The University of Sunderland has had the chance to showcase how sharing expertise with businesses can help spark innovation through its experts.
Academics from across the University came together to discuss and share the work they have done to help enhance innovation in businesses through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) with representatives from Innovate UK.
Part of UK Research and Innovation, Innovate UK helps businesses grow through their development and commercialisation of new products, processes and services.
As part of the visit, University Research and Innovation Leads and KTP Champions heard first-hand how the University can further expand its KTP portfolio and how Innovate UK are encouraging new opportunities for collaboration.
Richard Lamb, KTP manager at Innovate UK, also had the chance to see one of the University’s KTPs in action after visiting Speedings Ltd and was joined by Professor Milan Radosavljevic, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Commercial) at the University, and Dr Derek Watson, Associate Professor in Cultural Management.
Dr Watson said: “Our Management KTP with Speedings is considered an exemplar in demonstrating how our university academics can transform organisations in terms of process improvement and innovative growth strategies.
“We are tangibly transforming Speeding’s in cooperation with its workforce, as evidenced in the introduction of production workflows, an enhanced stock control system, and in the implementation of both a digital printing and training department.
“Through this partnership, we have recalibrated staff productivity schemes, training and development schedules and in launching apprenticeship degrees in finance, leadership and digital marketing.
“The corollary of impacts has directly contributed commercially viable succession planning and yielded Speeding’s highest productivity since records began in 1827.”
Rob Hammal, Speedings CEO, said: “This was a great opportunity to showcase our partnership with the University of Sunderland with Innovate UK which has helped Speedings grow from strength to strength.
“KTPs are a great way for businesses to access the University’s expertise that has helped our company flourish. Our partnership has resulted in a range of improvements and innovations that has seen us break record after record.”
Since 1975, Innovate UK’s flagship Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) have been connecting ambitious businesses and organisations with academic experts to turn innovative ideas into reality.
A KTP is a UK-wide programme that connects businesses with academic or research institutions to drive innovation and improve productivity. Through a KTP, a graduate or post-graduate, known as a KTP Associate, is embedded within the business to deliver a strategic project, with ongoing support from academic experts.
The University of Sunderland is currently working on six KTPs, a total portfolio of £1.3 million.
Tim Pain, Director of Skills and Innovation at the University, said: “As a civic university, it’s important for us to engage with local organisations to help foster growth and innovation. KTPs are one of those tools we can use to share our expertise with businesses to help them flourish.
“Innovate UK’s recent visit was another valuable step to enhancing our offer for businesses and showcase the work we are doing to foster innovation across the city and the region.”
If your business is interested in how KTPs at the University can help spark innovation in your workplace, find out more here: https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/more/enterprise-innovation/knowledge-transfer-partnership/