Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) is Europe’s leading programme helping businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK Knowledge Base. There are over 1,000 Partnerships running at any one time and over 1,100 Associate projects.
Partnerships employ high-calibre associates to work for up to three years on projects that are core to the strategic development of a business. Associates are jointly supervised by a senior member of the business and an academic or technical specialist from the partnering research organisation. Each partnership is part-funded by government with the balance of the costs coming from the company partner.
We expect our funding to support KTPs which link to our previous research grants and can demonstrate how knowledge generated from this research will be utilised and transferred to the collaborating partner.
KTP benefits
Businesses acquire new knowledge and expertise. For every £1 million of government spend the average benefits to the company amounted to a £4.25 million annual increase in profit before tax, £3.25 million investment in plant and machinery with 112 new jobs created and 214 company staff trained as a direct result of the project.
KTP associates gain business-based experience and personal development opportunities, 60% are offered and accept a post in their host company on completion of their KTP project, 41% register for a higher degree and 67% of these were awarded a higher degree.
Research organisations can apply their wealth of knowledge and expertise to important business problems, develop business-relevant teaching materials and improve understanding of business requirements and operations. On average, each KTP Associate project produces 3.6 new research projects and two research papers.