Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) for academics

KTP projects facilitates innovation and impact with industry partners whilst contributing to the Research Excellence Framework
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You will be well supported

The Plymouth KTP office provides a full pre- and post-award service for academics seeking partnerships with business through KTP. This is an enhanced service through all stages which includes project inception, grant proposal writing, recruitment, project delivery and project closure.
KTP projects are delivered on a fEC basis, which means that 10 per cent of the academic supervisor's time is 100 per cent funded. The KTP academic team should collectively expect to commit half a day a week to support the KTP. This can be shared between two, three or four academics depending on the particular expertise needed to support the project and can be cross-faculty.

The KTP with Red Paddle Co has been highly beneficial for me personally as an academic and for my students. My industrial experience has previously been in the world of high value, one-off builds. Being able to bring some of that experience to, and learning about, the world of mass production has been very rewarding. It has provided me with a more diverse, current knowledge base for my lecturing, providing students with “real world” industrial problems to solve for their final year dissertations

Richard Pemberton, Lecturer in Mechanical and Marine Engineering Design

Benefits for academics as a result of KTPs*

  • 92% of academics reported an improvement in their knowledge of industry challenges
  • 81% of academics had developed more industry-relevant research
  • 75% of academics had developed more industry-relevant teaching
  • 62% of academics had generated publications as a result of KTPs
  • 51% of academics had leveraged further commercial funding as a result of KTPs
  • 48% of academics had progressed their career as a result of KTPs
Academics gain from KTPs through:
  • Applying knowledge to real-world issues with business-relevant teaching and research
  • Creating new research projects and papers 
  • Generating valuable research income
  • Discovering new research themes and contributing to the Research Excellence Framework (REF)
  • Leading a rewarding and ongoing collaboration with innovative companies requiring research-based expertise to succeed

I’d recommend KTPs to other academics as this provided an opportunity to work in a dynamic setting and, while not that different from academic project management, the deliverable is a solution for industry.

Guido BugmannDr Guido Bugmann
Visiting Associate Professor (Reader)

It has been interesting to work with a real company on a real problem. It was a positive experience working with a friendly business and I was also able to visit one of their customers, to understand more about their use of automated production lines.

Stephen ChildeDr Stephen Childe
Associate Professor in Business Management & Operations

Oakmount Control Systems

Work with us

Our Innovation Funding Managers help you scope out your KTP project idea, link businesses with academics, prepare and then submit the grant application. Once funded, the University and business jointly recruit the KTP Associate and then your project begins.
Start your collaboration by contacting one of our Innovation Funding Managers. Complete our enquiry form below.
Enquiry form

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