KTP for 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 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.

In the early stages of developing a KTP application, a dedicated, highly experienced KTP Adviser will be allocated to work in partnership with you. The role of a KTP Adviser is to facilitate the development of new partnerships, guiding the partners through the approval process. Once a KTP is approved, the Advisers also monitor and support 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 provide guidance on the implementation of Associate training and development policy, and on the conditions governing payment of grants. Advisers also 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.

KTP provides academics with the opportunity to apply research

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.

KTP provides 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.

Time & Financial Commitment

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 public funded organisations, 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.