A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) involves the formation of a partnership between a company, a UK university (the ‘Knowledge Base Partner’) and a graduate or postgraduate known as the KTP Associate. 

The partnership aims to facilitate the transfer of university research to embed new capabilities within the company; leading to new tools, products or services. This enables companies to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance through facilitating the knowledge, technology and skills available within the UK research base. 

The programme is administered and part-funded by UKRI Innovate UK on behalf of UK research councils, government departments and devolved administrations.

Benefits to the Knowledge Base

KTPs provides academics with a unique opportunity to engage in practical, real-world challenges faced by businesses. Through these collaborations, academics gain valuable insights into industry practices, market trends, and specific challenges, enriching your research with practical applications and enhancing the relevance and impact of your work. Benefits to all partners of a KTP are wide ranging, for academics these include:

• An insight into business requirements/operations and the opportunity to develop business-relevant teaching materials
• Opportunities for new student projects (on average over two student projects are initiated by each KTP project) and for publishing research papers demonstrating research impact in a real-world environment
• Supervision of a high-quality graduate, who may register for a higher degree.
• Realisation of tangible economic and societal benefits to a company or charity through the translation of innovative research into new products or services.
• The opportunity to generate evidence and impact for an impact case study, with associated implications for REF and KEF submissions.
• The opportunity to develop new, strategic business relationships, potentially leading to new research opportunities and additional revenue streams
• Two or more academics form part of the team that will deliver the KTP. In total the academic team spends ½ day per week on supervising the project; this time allocation is costed and paid into your department.

KTP and the Research Excellence Framework (REF)

Income from KTP is measurable research income under the REF

• Research, case studies and outcomes from KTP form an integral part of the university's REF impact statements
• KTP Associates who register for higher degrees during the KTP are measurable under the REF