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University and industry unite in the transfer of knowledge

Business representatives from across the region gathered at the University of Sheffield last week (Friday 26 March 2010), in a bid to tighten links between the worlds of industry and academia as part of a £5.7 million Knowledge Transfer Account (KTA).

The Open Day, which attracted more than 140 delegates, offered visitors the chance to learn more about the KTA, which is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and will ensure that the results of the University’s EPSRC funded research portfolio are exploited to deliver economic and societal benefit for the UK.  This would be achieved through the sharing of knowledge between industry experts and academics at the University, something which could lead to industrial advances, the creation of new businesses and new investment to the region. 

Delegates were told how the old corporate laboratory has disappeared and that companies are moving to an open innovation model where they source research and development externally. The KTA is developing the concept of a Virtual Corporate Laboratory, allowing companies to partner with the University for strategic research and development services, including consultancy and testing, feasibility studies, demonstrator projects and project management.

The KTA will offer a number of opportunities for academics and external partners to collaborate and increase the transfer of knowledge with commerce. Prospects will include proof of concept funding, staff secondments between partners, a ‘designer in residence’, and resources to help the delivery of short-term commercially focused projects. 

Universities often face a challenge when working with industry as many early stage projects are of a short duration and difficult to resource. The KTA Development Hot House will provide a dedicated, responsive and flexible team of scientists and deliver these projects, which will demonstrate the value of EPSRC research to partners and foster the development of longer term partnerships.

The University already collaborates with a number of companies on research and development, including Boeing, Rolls Royce and Siemens, but the KTA aims to build additional partnerships with industry and further develop a culture at the University which values and recognises knowledge transfer.

The Open Day, which featured talks from EPSRC, Technology Strategy Board, BRE, Sarantel and Huntsman Advanced Materials, highlighted the impact KTA would have both regionally and further afield, through improved performances of existing businesses, the creation of new job opportunities and the delivery of highly skilled people into the labour market. The open day also featured an exhibition of ten commercially focussed centres from the University who currently engage with industry. This exhibition showcased the extensive knowledge transfer capabilities at the University.

Richard France, Manager of the Knowledge Transfer Account at the University of Sheffield, said: “The KTA presents a fantastic opportunity for the University to work in new ways with industry and ensure our EPSRC research is translated to real benefits for the UK and the region. The open day has shown delegates what the KTA can offer to help support early stage commercially focused projects. We also heard some excellent examples of success which demonstrated how these partnerships help companies innovate better and faster.”

John Baird, Head of Knowledge Transfer at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, said: “As a knowledge economy it is vital that we capitalise on the knowledge and skills created by EPSRC’s funding.  The KTA will help create a focus on transferring and better exploiting the knowledge generated from EPSRC`s £131M investment in the University of Sheffield and provides a source of flexible support, allowing the University to decide how best to harvest the fruits of the knowledge and skills created by EPSRC’s funding.  EPSRC has not been prescriptive; the over-riding aim is to encourage a range of activities to be undertaken and to catalyse a step change in the whole area of knowledge transfer.”