Benefits of KTPs to academics include:

  • Business relevant teaching and research, and the ability to apply knowledge and expertise to real-world problems
  • On average three new research projects and two research papers created for each KTP project 
  • Source of valuable research income
  • Identifying new research themes and contributing to the Research Excellence Framework (REF)
  • Leading a rewarding and ongoing collaboration with innovative companies requiring research-based expertise to succeed
  • Publishing high-quality journals and conference papers.

Innovate UK has also introduced the Management KTP to help companies expand management capability by partnering with business schools. Find out more about Management KTP here.

If you’re interested in engaging in a KTP, talk to your Knowledge Transfer office in the first instance.

 

Already involved in KTP?

We are here to help support your KTP activities and any publicity you may be planning around your project.

  • For any publicity around your KTP, please see our brand toolkit here
  • Request a quote from your Knowledge Transfer Adviser for a press release here
  • Keep in touch to share your stories with us here.
  • If you’re interested in submitting a case study, contact your KTA here.

Already involved in a KTP?

Interested in participating in a KTP?

Academics

Part funded by Innovate UK, other government co-funders and the participating company, KTP projects apply the world-leading knowledge and expertise of academics to business-critical projects.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are a three way collaboration between:

  • A university or research organisation
  • A company or not for profit organisation
  • A talented graduate/ postgraduate (known as the KTP Associate) recruited and employed by the university to work within the business, supported by the academic.

Each KTP project lasts between between 12 and 36 months, depending on the time required to deliver real outcomes.

Introduced in 2019 to help companies expand their management capability, Management KTPs work exactly like KTPs but have a specific focus on introducing transformational change through improved management strategy and process; and, with a Management KTP, companies are partnered with a Business School. Visit our Management KTP page to find out more.

Apply your research to a real-world challenge

KTP provides academics with opportunities for the practical application of their research. This supports the increasing demand to provide evidence of the economic impact of research investment, whilst informing the direction of ongoing and future research.

Importantly, the papers and publications developed through KTP, and the research income, can contribute to the REF rating of an academic department.

Generate valuable teaching material

KTP provides academics with in-depth, high level strategic interaction with the business community, which adds value to teaching and research. This also means that KTPs can provide excellent potential for collaborative work outside the core project, providing opportunities for student projects, work based activities and feeding current business information and issues into teaching materials.

KTP is delivered on a full economic cost basis, which means that the 10% of the academic’s time involved in KTP is 100% funded.

Typically, academics can expect to commit half a day of their week to a KTP project, mainly at the premises of the business partner. This is important to build and maintain an understanding of the project environment and relationships with the people.

KTP provides an opportunity for academics to engage with the business community. Around 70% of KTP Associates are offered full time employment with the host organisation on completion of their KTP, which means that academics fulfil a vital role in supporting employment for the graduates and contributing to the ongoing development of an innovation culture within the region’s economic community.

KTP projects strengthen the relationship between the academic and the business community, providing opportunities for ongoing collaboration.

Businesses and organisations from the full range of sectors and sizes are eligible to participate in KTP, as are charities and businesses from the not for profit sector.

All businesses must be financially viable and committed to strategic change. A KTP is expected to deliver a step change in the organisation’s capability and performance.

In the early stages of developing a KTP application, a dedicated, highly experienced KTP Adviser will be allocated to work in partnership with you. Your Adviser will be alongside the project throughout its life cycle.

The role of a KTP Adviser is to facilitate the development of new partnerships, guiding the partners through the approval process; and, once a KTP is approved, the Adviser also monitors and supports progress throughout the life of the partnership.

Advisers are key in guiding and supporting academics to ensure that their objectives are met – in the short term and in the longer term.

Advisers are also there to:

  • advise on Associate training and development
  • providing coaching and mentoring to Associates
  • advise on the conditions governing payment of grants
  • provide access to the body of KTP experience and encourage best practice in knowledge transfer.

All KTP Advisers have extensive knowledge of higher education and business.

what they say

Dr Shirley Ann Hazlett, Senior Lecturer, Queen's University Belfast Management School
Academics

"The Management KTP initiative is fantastic for any growth-oriented SME, such as RBP, and we cannot recommend this programme highly enough."

Professor Yvonne Perrie
Academics

"KTP provides a superb pathway for knowledge transfer, enabling academic research to be applied to deliver impact to real world solutions".

Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

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