Innovation, Impact and Business

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University of Exeter Business Engagement Strategy 2017-22

University Business Engagement Strategy 2017-22

The University of Exeter seeks to build exceptional partnerships through our Business Engagement Strategy. We work collaboratively with industry on research and development, enable organisations to recruit and train talented staff, and drive a thriving innovation ecosystem in the South West.

Exceptional Partnerships in Key Sectors

New approaches to engage businesses in key sectors in longer-term, transformational partnerships and networks generating income from a variety of sources.

New approaches to engage businesses in key sectors in longer-term, transformational partnerships and networks generating income from a variety of sources

Pillar 1Pillar 2Pillar 3
Collaborative R&D services Highly skilled people Regional innovation
Strengthening existing ad-hoc approaches to research partnership with industry with a more thematic, customer-focused, engaged approach. A stronger focus on business engagement around training programmes, employability and student and staff entrepreneurship. A place-based investment focus which puts the University of Exeter at the heart of a thriving innovation ecosystem in the South West.

Principles

These pillars are underpinned by the following general principles:

  1. Impact  - developing an inspiring environment for impact as a driver for engagement with users
  2. Effective governance including the role of senior managers in encouraging and rewards required behaviours
  3. Engagement of all Colleges and Services and changes to working and attitudes to drive efficiency

Mechanisms

And the following general mechanisms:

Recruiting new academic staff in key fields including Industrial Research Fellows

Academic staff incentives including time allocation, promotion and reward and income generation

Exchange of academic staff and research students with external partners

Active marketing campaigns across themes

Leverage from research funders, the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and Innovate UK

Using the Open Innovation Fund to support projects, plus new translational funding from sponsors to reduce calls on our own funds

Streamlining contracting and promoting new approaches to IP licensing to encourage business

Together, this leads to the delivery of:

Internal outcomes, including:External outcomes, including:
  • £100 million cumulative additional income generation from external partners over 5 years
  • Annual income of £60 million from external partners in College plans by 2021-22 (top 20 position)
  • More than double research income from industry to 8 per cent of research income (from £3 million to £8 million per annum)
  • Sufficient impact case studies to submit 1000 academics with 50 per cent at 4*
  • Strengthened business R&D performance in key sectors
  • Support for high-tech and innovative business clusters
  • Key skills development and student engagement with key companies
  • Strengthening the innovation system through business and regional agencies
  • Benefits to startup/spin-out businesses

Contribution to University strategies: Research and Impact, Education, Employability, Regional, International