We are very grateful to Trevor McMillan and the task and finish group for developing the thorough and helpful content of the draft knowledge exchange concordat. We have worked closely with the group to develop this consultation paper. Higher education engages in a wide range of KE activities, from working in partnership with businesses and charities to apply key research, scientific, technological, medical and cultural breakthroughs to developing key skills and attributes such as entrepreneurship that will drive productivity and growth to supporting company start-ups by students and staff.
The data collected annually through the HE–BCI survey demonstrates the impressive scale of knowledge-exchange activity across all types of institutions, and the Industrial Strategy recognises the importance of universities and colleges to future economic and social growth. The commitment of the government to the 2.4% target for research and development spending demonstrates the value of higher education knowledge exchange. To support the implementation of this commitment and the effective and accountable investment of planned additional funding, we believe that the sector should enhance and improve its KE practice and demonstrate its KE strengths. The aim of the draft concordat is to enable institutions to do this in a clear, flexible and appropriate way.
The KE concordat provides a key opportunity for the sector to demonstrate effective strategic leadership of KE within institutions, outline the KE activity and practice that are relevant to their strengths and circumstances, identify where improvements or innovation might add value, and support staff to develop.
Whilst this stage of the development of the KE concordat is focusing on the views of the sector, it is vital to the effectiveness of KE that it is undertaken through effective partnership with funders, businesses, the public sector and charities. The value of partnerships is embedded in this draft concordat and we will be working with Research England to engage with a wide range of partners. Our aspiration is that the implementation of the KE concordat will add significant value to partners as well as institutions.
We encourage and welcome your feedback on the KE concordat.
Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive Officer, Universities UK
Gordon McKenzie, Chief Executive Officer, GuildHE