Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

The Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) scheme operates from centres throughout the UK. The idea is to strengthen competitiveness and wealth-creation by stimulating innovation in business through collaborative partnerships with the UK knowledge base. The direct benefits are:

• Bringing companies and research departments together
• Making the work of research organisations/departments more relevant to businesses
• Improving the competitiveness of businesses
• Enhancing the career prospects of graduates taking part in the scheme.

For businesses

If you have identified an area where you need to make a strategic change to your business activities, the scheme enables you to find a university, FE college or research organisation with the right expertise to help. Between you, you’ll agree a project of between 1 and 3 years, during which time a recent post-graduate is recruited to work on the project within your business.

Most firms recoup their investment in the first year, and go on to make significant extra profits thereafter. Each project results in an average of three new research projects initiated, more than three new jobs and 15 existing company staff trained.

Companies of all sizes, in most industries and commercial sectors, can take part—although there are some limitations on the type of project and the sectors which can be supported.

• In 2006-7, 12% of partnerships involved microbusinesses (under 10 employees) and 20 involved companies with over 250 employees
• 73% of businesses reported a one-off boost in profits of up to £50,000; 19% reported an increase of up to £150,000; 6% saw an increase of up to £500,000; and 2% benefitted from a profit increase of over £500,000.

For graduate/post-graduates

KTPs enable PhDs who have completed a collaborative research grant or CASE studentship to apply their research in a commercial environment, managing challenging projects central to the development needs of participating companies. A project lasts for a period of between 12 and 18 months, and over 78% of associates are offered employment by their host
company on completion of their project, with 62% accepting.

How is a KTP arranged?

The stages are as follows:

• Check with a KTP advisor whether your project is feasible
  A good starting point is to contact the nearest university-based KTP office. If they don’t have the appropriate subject expertise, they’ll refer you to a potential partner or bring in another KTP advisor
• Form a knowledge transfer partnership
• Complete & submit a grant application & proposal form
  This is done jointly by the prospective knowledge base partner and the business, with input and advice from the KTP advisor
• Consideration of proposals
  The partnership approvals group meets at regular intervals. It comprises five senior KTP advisors; the programme director; and an official from the Technology Strategy Board (who has the authority to approve proposals and grant applications there and then). A high percentage of applicants are expected to result in grant support
• Issue of a grant offer letter
  This is normally within three weeks of approval. The terms and conditions of the grant offer letter must be accepted in writing by the knowledge base partner
• Recruitment of a KTP associate
  The partnership can then begin to recruit and appoint their KTP associate/s (partners can place a vacancy notice on the website). The associate's contract of employment will be with the knowledge base partner.

For more information, visit the KTP website or the information pages at Business Link.