Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
What are they for?
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) are relationships between companies and academic institutions whereby a graduate (either university graduate, post-doctoral researchers, or anyone with Level 4 qualifications) is employed for 12-36 months on a project central to the strategic direction of the business.
Benefits for the company include and increase in skills for existing workforce, creation of new jobs and increased annual profits (before tax). Benefits for the knowledge base (academic institution) are the development of business-relevant teaching materials, new research themes and projects and high-quality research publications contributing to the RAE rating. The graduates gain enhanced career prospects, receive high-class training and develop their business awareness skills.
Is my business eligible?
All sizes of businesses in most industry sectors can apply. KTPs in the North West region are co-sponsored by The Northern Way, whose eligible science-related sectors include energy and environmental technologies, healthcare science and medical technologies, creative and digital industries and advanced materials and engineering.
How much?
The amount of funding available depends upon the size and location of the company, the length of the KTP and whether any KTPs have been funded previously.
Based on funding history of Halton businesses, funding can be anything from £70,000 to £200,000. SMEs are expected to contribute a third of the costs, while larger companies can expect to fund half the project.
Success in Halton
Several science businesses based in Halton have benefited from KTPs. Vista Optics have had three KTPs (two with Aston University, and one with Queens, Belfast), resulting in funding totalling £339,826, with the aim of developing new biomaterials for ocular medical devices and improved process quality control.
Perceptive Engineering Ltd. have had two KTPs with the University of Manchester (totalling £140,469), for the development of batch processing products. Webaspx Ltd., ACAL Energy Ltd. and Innospec Ltd. have all had one KTP.
KTP website
www.ktponline.org.uk
KTP NW England and West Midlands Regional Delivery Team
Nick Ward
Tel: 0870 1908300
Dr. Andy Jones
Director Merseyside KTP Centre
Tel: 0151 7948026
Email: andy.jones@liv.ac.uk