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About us
What are Knowledge Transfer Partnerships?
The
East of Scotland KTP Centre helps companies undertake strategic
growth projects with the knowledge of experts from one of our six partner universities
within the region. Projects
that qualify for funding typically aim to introduce new or improved
products or services, new or improved processes or systems, or new
or improved marketing capabilities.
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How
do Knowledge Transfer Partnerships work?
Company executives and specialists from the universities develop a project
plan with support from the Centre and apply for funding. When approval
is given - usually within weeks - at least one graduate joins the company
to undertake the project work under the supervision of the company and
university mentors. The company has access to the resources of the university
and its experts throughout the life of the project.
What
funding is available?
Each project is part-funded by public money, either directly from the government or a sponsor (typically 50-70%) - the balance is paid by the company partner.
Benefits
of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
For
companies Knowledge Transfer Partnerships bring:
- Additional technological,
scientific or management related expertise
- Skilled manpower to undertake
strategic projects and transfer additional expertise into the company.
- Access to valuable equipment
and facilities
- Significant grant funding
For
academics, opportunities to:
- Participate in rewarding
collaborations with innovative business
- Supervise and act as
mentors for postgraduates working on challenging company-based projects
- Enhance the industrial
relevance of their teaching and research
- Produce papers for journal
publication/conferences
 For
high calibre graduates, opportunities to:
- Work on high profile
projects with innovative companies at competitive salaries
- Gain business-related
training and personal development
- Undertake a higher degree
The
Mission
'To strengthen
the competitiveness and wealth creation of the UK by the stimulation
of innovation in industry through collaborative partnerships between
the science, engineering and technology base and industry'
Knowledge
Transfer Partnership Objectives:
- •To facilitate the transfer of technology and the spread
of technical and management skills, and to encourage industrial
investment in training, research and development.
•To
provide industry-based training, supervised jointly by personnel
in the science, engineering and technology base and in business,
for high calibre graduates intending to pursue careers in industry.
•To
enhance the levels of research and training in the science, engineering
and technology base that is relevant to business by stimulating
collaborative research and development projects and forging lasting
partnerships between the science, engineering and technology base
and business.
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Funding
and Costs 
Government
funding for each Knowledge Transfer Partnership is provided by means
of a *TSB (Technology Strategy Board) grant to the participating
university partner and a contibution from the company involved.
*The TSB is a recently created board which forms part of the new Governmental Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) which has repaced the old DTI (Department of Trade & Industry).
Currently average annual KTP project costs are around £60,000. Company contributions per KTP Associate employed are as follows:
- SMEs (less then 250 employees) can expect to contribute a third of the project costs - around £20,000
- Large companies (250 or more employees) contribute half of the project costs - around £30,000
Eligibility
A company must
be able to demonstrate:
- It has the ability to
support the project financially
- It has sufficient qualified
staff to supervise the graduate appropriately
- That it is a strategic
project - central to its development
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