Research England blog

A universities-Research England group is currently exploring whether London is an “ecosystem” of the likes of Silicon Valley or Boston in the USA.

The survey that UCI-NCUB are currently conducting on the effects of covid on university KE is vital evidence to inform responses to the R&D roadmap, but its sector wide outcomes will also be invaluable to funding, delivery and to universities themselves.

Research England confirms this week increased funding for KE with Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) rising to £250 million per annum and with greater flexibility in its use and accountability to enable responses to the current crisis.

Our Connecting Capability Fund (CCF) is a distinctive programme focussed on stimulating collaboration between universities to achieve more effective commercialisation with external business partners.

Silicon Valley is renowned the world over and has dominated the narrative around universities and economic development.

For Research England (building on the experience of HEFCE), our funding for university knowledge exchange (KE) is increasing at its greatest pace since the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) began in 2003.

In this blog, Research England's Director of Knowledge Exchange reflects on fruitful discussions between technology transfer experts from the UK and the US on how to advance commercialisation in the UK.

To coincide with the launch of the Knowledge Exchange Framework consultation today, Research England's Director of Knowledge Exchange, Alice Frost, and Innovate UK's Deputy Executive Chair and Chief Operations Officer, Mike Biddle, reflect on what the forthcoming Knowledge Exchange Framework means for universities, businesses, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).