Engineering innovation and leadership are essential to support the manufacturing ambitions of the UK and China. The Future Engineers’ Leadership and Innovation Academy will develop creative, technical, transnational communication, and leadership skills for the next generation of our engineers, innovators and entrepreneurs. The academy builds on the successful Mini-MBA programme developed by the William J Clinton Leadership Institute at Queen’s University Belfast and will be delivered at a designated university. The Academy will promote and encourage transnational team building, communication and recognition of local culture through lectures, mixed nationality team-based projects and tours. This highly interactive programme uses a blend of self-directed reading, class-based activity, case studies and practical learning activities to enhance its participants’ skills in core areas of leadership, technical engineering in an international context. It will involve a practical cross-disciplinary team-building activity which supports the creation of a technology business and is enhanced by design thinking skills.