Knowledge Transfer Partnerships driving innovation and supporting business growth in Wales

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) which enable companies to access academic skills and expertise to address strategic business challenges are playing a key role in driving innovation in Wales.

This is the message that Economy Minister Edwina Hart delivered today (Monday November 16) when she addressed WelshKTP@40 – an event marking 40 years of the programme in Wales.

The event at the SWALEC Stadium celebrates the success of the programme, showcases outstanding results of collaboration between businesses and academic institutions – and raises awareness of the benefits of these partnerships.

Some of the projects highlighted at the event include:

• a KTP project between Brick Fabrication of Pontypool and Cardiff University helped the business expand and is now set to create an additional 32 new jobs. The company manufacture pre-fabricated building products for the UK house building and construction industry.
• the collaboration between Newport manufacturer Odoni Elwell Ltd and Cardiff Metropolitan University has already resulted in £180,000 of business from new product lines. The company specialises in making cycle storage equipment and modular buildings.
• Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw and Bangor University collaborated with other attractions in the area to form an ‘Eco-museum’- based in the outdoors, focussing on people and place to promote the culture and heritage of the Llyn peninsular. Visitor figures have increased by 10% since the project began – rising from 130,000 to 140,000
• Airbus and the University of South Wales are currently collaborating on a KTP project to design and implement an innovative sustainable and trusted supply system capable of achieving state-of-the-art operating performance.

Mrs Hart said:

“KTPs enable Welsh businesses to access highly qualified people to spearhead new projects and take their businesses forward with innovative solutions.

“They create direct benefits to businesses; play a key role in supporting and encouraging a culture of innovation in Wales while also giving graduates valuable experience of working with industry.

“KTPs support our plans for an even greater emphasis on technology, innovation and science to build a more knowledge-intensive and future-oriented industry and business sector.

“By encouraging collaboration we are helping businesses improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of the knowledge, technology and skill that reside within the UK knowledge base.”

At the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Best of the Best 2015 Awards in London this month hosted by Innovate UK, Llamau Ltd came away as winners of the RCUK (Research Council UK) Societal Benefit Award.

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Llamau Limited and Cardiff University has already received an ‘outstanding’ rating – the highest possible rating by Innovate UK. The project led to the improvement of the charity’s service provision for vulnerable and homeless young people in Wales including developing new assessment techniques during the psychiatric interviewing of service users which has saved lives and has the potential to continue to so.