The Background

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships is Europe’s leading programme helping business to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base. KTP is funded by the Technology Strategy Board with 17 other funding organisations.

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership serves to meet a core strategic need and to identify innovative solutions to help that business grow. KTP often delivers significant increased profitability for business partners as a direct result of the partnership through improved quality and operations, increased sales and access to new markets. Social enterprises see improved results, too.

The Scottish Context

The Scottish Government’s economic strategy highlights a number of areas where KTP can contribute to the strategic priorities. KTP’s strength in linking businesses to Scotland’s research base contributes to a supportive business environment. The way knowledge is embedded within the businesses promotes ongoing and long lasting relationships. The Associate positions attached to each KTP attract and retain talented people in Scotland. Finally as KTP is a UK delivered programme it allows Scotland to benefit from efficiencies of scale.

KTP also provides direct support to Scottish Enterprise in the delivery of its business plan. As a proven and effective vehicle for knowledge exchange, KTP can help improve business growth and can strengthen links between businesses and Scotland’s research base. As Business Gateway seeks to identify companies with potential for growth, KTP is a method for achieving that growth through innovation.

Currently there are around 140 KTP projects running across Scotland.

The UK Context

Lord Sainsbury’s 2007 review of UK Government Science and Innovation policy made a number of recommendations relating to KTP. It recommends the doubling of the number of KTPs, introducing a shorter more flexible mini KTP, extending KTP to the FE Colleges and using national frameworks to address the fragmented nature of business innovation support. The DIUS white paper “Innovation Nation” outlining UK government innovation support has accepted these recommendations and highlights our own Breval/Bell College KTP project as a case study. This project was supported by the West of Scotland KTP Centre and won the award for Engineering Excellence in 2007.

Currently there are upwards of 1000 KTP projects running across the UK.