Due to the regional proximity and the importance of the Rolls-Royce company for the state of Brandenburg, the Institute of Transport Engineering has been focusing on the central research area of aero engine technology since its foundation in 1999. In 2001, discussions were therefore initiated with Rolls-Royce Deutschland (RRD) in order to further deepen and better coordinate the already existing research connections. In 2002, a cooperation agreement was signed and joint research project definitions were started. The very successful completion of initial tasks finally induced the Rolls-Royce Group to establish a UTC at BTU Cottbus. Further UTCs in Germany exist at the Technical Universities of Dresden, Karlsruhe and Darmstadt as well as at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).
On April 11, 2005, the Rolls-Royce University Centre (UTC) Multidisciplinary Process Integration was ceremonially opened. This made BTU the first university in Germany to become a member of the worldwide network of Rolls-Royce UTCs.