Knowledge exchange

Resources on knowledge transfer in higher education including industry-university exchanges, international partnerships and reputation building to maximise impact.

A young woman puts a hand to her head while working at an office

Do your students know the consequences of AI use on an internship programme?

Students are using GenAI tools in their university work, but what about in the workplace? Are they unknowingly putting their employers at risk? Here’s how to prevent a potential data breach

Bonnie Dean, Kelli Nicola-Richmond, Joanna Tai, Jack Walton

University of Wollongong, Deakin University

Workers in hard hats and hi-vis discuss their plans

The autonomy paradox: why graduate apprentices need both freedom and support to thrive

Graduate apprentices who report high levels of autonomy in their workplace learning don’t necessarily achieve better outcomes. Here’s what they need to succeed

Elaine Jackson, Alan MacDonald

University of the West of Scotland

How to work well with industry spotlight graphic

How academia can work well with industry

Advice on how universities and their staff can maximise the benefits of academic-industry partnerships for researchers, students and society

Campus contributors

Campus

Young entrepreneurs chat happily in a breakout space

How to position entrepreneurship as a graduate skill

Entrepreneurial thinking is at the top of employers’ wish lists – but how to integrate these skills in education?

Robert Crammond

University of the West of Scotland

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Industry engagement matters for doctoral candidates, too

Doctoral candidates have not generally prioritised engagement with industry, but its opportunities to enhance research impact and career prospects now make it essential. Here, Adnan Syed Muhammad offers tips for PhD students

Adnan Syed Muhammad

Western Sydney University

Swimmers jumping in the air

An academics’ guide to policy impact

How to plan and share academic research so policymakers take notice and apply your findings to real-world issues

Laura Duckett, Campus contributors

Campus

Detail of aerospace design

Build workforce capability through smarter university-industry partnerships

Universities are expected to produce job-ready graduates, but many partnerships with industry remain ad hoc. Building deeper, more deliberate relationships with employers is key to developing stronger regional talent pipelines

Grant Ritchie

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Two people, one carrying a hard hat, shake hands

Partnerships to make higher education work for the workforce

Fostering long-term industry partners can enhance student outcomes and prepare them for the workplace of the future. Here’s how to get the best out of them

Brooke Wilson

Colorado State University Global

Man in hard hat shaking hands

How to create a win-win university-industry partnership

To reap the benefits of industry-academia collaborations, researchers and higher education institutions need to be clear about goals from the outset, understand each party’s differences and communicate

Darren Fast

University of Alberta

Young Asian robotics trainee

Build foundations for university-industry partnerships in 90 days

Graduate employability could be transformed through systematic integration of industry partnerships. This practical guide offers a framework for change in Indian universities

Raul Villamarin Rodriguez, Hemachandran K

Woxsen University

Man and woman working on film editing

Is graduate employability a core university priority?

Universities, once judged primarily on the quality of their academic outcomes, are now also expected to prepare students for the workplace. Here’s how higher education is adapting to changing pressures

Katherine Emms, Andrea Laczik

The Edge Foundation

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Campus talks: what does it take to successfully commercialise research?

A technology transfer expert and biotech spin-out founder explain the steps involved in moving discoveries from the lab to the market

Mairi Gibbs, Andrew Hammond

University of Oxford, Imperial College London

Two women laugh together over a notebook

Business schools should go beyond the classroom for social impact

To meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals, business schools should consider hands-on community projects which also boost students' employability and give them a sense of purpose

Sobia Razzaq , Kumari Juddoo , Sheeja Sivaprasad , Sudha Mathew

University of Westminster

Illustration of female scientist in a lab

When a scientist becomes an inventor

A novel scientific discovery can catapult a researcher from the bench to being an entrepreneur. Here, Greta Faccio shares considerations for next steps in commercialising an invention

Greta Faccio

Independent consultant

Collaboration concept

Collaboration is a quiet evolution for bold impact

How can universities drive global progress through creative collaboration with private sector partners? Brandy Salmon shares lessons for university leaders

Brandy Salmon

Virginia Tech

Scientists work in a lab

Bridge the gap between knowledge and solutions with industry partnerships

Academic and industry partnerships can help both sides achieve more than they could alone. Here’s how to build a relationship for long-lasting collaboration

David Parker

Hong Kong Baptist University

UK innovation concept

What does the UK’s spin-out ecosystem need to thrive nationwide?

Despite their abundance of research and expertise, UK academic institutions lack mechanisms to encourage and incentivise movement between academia and industry, particularly within the spin-out community, writes Richard Hague

Richard Hague

University of Nottingham

Young man writing resume on laptop

Turning skills into stories: how longitudinal skills portfolios enhance student employability

Universities are adopting reflective digital tools to help students connect their learning to graduate skills. Here’s what they’re doing and why it matters now

Cat Bailey

Jisc

A business professional shakes hands

A guide to building lasting partnerships between students and industry

How can universities bridge the gap between students and their future employers? Bring real value to both sides with these tips

Amy Pyle, Dan Robinson

Loughborough University

Industry-academia partnerships concept

The alchemy of promoting partnerships between higher education and industry

With the promise of technological innovation and demand for talent, universities and industry have much to gain by working together. Brandy Salmon shares advice for developing sustainable, impactful industry collaboration

Brandy Salmon

Virginia Tech

Trademark on a stamp

When should scientists think about trademarks?

If your discovery has commercial potential, you will need to think about what to call it when it reaches the market. Here are three considerations about trademarks and protecting your intellectual property

Greta Faccio, Marion-Sima Wössner

Independent consultant

Team of engineers working on an engine

How partnerships with business are evolving to support student employability

‘Intrapreneurship’, interdisciplinary degree pathways, student-led projects and early engagement are all ways universities can move industry collaboration from partnership to co-building

Saurabh Sinha

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Image of a globe surrounded by the 17 SDG symbols

The need for integrated thinking at universities: from Covid-19 to the SDGs

A joined-up approach between universities, public services and businesses – as successfully demonstrated during the pandemic – is now needed if institutions are to accelerate efforts towards the Sustainable Development Goals

Abeer Hassan

University of the West of Scotland

A group of graduates in their gowns

The power of partnerships in preventing regional talent drain

How one university collaborated with another institution and local employers to address region-specific skills gaps and retain graduates locally – plus advice for others looking to do the same

Hanna Hopkinson

Nottingham Trent University

Bulldozers at sunset

It’s time to break the extraction mindset of higher education

A logic of scarcity and competition leads academia to see hoarding economic, human and social resources as the only way to survive – as a university or a higher education employee, writes Lucas Lixinski

Lucas Lixinski

UNSW Sydney

A handshake

How to choose the right industry partners

Developing long-term, successful industry partnerships starts by choosing the right one. Here’s how to do it

Andy Colley

Birkbeck, University of London

Jar of peanut butter

From peanut butter to effective policy impact

In a sector that often seems tasked with being everything to everyone, each university needs a policy strategy that focuses institutional expertise where it will make the most difference, writes Alistair Sackley

Alistair Sackley

University of Southampton

Nurse entering information into computer

Supporting pathways for nurses into clinical research

Organisational support for clinician researchers is an effective way to ensure that healthcare research is translated into clinical practice. Here’s how a partnership between an Australian university and a local health service aims to amplify impact

Natasha Roberts

The University of Queensland

Semiconductor manufacturing concept

Connect and catalyse: international collaborations in the semiconductor field

Semiconductors are essential for modern electronic devices, AI hardware and economic efficiency and growth. How can we drive continued progress and innovation in this field? International collaborations are key, as Cindy Yi explains

Yang “Cindy” Yi

Virginia Tech

A group of students discuss a project

How a 'Global Week' could advance internationalisation at your institution

How to embed internationalisation across your university's education? An interdisciplinary, cross-institution event could be the answer

Francisco Narbais

Universidad Austral

A team works on a project using a whiteboard

Shape the next generation of project managers with co-creation

A cross-disciplinary, student-led project to design a simulation tool helped students find a safe environment in which to practise their workplace skills. Here’s how it worked

Ralitsa Arnaudova , Pablo Salva

University of the West of Scotland

Close-up of silicon die are being extracted from semiconductor wafer

Techniques for designing and managing international collaborations

An effective international initiative can benefit a whole host of stakeholders – universities, industry leaders, students, wider communities. But how do we get to success? Cindy Yi looks at the opportunities and challenges of international collaborations using a real-world example

Yang “Cindy” Yi

Virginia Tech

A close up of a hand working on a document

Seven steps to dual publication

The dual publication model for research involves creating two versions of a research paper: one for fellow academics, and one for practitioners. Juggle the two with these seven steps

Şerife Eyüpoğlu

Near East University

Knowledge exchange professional services career framework

How a career framework for knowledge exchange can foster a culture of professional growth

A career framework can provide pathways for personal and professional development. Here, Jane Shepard explains how one arts-based institution identified the skills required by professional services staff who help facilitate knowledge exchange

Jane Shepard

University of the Arts London

African colleagues at a conference session

International research needs international research professionals

When researchers in poorer countries are expected to deliver programmes to the exacting standards of funders in the Global North, it makes international collaboration more difficult. Here, Mary Ryan calls for skills development initiatives to align global aspiration and reality

Mary Ryan

University of Glasgow

Newborn baby holding mother's hand

Scholarly publishers’ role in fostering collaboration in academia

With the infrastructure in place to exchange ideas and information, journals can enable scholars to build on their research and accelerate discovery and quality of innovation, as Antonia Pop explains

Antonia Pop

University of Toronto Press

Young businesspeople in suits

Should universities meet all industry demands?

With higher education institutions adapting their programmes to prepare students for future jobs, they risk producing corporatised graduates to a detriment of innovation or even business’ best interests, writes Stéphane Bouchonnet

Stéphane Bouchonnet

École Polytechnique

A group of students work round a table

Unlock the potential of internationalisation in higher education

Let’s smash through the barriers to effective internationalisation. Here’s a four-part framework to do so

Wafa El Garah

Al Akhawayn University

Students work together using a laptop and calculator

Three ways professional certifications can boost student outcomes

Professional certifications not only align students’ skills with real-world industry demands but can also lead to unexpected improvements in academic outcomes. Ekaterina Ipatova shares how her students responded to this innovative mode of assessment

Ekaterina Ipatova

University of Roehampton

Health researcher and patient

‘Uncertainty is part of co-production’

Flexibility and an open mindset can help health researchers work with healthcare professionals and patients to create better adapted services. Here, Gary Hickey shares ways to navigate through the process

Gary Hickey

University of Southampton

Leaking water pipe

The foundations of a successful knowledge transfer partnership

By collaborating with businesses, researchers can apply their expertise to real-world problems with tangible outcomes. Here, academics outline how they established an effective knowledge transfer partnership to reduce water waste

Muhammad Shakir , Jawwad Latif

University of the West of Scotland

Woman in VR headset against image of wind farm

It’s time to turn the tide on our clean energy ambitions

Universities have a pivotal role to play in inspiring the next generation to find sustainable energy solutions, from uniting researchers with business to translating innovation into practice to growing the future workforce, writes Deborah Greaves

Deborah Greaves

University of Plymouth

Woman with laptop and numbers, transformation concept

Reimagining the role of higher education in a world of intersecting revolutions

To remain relevant, universities must shift from reactive funding requests to proactive transformation, writes Rahim Somani

Rahim Somani

University of Northern British Columbia

Physical therapist treating patient

Citizen science in biomedical engineering: rewards and challenges

Harnessing citizen science to progress research enriches our findings and leads to innovative solutions to real-world problems. Addressing the potential challenges of working with non-expert volunteers from the start makes for more effective research

Robin Queen

Virginia Tech

A police offer

Influence social change with your research by building relationships

Researchers from Edinburgh Napier University needed to form relationships with a range of people when evaluating Police Scotland’s use of the drug naloxone. Here’s how they did it

Peter Hillen, Inga Heyman

Edinburgh Napier University

Boy receives immunisation from medical professional.

Knowledge exchange as a driver of better health outcomes

A model for how universities can collaborate with public or private sector organisations and community groups to co-develop solutions to local problems

Amina Ismail , Vicki Doyle

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

A group of business students working together on a project

Best practice in building business clinics

Collective advice on setting up and running a successful business clinic from experts in entrepreneurship education around the world

Track Dinning

Liverpool John Moores University

A group of people work around a computer

How to prepare students for a global working world

As universities, we need to teach our students how to operate in a global online workplace – and facilitate their opportunities to do so

Richard Sant

University of the Arts London

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Fostering a start-up culture among academic staff

An environment of entrepreneurship that supports academic staff will, in turn, have a positive impact on start-up-minded students. Here, Gavin Clark outlines five approaches

Gavin Clark

University of the Arts London

Healthcare workers looking at a tablet

Partnership work as a catalyst for upskilling in key employment sectors

An example of how a business school can partner with public sector and industry bodies to develop products and services that help upskill and support practice-based education

Mike Brownsell , Kirstie Simpson

University of Chester