Business Support
The Business Partnerships Team in RKTS work across the University to encourage and support business activity and collaborate closely with external businesses and intermediaries. The Regional Business Partnerships Centre has a role in increasing its connections with bradford-based businesses. It is responsible for administering Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), the Summer Experience@Bradford Programme, Autumn Experience@Bradford Programme, Consultancy, and all privately funded research contracts.
The commercialisation team in RKTS work with academics across the University on novel research with commercial potential and help academics protect and gain revenue from their innovations.
In addition to this central support, some Schools have a Business Development Officer and most RKT Centres have a Commercialisation Manager. These people work closely with RKTS to maintain and develop external business relationships and generate income.
There are many ways that businesses can contract with the University for a research or other project. The appropriate approach will depend on what they would like to achieve. You can get help from RKTS or the knowledge transfer support in your School/RKT Centre to work with you and the business to decide the best way forward. These are some of the possible options:
- Consultancy - most appropriate for short-term assignments or strategic advice
- Contract Research - used when a company is paying for an academic to carry out research on their behalf
- Knowledge Transfer Partnership - a national initiative placing recently qualified graduates (supported by an academic supervisor) in companies to undertake strategically important work either for 10 - 40 weeks (short) or 1 - 3 years (classic) .
- Bespoke short courses, conferences and qualifications - staff can develop courses and qualifications to help a business and its employees meet strategic needs.
- Commercialisation - work with a company on a novel and undisclosed idea from a business for financial gain to us and the business.
- Placements, internships and employment - the University can offer student placements and internship from between 4 weeks and 1 year. See the external student and graduate talent section.
See the Engage our Services section of the external Business Website for a full description of our offerings to business.
Get in touch with RKTS or your School Business Development Officer if you want to find out more about how these options work for the University or if you would like us to meet your business contact to explain them in more detail.
