Knowledge exchange

Resources on knowledge transfer in higher education including industry-university exchanges, international partnerships and reputation building to maximise impact

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THE podcast: knowledge exchange and data management as drivers of research and innovation

The University of Oxford’s pro vice-chancellor for innovation on how universities and industry can work together for the benefit of all, plus a leading data scientist on why data needs careful handling to protect future research efforts

Chas Bountra, Sara de Freitas

University of Oxford, Birkbeck, University of London, The Open University

The UK Houses of Parliament in Westminster

What I learned about knowledge transfer with policymakers during my parliamentary fellowship

Advice on how to share your research with the aim of maximising knowledge transfer among policymakers in parliament

Rajiv Prabhakar

The Open University

Apprentice working on a building site

How Indian universities can address the country’s talent crisis

Higher education’s role in preparing students for real-world jobs includes forging strong industry partnerships, establishing pathways into apprenticeships and fostering creativity

Raul Villamarin Rodriguez, Hemachandran K

Woxsen University

Students collecting water samples

How to bring teaching, research and knowledge exchange together

By getting students involved in real-world ‘live’ projects, academics can integrate research and knowledge exchange into teaching, resulting in positive impacts reaching far beyond the classroom, as Alan Chandler explains

Alan Chandler

University of East London

Staff at a university pitching their ideas for innovative solutions to challenges

Host a competition to foster creativity and innovation at your institution

Challenging and rewarding staff for coming up with innovative solutions can help your institution become more adaptable and forward-thinking

Multiple authors

Monterrey Institute of Technology

Community meeting, inclusive research

‘Doing human’: ways for researchers to make patients feel comfortable to express themselves

When patient and public involvement is done in an inclusive, safe environment, it results in more relevant, higher-quality health and social care research

Gary Hickey

University of Southampton

A professor giving a lecture

AI communities of practice can help us face its challenges head on

GenAI’s disruptive effects have driven universities to seek answers as uncertainty mounts. Communities of practice focused on the technology could provide solutions

Mariángeles Castro-Sánchez

Universidad Austral

Students researching in a lab

Strategies to help students conceptualise their research projects

Effective conceptualisation is key when beginning any research project. Help students get off to a good start using these strategies

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

Microphone on stage in club

Academics can (and should) be idiots

The comedy stage can be a place for academics to be silly and let it all hang out. Chris Pahlow explores why humour is effective for scholars and the people they’re trying to communicate with about their research

Chris Pahlow

Amplifying Research

Robots with briefcases

Three ways to optimise your business school’s AI-related offering

As workforces change, chunks of business schools’ curricula risk becoming outdated and irrelevant. Here are three ways institutions can adapt their teaching to bridge the AI-driven skills gap

Abdelmounaim Derraz, Julien Malaurent , Guillaume Chevillon

ESSEC Business School

Concensus concept

Can academic prenups help overcome barriers to interdisciplinary research?

A bottom-up approach could establish shared values, objectives, risk appetites and publication strategies as ways to mitigate challenges that hinder effective progress of interdisciplinary teams

Himanshu Kaul

University of Leicester

Architects working on a model

Service and creative practice as a university administrator

Why give up or reduce teaching responsibilities to enter an administrative role? Jim Bassett took on the position of director for simple but meaningful reasons: deepening the level of service to students and colleagues and extending creative practice

Jim Bassett

Virginia Tech

Various sqiggly arrows straightening into the same direction, blended learning concept

Teaching public policy research skills to tomorrow’s leaders

When students learn the fundamentals of public policy research, they also acquire tools to evaluate how institutions operate and how those same tools can be used to solve problems in their communities. This blended learning approach can level up these skills

Christopher Kromphardt, Mark Anthoney , Cassidy Branch

Johns Hopkins University, University of Iowa

Networking event

How to make enterprise activities enjoyable and impactful

Incorporating knowledge exchange and enterprise activities into demanding academic schedules can be a challenge but it doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are ways to make it enjoyable, rewarding and impactful

Larisa Yarovaya , Jeni Giambona

University of Southampton

Community of practice concept illustration

A framework to develop communities of practice

Supporting communities of practice across an organisation can provide extraordinary benefits. Drawn from the author’s experience, these tips aim to build connection and engagement through a formalised framework and senior leader sponsorship

Karen Mather

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Members of Gen Z work in an office lounge

Universities need to act now to bridge the Gen Z gap

Many educators are still struggling to harness the talents of Generation Z and help set them up for employment. Just a few key business changes can make the connection, writes Salah Al-Majeed

Salah Al-Majeed

Al Akhawayn University

Paper plane with rocket-shaped shadow

Streamlining a move from a faculty position to a leadership role

Moving into a leadership role at an academic institution includes setting ambitious goals around collaboration and finding solutions to worldwide challenges. These techniques can support leadership success

Brian Lattimer

Virginia Tech

University leaders attending a conference

University leaders must become entrepreneurs to address inequality

A university’s achievement should not always be measured by rank, facilities or number of graduates. The greater community appreciates institutions that take steps to provide equal access to education, writes Bhakti Eko Nugroho

Bhakti Eko Nugroho

The University of Indonesia

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THE podcast: higher education leaders on their priorities for the new UK government

What will the UK’s new Labour-led parliament mean for university funding, research impact, international student flows and free speech on campus? Two higher education leaders share their perspectives on the challenges ahead

Vivienne Stern, Chris Day

Universities UK, Russell Group

Young people work on laptops

Experiencing the workplace can help students’ career readiness

How to help your graduates step straight into the world of work? Give them a taste of it while they’re still students. Gaini Yessembekova and Liliya Tleukenova offer advice

Liliya Tleukenova, Gaini Yessembekova

Nazarbayev University

Man being bombarded with requests for an interview

How can universities make their case to a new government?

Three key considerations to convincingly showcase the value of universities to a new government inundated by competing priorities

Hamir Patel

Russell Group

Man speaking at a community meeting

Regional place-makers: how to demonstrate the economic and societal value of higher education

Higher education institutions should build a strong regional presence, addressing local issues, then find innovative ways to demonstrate their impact to the public and policymakers, writes Anthony McClaran

Anthony McClaran

St Mary’s University Twickenham , GuildHE

A video camera is used to film a scene

The making of: turning a research project into a documentary

To get your research findings into as many hands as possible, consider filming a documentary. James Layton, Paul Tucker and Bettina Talbot offer their advice

James Layton, Paul Tucker, Bettina Talbot

University of the West of Scotland

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THE podcast: how to lead a university from the front

De Montfort University vice-chancellor Katie Normington talks about leadership, why change is best undertaken quickly, what ballet taught her about resilience and persistence, and how to empower others to realise their potential

Katie Normington

De Montfort University

A woman holds a lightbulb with a holographic rendition of a mortarboard,

Seven things driving the evolution of the university in the 21st century

How can we align higher education with the changing demands of society? Urbi Ghosh identifies the seven factors involved in transforming the university

Urbi Ghosh

Colorado State University

Two people discuss diagrams laid out on a table

Maximise your research impact through interdisciplinary collaboration

What’s the best way to achieve research impact? Qingyan Chen makes the case for an interdisciplinary approach

Qingyan Chen

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Two people in hard hats walk through a lab

How can we take research from the lab to the marketplace?

When getting the products of your research into the hands of the people who need them, challenges arise. Vorathin Epin, Ibham Veza, Mazian Mohammad and Abdul Rahim Othman offer advice on how to overcome them

Ibham Veza, Abdul Rahim Othman, Vorathin Epin , Mazian Mohammad

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Digital butterfly emerges from cocoon

Ideas that make a difference for the digital transformation of universities

In a series of Campus resources, UK digital adopters explore what has worked (and what has not) as universities go digital and where investment in technology can be most effective

Sarah Dyer, Craig Walker, Lisa Harris, Arunangsu Chatterjee, Niamh Downing

The University of Manchester, HEdway Group, The University of Exeter, University of Leeds, Canterbury Christ Church University

Woman giving a presentation

Effective public-speaking techniques for university faculty

University faculty need public-speaking skills when they seek to engage students, collaborate with colleagues, secure funding and further their careers. Patty Raun leverages her skills as a stage actor to help higher education professionals improve their presentation chops

Patricia Raun

Virginia Tech

Colleagues collaborating around a table

Collaboration requires more than not stepping on toes

To get things done in universities, do we need to embrace conflict or find new ways to work together? Here, three digital adopters explain why collaboration isn’t the same as hoping not to annoy anyone

Sarah Dyer, Lisa Harris, Craig Walker

The University of Manchester, The University of Exeter, HEdway Group

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THE podcast: what is open access?

Experts demystify what open access and open research are, tips for best practice, and where the movement and research culture are heading

Heather Joseph, Steven U. Vidovic

Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, University of Southampton

A group of researchers discussing ideas at a table

Using a business framework to advocate for international research collaboration

In this resource, Daniel Moraru uses a framework to help researchers interrogate the multi-faceted implications of international collaboration in research

Daniel Moraru

Shizuoka University

Man in light from lightbulb-shaped hole in the wall, open research

Open research: what is it, really?

Open research principles aim to foster openness, transparency, replicability and accountability, writes Steven Vidovic. Here, he offers a fresh perspective along with practices to establish trust in research and foster collaborations and future opportunities

Steven U. Vidovic

University of Southampton

An early career researcher looking through a microscope in a lab

Empower ECRs to commercialise their research

Early career researchers face many barriers when it comes to translating their research into commercial success, be they a lack of time, being overlooked in favour of more established colleagues or simply not knowing where to start

Lysimachos Zografos

The University of Edinburgh

Data mountain illustration

Opening doors to knowledge: making data open access

Making data open access has become a cornerstone of transparent and collaborative research practices. Here, Jon Petters provides a brief guide on how to do it, emphasising accessibility, reproducibility and interoperability

Jonathan Petters

Virginia Tech

Row of children reading colourful books

Using storybooks to share research with a wider audience

Storybooks offer a collegial method of sharing research findings beyond the peer-reviewed journals of academia – and putting it in the hands of the people who can best use the information, write Dominic Petronzi, Dean Fido and Rebecca Petronzi

Dominic Petronzi , Dean Fido, Rebecca Petronzi

University of Derby

A librarian in a striped dress stacks books on a shelf

As librarians, we should embrace open research

Open access represents a new opportunity, and librarians are ideally placed to implement it. Nazarbayev University’s library team offers their advice

Jerald Cavanagh, Darya Zvonareva, Monika Bukowska, April Manabat, Yelizaveta Kamilova

Nazarbayev University

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THE podcast: an interview with James Purnell, president and vice-chancellor of University of the Arts London

The president and vice-chancellor of the University of the Arts London talks about how AI will affect the creative sector, the connection between cities, commerce and creativity, and how UAL plans to pioneer online creative education

James Purnell

University of the Arts London

Hand knocking down dominoes

Driving change through knowledge: how to increase policy impact

Academic research is invaluable in informing governments and leaders so they can make decisions that affect us all. Here, Yaryna Basystyuk offers advice on how to make your research count in the policy world

Yaryna Basystyuk

University of Southampton

Tree-in-hand sculpture in Dubai

In-person events are still necessary

Should academics be travelling to events that could be done virtually? Drawing on her experiences at COP28, Denise Baden shares tips on how to make the most of these events – and why a chance to form alliances, learn from each other and share ideas for action make it worth being present

Denise Baden

University of Southampton

Women in a meeting

How can universities increase diversity in spin-out founders?

Ensuring that all talented researchers can participate in spin-out leadership is core to translating world-leading discoveries into innovative and impactful businesses, writes Simonetta Manfredi in her response to the UK spin-outs review

Simonetta Manfredi

Oxford Brookes University

veterinary students on work placement watching farmer worm a sheep

Leveraging internships to empower first-generation students

Professional placements – whether paid or unpaid – offer practical, hands-on experiences aligned with students’ academic pursuits and help level the playing field for first-gen students in competitive job markets

Lisa M. Lee

Virginia Tech

Researchers in a lab

How to drive change in a research group, part two: a step-by-step guide

Research group leaders can use business frameworks to implement change effectively, argues Daniel Moraru. Here's how

Daniel Moraru

Shizuoka University

Cathedral Square and Market Hall, Peterborough

Multilayered interventions to foster community relationships

Key components of positive community engagement include institutional-, faculty- and course-level links, writes Tom Williamson. Here, he offers a road map for embedding universities in their local area and regional economy

Tom Williamson

Anglia Ruskin University

Sheet music lying on moss

Using partnerships to establish and build on project success

From listening to the student voice to creating joined-up partnerships, success on major capital works depends on teamwork. Here, Dominic Wood outlines key elements to ensure project delivery and reap long-term benefits

Dominic Wood

Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)

SHoKE participants

How knowledge exchange engages and retains disadvantaged students

Offering disadvantaged students the opportunity to take part in consultancy projects where they can make an impact on complex social issues can boost engagement, says Neale Daniel

Neale Daniel

Anglia Ruskin University

Small business owner working in inventory

Teaching business students how to prepare sustainability reports for SMEs

In engaging with small and medium-sized enterprises, universities can raise SMEs’ awareness of their own climate impacts. Here, Ven Tauringana shares a model for teaching accounting students how to produce sustainability reports

Ven Tauringana

University of Southampton

Team collaborating

Advice for effective cross-team collaboration for research

Research teams that might not usually work together are increasingly required to collaborate. Here, Rob Kadel offers five principles that underpin effective project delivery

Rob Kadel

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Book with tree and compass green concept

How storytelling boosts environmental impact and engagement

Presenting sustainability research in a story – with a protagonist, goal and resolution – can bridge the gap between complex theory and real-world results for wider audiences and policymakers alike

Denise Baden

University of Southampton

Students versus climate change

Driving change: creating student-NGO partnerships for climate solutions

Luis Ricardo Fernández Carril and Luis Gerardo Rojas Solorio reveal how to energise and empower students to take part in the fight against climate change

Luis Ricardo Fernández Carril , Luis Gerardo Rojas Solorio

Monterrey Institute of Technology