Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) are collaborative projects between businesses and academic institutions that last 2-3 years. They involve employing a recent graduate or postgraduate to work on an innovative project that benefits the business. The business gains access to new skills and knowledge, while the associate gains career development. There are over 700 active KTPs across the UK each year. Case studies show that KTPs help businesses increase profits, develop new products faster, and gain competitive advantages through embedded skills and knowledge. They also benefit the academic partners through impacting research and teaching.

1. Knowledge Transfer
Partnerships
Joel Ferguson
KTP Adviser

2. What are Knowledge Transfer Partnerships?
1. KTP Programme running more than 40 years
2. Partner with an academic team
3. Employ a recent graduate
4. Deliver an innovative, strategically important product/process
5. More than 50 active Partnerships in NI (700+ across UK)
6. NI consistently the UK’s top performing region

3. KTP Essential Features
More competitive, wealth
creating business
Well developed
‘manager of future’
Impact Research, Teaching,
Papers, Placements etc
Transfer &
‘embedding’
of knowledge
Vital Knowledge
Support partnership fully
University/College
Has it got the missing knowledge?
Can it benefit from the project?
Business
Affordability
Strategic + Net Profit Impact
Can it develop the graduate?
Associate (Graduate)
What skills are needed?
Will they be stretched and developed?
Business has strategic needs to address
Company-based project, strategically important
Vvital knowledge missing.

4. Innovative project of strategic relevance - business become sector leader
Sound business case – increase in profits
Stimulating and challenging for all three partners
Academics translate research into commercial reality
Project Criteria – Good Applications will demonstrate:
Clear knowledge transfer – embed new capability
Graduate accelerated career development
Practices of company & market(s) it operates in

5. Typical Costs Per Year
1. Graduate Salary (Pay £18-28k pa) £27 - £35k
2. Graduate Development, Travel, Equipment ~ £6k
3. Access to university expertise and facilities ~ £30k
Total Package worth £60 - £68k
SME 67% Grant Support, Cost to Company £20 - £25k
Large Company 50% Grant Support, Cost to Company £30 - £34k
Joint funded by Invest NI & Innovate UK

6. Case Studies
James Leckey Design Limited: James Leckey
Design Ltd designs and manufactures a variety of
positioning equipment to improve the comfort,
independence and quality of life for children and
young people with cerebral palsy, muscular
dystrophy, spina bifida and other special needs.
KTP Aim: To embed the skills and knowledge
necessary to successfully integrate existing and
emerging technologies into new Leckey products
and understand how data gathered can be used to
provide evidence for clinical practice within
paediatrics.

7. Case Studies
Company: Munster Simms Engineering Ltd
Academic School: School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and
Computer Science
Project aim: To embed in-house electronic software and
hardware capability including processes and
systems to manage software hence accelerating
the delivery of innovative products to market.
Project dates: 2012 – 2015

8. Outcomes
• Quicker to market, more
functionality and in control of
their own NPD
• New control board for gas
heater developed – biggest
product launch in 10 years!
• Sales increase to £18m in 3
years
• Invested £1.2m in plant &
machinery
• Now a technology company,
not just a manufacturer
The Business
• Peter now employed as
Electronics & Software
Manager
• Leading a new department in
the company
• Training, customer & supplier
visits, membership of IET
The Associate
• Company partnered in other
research proposals, including
EPSRC
• Demonstration of research
impact – potential REF case
study
• Access to equipment for energy
monitoring & efficiency control
research
• 2 Final year student projects
• Associate presentations to
students, case studies for
teaching
The Academic Partner

9. Joel Ferguson
KT Adviser
Joel.ferguson@ktn-uk.org
www.ktponline.org.uk
07739338681
Karen Hastings
KTP Programme Manager, Invest NI,
Karen.hastings@investni.com
02890 698572
07766417548