Written evidence submitted by University
Alliance (TIC 39)
ALLIANCE UNIVERSITIES:
INNOVATION AND
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
BUILT ON
GENUINE PARTNERSHIP
WITH BUSINESS
AND THE
PROFESSIONS
1. University Alliance represents 22 major, business
focussed universities at the heart of the sector. The approach
in these universities to business engagement, civic regeneration
and local communities means that they work with partners across
their region, the UK and internationally, to ensure that the benefits
of higher education and more specifically their entrepreneurial
approach have a direct economic impact - for example the automotive
industry in Manchester, the Aeronautical industry in Bristol,
the High-tech industries around Hertfordshire and the Maritime
industry in Plymouth and Portsmouth.
2. As University Alliance has consistently argued,
universities are not just part of a growth strategy, they are
central to it, driving growth and innovation in new sectors and
markets. The quality and scale of higher education (delivering
highly skilled graduates), science and research is crucial to
determining the future pattern of economic growth in any innovation-driven
economy, locally, regionally and nationally.[37]
3. This ethos is central to the focus within
Alliance universities and it is based on this approach that they
are well placed to deliver on the Government's priorities for
sustainable growth:
- to leverage private sector investment and encourage
businesses to start, grow and thrive
- to assimilate and exploit leading-edge research
- to foster the exchange of new knowledge between
universities and business
THE FRAUNHOFER
MODEL AND
APPROACH TO
THE TECHNOLOGY
INNOVATION CENTRES
4. There has been increasing interest in the
German Fraunhofer model over recent years as a way of maximising
the exploitation of the UK's research and innovation. We are fully
supportive of the need to ensure that we have the best environment
to maximise the impact of our research endeavours but as with
any imported model, the key to success will be to develop an approach
that builds on the existing strengths and structures already in
place across the UK.
5. The Fraunhofer model incorporates a network
of institutes spread across the country, each focussing on different
fields of applied science. This model has already influenced the
proposed development of Technology Innovation Centres (TICs) in
the UK following the publication of Dr Hermann Hauser's report
to government last year.
[38]
Hauser's report set out the following parameters for the development
of the TICs:
- The mission of TICs is to help bridge the gap
between research findings and outputs, and their development into
commercial propositions.
- The programme of activity in each TIC should
be overseen by a business led steering group, comprised of business
and academic experts in the technology.
- The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) should establish
a new UK Technology and Innovation Centres Management Board to
oversee the network of national TICs, with representation from
industry, the research base and wider Government. This group should
report on performance and prioritise investments/monitor strategy.
6. In addition, the Hauser report suggested that
TICs should only be invested in when they met the following criteria:
- the potential global markets are predicted to
be worth billions of pounds per annum
- the UK has truly world-leading research and potential
business capability and absorptive capacity to make use of increased
investment
- the UK has the ability to capture a significant
share of high value activity
- TICs can enable the UK to attract and anchor
the knowledge intensive activities of globally mobile companies
7. University Alliance is supportive of the leading
role that the Technology Strategy Board has been instructed to
take in relation to the TICs. We would hope that this means a
joined up policy approach will be taken given the remit of the
TSB in other areas such as Knowledge Transfer Networks, Knowledge
Transfer Partnerships and collaborative research and development.
8. We would also hope that the approach that
is eventually developed builds on the existing and significant
expertise that has been developed across the sector in relation
to commercialisation and university - business collaboration.
DEVELOPING A
MODEL BASED
ON KNOWLEDGE
EXCHANGE AND
EXISTING APPROACHES
TO WORKING
WITH BUSINESS
"A business-facing university has a revolving
door with business - not an interface or a portal but a true interaction.
Employers know that the university will deliver - whether it be
high-level skills, applied research, knowledge exchange or process
improvement, short courses for their staff or expert consultancy
services."
Professor Tim Wilson, Vice Chancellor, University
of Hertfordshire
9. The focus in Alliance universities is on knowledge
exchange rather than knowledge transfer - wealth creation and
business engagement are not an add-on once the research has taken
place. Rather, they are intricately part of the university's fabric.
Innovation and knowledge creation is formed on the basis of this
mutual partnership and is therefore directly linked to economic
need. In addition:
- These are universities with 4* and 3* departments
that have a major impact largely based on their strong links with
industry.
- They typically have research strengths in innovation,
typically in areas of importance to the new economy.
- There is a focus on near-market solutions with
a large proportion of highly rated STEM departments.
- They are focussed and strategic in the investment
of resource in their research strengths.[39]
Figure 1
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER VS KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
10. Alliance universities have found that the most
successful approach is one where business links and engagement
are embedded across a range of university activities. These universities
have developed strong partnerships with both national and international
business to the extent that there is active businesses engagement
in curriculum design, collaboration on specific programmes to
embed graduate skills.
11. In relation to research and innovation we
would highlight the following examples with relevance for the
development of TICs. In each case the link with the university
is an important feature because of the way innovation and knowledge
is formed as a result of relationships formed across the institution
through the knowledge exchange approach.
UNIVERSITY OF
HERTFORDSHIRE - BIO-PARK
12. BioPark is a thriving scientific community
of biopharmaceutical, medical technology, diagnostics and the
biomedical businesses together with specialist service providers,
forming an important component of the South Hertfordshire BioCluster.
BioPark ensures that strong links are developed between regional
universities, research institutes and the private sector and,
as one of a network of Regional Enterprise Hubs, assists in developing
high-level skills to support the knowledge economy.
13. The University of Hertfordshire led the development
of Bio-park, which opened in February 2006. Prior to the development
of the park, Roche Products had announced its intention to pull
out of the region and all stakeholders were keen to ensure that
these valuable facilities were safeguarded for future use.
14. 93% of the space has now been let with plans
underway for further expansion and investment by the university
along with its partners equalling £2.2 million. Not only
is BioPark demonstrative of the leading role the university is
playing in terms of the regions economic development, BioPark
is run on a commercial basis for the university and therefore
effectively brings private revenue in.
UNIVERSITY OF
PLYMOUTH - LEADING
MARINE INSTITUTE
15. Research Fortnight's RAE 2008 Power Table
showed that the University of Plymouth was ranked at number 50,
with the highest increase in ranking (15 places) from 2001 to
2008. The University's largest Unit of Assessment for the 2008
RAE, with 36.5 staff submitted, was Earth Systems and Environmental
Sciences (UOA17), which includes the marine physical sciences
and chemistry. In this unit 95% of the research was judged to
be at least internationally recognised, with 50% being internationally
excellent or world leading.
16. It is on the basis of this expertise that
one of the largest Marine Institutes in Europe has been established.
The University is working in partnership to invest £25 million
in the Plymouth Science and Innovation Programme (PSIP) to build
a new world-class marine facility which will house state-of-the-art
research facilities including new wave tank testing equipment
that will be unique to the UK. PSIP builds on expertise in the
City and provides a solid innovation infrastructure which expects
to create 500 jobs and 30 new businesses in the next five years.
PSIP is expected to drive up the city's Gross Value Added, an
indicator of economic performance, by £130million over the
next 10 years.
UNIVERSITY OF
BRADFORD - RESEARCH
AND KNOWLEDGE
TRANSFER CENTRES
17. The University of Bradford has made a strategic
decision to invest more than £4 million in developing its
key areas of research and knowledge transfer strength. Following
an extensive review of its research base, external business markets
and funding opportunities the university has developed its strategy
to focus on 10 Research and Knowledge Transfer Centres including:
Micro and Nano Technologies, Advanced Materials Engineering, Pharmaceutical
Engineering, Sustainable Living, Skin Sciences, Visual Computing,
Automotive Engineering and Medical Infection.
18. All centres are delivering high quality research,
an academic drive and a commitment to business markets. The centres
are all driving innovation and working towards business solutions
- strengthening partnerships with business and industry such as
Jaguar cars, Reckitt Benckiser, Smith and Nephew and public sector
organisations such as NHS trusts and the Department of Health.
BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY
- NATIONAL CENTRE
FOR COMPUTER
ANIMATION
19. Bournemouth University's National Centre
for Computer Animation (NCCA) is working with the University of
Bath to create the first Industrial Doctoral Centre for the Computer
Animation industry. This pioneering project has been awarded nearly
£6 million by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council (EPSRC).
20. With an annual turnover of approx £7
billion the computer animation industry is of increasing importance
to the UK economy. The Centre aims to improve knowledge transfer
between academia and industry and provide training in the technical,
artistic, research and management skills needed by the next generation
of industry leaders.
21. For the past two years, 3D World magazine
has rated the NCCA as the best place to study computer animation
in the UK. The publication also rated the Centre as number eight
in the world. Other recent grant successes include £290,000
over three years from the EPSRC to improve the realism of animated
virtual humans. These characters will be used by partners Lancaster,
UCL and the Metropolitan Police to study psychological responses
to street violence.
UNIVERSITY OF
THE WEST
OF ENGLAND
- INSTITUTE OF
BIOSENSING TECHNOLOGY
22. The Institute of Biosensing Technology is
the first of its type using Bio-sensing technology in non-invasive
detection of disease, healthcare (being able to detect metal fatigue
in hip replacements before they hurt), security and many other
applications. This attracts inward investment from overseas.
23. IBST was formalised in 2008 and has already
secured major research contracts such as a £1 million project
in collaboration with DePuy (a Johnson+Johnson company) and Gwent
Electronic Materials, funded by the Technology Strategy Board.
The project aims to develop a new rapid, point-of-care diagnostic
system for the measurement of metal ions after joint replacement.
This will inform clinical decision making around the need for
pre-emptive revision in case of high levels of metal wear.
24. IBST has also become an affiliate member
of the Sensors & Instrumentation Knowledge Transfer Network
(SIKTN), a government funded initiative to develop a joined-up
approach to the bio-sensing and instrumentation community. The
Institute is already working with the SIKTN on a project to develop
a National Directory of UK companies working in bio-sensing.
University Alliance
2 December 2010
37 L Aston and L Shutt, 21st Century Universities:
engines of an innovation driven economy, September 2010 (http://www.university-alliance.ac.uk/downloads/Publication_21st_Century_universities_engines_of_an_innovation_driven_economy.pdf) Back
38
H Hauser, The Current and Future Role of Technology and Innovation
Centres in the UK, March 2010 http://wwbis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/innovation/docs/10-843-role-of-technology-innovation-centres-hauser-review Back
39 See
L Aston and L Shutt, 'Efficiency, leadership and partnership:
an approach that delivers shared economic priorities', available
at: http://www.university-alliance.ac.uk/research-publications.htm Back
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