life visually with URDF, RViz, and the Robot State Publisher. From there, you'll step into simulation, exploring multi-robot environments in Gazebo, before pushing into the frontier of micro-ROS and computer vision. 

Each session combines structured learning with hands-on challenges drawn from real deployment scenarios. You won't just read about how ROS2 works, you'll use it, break it, and build with it. 

By the end of this module, you'll have more than a working knowledge of ROS2's core architecture. You'll have the practical confidence to implement it, extend it, and apply it to the kinds of problems that define modern robotics.

Course Information

8-Week Short Course

Delivered through our VLE, Canvas and is led by Professor Alexandru Stancu

No equipment purchase necessary, practical challenges delivered via simulation 

Timeframe

Run over 8 weeks with 56 hours of contact time, split into two-hour sessions every Monday and Friday.

Cost

Introductory fee of £1250 including hardware

Prerequisites

  • Basic programming
  • Basic electronic, engineering, and mathematics understanding

Progression

Leads directly onto Module 2: Autonomous Mobile Robotics, Advanced Specialisation

Delivery Dates

The first Introduction to Robotic Operating Systems Course will begin on the 25th May 2026, subject to sufficient uptake.

Ready to upskill?

Applications open soon

As you will know, NMITE is co-developing the UK's first MEng in Autonomous Robotics with the British Army, so we know this space well. For full details check out our website and to register for this short course, email us at CPD@nmite.ac.uk 

A small mobile robot by Manchester robotics

Developed by NMITE and Manchester Robotics Limited, this course is your launchpad.

Built around a cutting-edge robotics platform and delivered through a hands-on curriculum, the programme bridges the gap that most training leaves wide open: the space between knowing the theory and actually making things work. Whether you're getting to grips with ROS2, integrating hardware and software on NVIDIA Jetson or Raspberry Pi, or navigating the complexities of perception, simulation, and autonomous control — you'll learn by doing, not just by watching. 

The course takes a progressive approach, building your confidence and capability step by step, specifically designed to follow on from the Introduction to Robotic Operating Systems (ROS2). You'll move from core concepts through to advanced topics at a pace that deepens understanding without overwhelming it. 

At the heart of the experience are real-world challenges — practical exercises designed to mirror the problems engineers face. These aren't textbook exercises. They're the kind of situations that sharpen your thinking, test your problem-solving, and prepare you for the demands of working with modern robotics in professional settings. 

By the end of this course, you won't just understand robotics. You'll be ready to use them. 

CPD@nmite.ac.uk