Knowledge Transfer Account - Queen Mary, University of London

We appreciate that early-stage academics (in first post), those completing a Research Associates temporary position and who wish to move into a permanent position in academia or industry, and those just finishing a Ph.D. differ substantially in their requirements for KT training, so we are tailoring different courses and experience for each. A key objective is, for the first time in the UK, a career transition path from a post-doctoral research assistant role to one in industrial R&D for those wishing to go down this route.Our identified mechanisms or activities to achieve our objectives are:Career Path Industrial Scholarships: Developing short (<12 months) KT projects with industry for early career post-doctorate scientist and engineers (< 6 years from Ph.D.) to allow them to get experience of KT while they undertake work to test the technical/commercial visibility of an idea or process, mentored by more senior researchers Early Career Academic/Industry Interactives: Flexible KT projects between young academics and industry partners, supervised by more experienced researchers, to introduce new academics to working with industry while transferring expertise required by the industry partner. This scheme will be for people intending to pursue a career in academia; to ensure they look on the exploitation of future results in the same way as they currently look to developing academic papers. All new academics at QMUL undertake a PGCAP qualification and two new courses will be developed in KT as part of this qualification. It will be expected the new researcher will spend time at the industrial partner premises as part of this activity.KT First Exposure: Short-term projects (up to 6 months) undertaken by Ph.D. students at the end of their research. The idea is that they will undertake an exercise in KT with their supervisor and an industry partner. They will be based >50% at the partner.Full KTPs: These will be funded by the KTA for projects that are longer than the 12 months envisioned for the Career Path Industrial Scholarships and Early Career Interactives. Developing Time for KT: Buy-out of teaching for senior staff who can prove they are delivering a valuable economic benefit to the UK by developing a joint programme with industry involving and mentoring young scientists and engineers. Awards will be of 1 to 2 term teaching buy-outs.Interaction events, where QMUL researchers and industry partners can meet. These will enable a closer relationship between the researchers at QMUL and industry and lead to new opportunities for KT. The events will be themed, such that specific industries will be invited to QMUL to see our research and will be organised and run by the new researchers and academics that are to benefit from this KTA. The format of these will be a combination of posters, external speakers on KT and talks by staff on applying their research. At least 2 of these will be targeted towards SMEs in conjunction with the LDA and Digital Comms & Electronics KTN as these can otherwise be hard to reach.Summer courses describing the latest research being undertaken by QMUL to external audiences. These will include activities like sandpits where EPSRC funded research can be demonstrated. They will differ from the Interaction Events in being more formal; with QMUL S&E staff giving seminars on the latest research directions and findings. KT Qualifications: We plan to engage new academics by running in conjunction with QMULs Educational and Staff Development Department two KT courses as part of the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) qualification that all new academics must undertake. For RAs and students engaged with the programme, we plan to offer a course developed in conjunction with CASS Business School in KT and accredited by the Institute of Knowledge Transfer (IKT); an organisation that seeks to develop professionalism applying knowledge in the development of products and services. This will allow the RA/student a career path to eventually receive acknowledgement of their skills in KT by an internationally recognised professional qualification ((MInstKT).