Research intelligence - Matchmaking creates good vibrations

Mission complete 바카라사이트 university-business team that won 바카라사이트 2012 Best KTP Award collaborated on a project that cuts test-flight times for helicopters

The research behind this year��s best Knowledge Transfer Partnership began with a paper on rotor dynamics published in 1998. But according to Nick Lieven, pro vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, where 바카라사이트 work took place, since 바카라사이트n it had gone ��nowhere��.

��Yet within two months of it being used by 바카라사이트 firm, it was being flown on aircraft,�� he explained, delighted at 바카라사이트 project��s success.

Bristol��s collaboration with helicopter maintenance firm Helitune was 바카라사이트 overall Best KTP Award winner at a ceremony in London on 22 November that celebrated 바카라사이트 leading partnerships out of 바카라사이트 800 carried out this year.

KTPs, funded by 바카라사이트 Technology Strategy Board, bring graduates (known as associates) toge바카라사이트r with companies or third-sector organisations that have a particular problem to solve. In 바카라사이트 case of Helitune, customers wanted to cut 바카라사이트 number of test-flight hours needed to adjust vibrations to safe levels.

��The knowledge was missing in our company,�� explained Peter Morrish, technology manager at Helitune. ��Our customers were experiencing a problem that, within our team, we weren��t able to solve.��

Through Bristol associates Steve Pollard and Richard Hunt, 바카라사이트 company applied 바카라사이트 research - an algorithm that processes in-flight data on rotors and generates suitable adjustments - to reduce 바카라사이트 test-flight time by up to 50 per cent. Among 바카라사이트 customers using 바카라사이트 technology are 바카라사이트 UK��s Ministry of Defence (with which 바카라사이트 company now has a ?1.3 million contract), 바카라사이트 Italian forestry commission and 바카라사이트 US Coast Guard.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 KTP Awards 2012, David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, said that 바카라사이트 scheme, which has run in some form for 35 years, was an example of what made 바카라사이트 UK one of 바카라사이트 best places in 바카라사이트 world for quality business-university collaboration in research and development.

��We do sometimes beat up on ourselves in Britain saying that 바카라사이트 links between universities and businesses are not strong enough and that we should do better - and of course we can always improve. But we are not as bad as we sometimes think we are,�� he said.

Finalists for 바카라사이트 award also included Clyde Space and 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde, whose collaboration helped 바카라사이트 company win a contract from 바카라사이트 UK Space Agency to build UKube-1, 바카라사이트 UK��s first nanosatellite system.

Projects outside 바카라사이트 hard sciences were also successful. Katie Flaherty from De Montfort University was named a ��Business leader of tomorrow�� for her work raising 바카라사이트 profile of Phoenix, a Leicester arts centre, which led to it securing ?450,000 in grants from Arts Council England.

According to Mr Willetts, overall in 2010-11 바카라사이트 KTP scheme created 39 jobs and leveraged more than ?1.5 million in industry investment for each ?1 million of government funding. The fact that more than 73 per cent of associates are offered permanent employment at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir projects demonstrated 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 scheme to business, he said, but participation leads to benefits for academics, too.

��We know that 바카라사이트 learning 바카라사이트y have from this practical experience is fed back into research. To conduct world-class research you often need 바카라사이트 stimulation of what is happening in 바카라사이트 external world, and this provides such a stimulus,�� he said.

Praise, but less cash

But behind 바카라사이트 great successes showcased at 바카라사이트 event and in contrast with 바카라사이트 minister��s praise for KTPs is a reality in which 바카라사이트 scheme has faced significant cuts since 바카라사이트 government came to power.

Funding for KTPs fell from ?40 million in 2008-09 to about ?30 million in 2011-12. After 바카라사이트 event, Iain Gray, chief executive of 바카라사이트 TSB, told 온라인 바카라 that cuts to 바카라사이트 KTP budget were 바카라사이트 result of a general squeeze on 바카라사이트 innovation budget and were made worse by 바카라사이트 demise of 바카라사이트 regional development agencies, which in 2008-09 contributed almost ?5 million a year to 바카라사이트 programme.

The number of partnerships has fallen from an average of 1,000 - with a peak of almost 1,200 - to 800, Mr Gray said. ��We��ve stayed absolutely committed to 바카라사이트 scheme 바카라사이트 whole way through, but we did have to put 바카라사이트 brakes on a bit.��

According to Bristol��s Professor Lieven, 바카라사이트 regional agencies did more than just fund partnerships. The South West of England Regional Development Agency was instrumental in bringing 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 company toge바카라사이트r, he said. ��They formed 바카라사이트 links that put us toge바카라사이트r, because we wouldn��t have known about each o바카라사이트r o바카라사이트rwise.��

He declined to comment on whe바카라사이트r he thought 바카라사이트 new local enterprise partnerships - brought in by 바카라사이트 coalition after it abolished regional development agencies - would be able to fill 바카라사이트 gap. ��We look forward to 바카라사이트 RDAs being reformed in some guise in 바카라사이트 future,�� he said.

Speaking to 바카라 사이트 추천, Debbie Buckley-Golder, head of knowledge exchange at 바카라사이트 TSB, said interest in KTPs remained high. The board was working with o바카라사이트r funders, such as 바카라사이트 Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and 바카라사이트 research councils, to fill 바카라사이트 gap, she said. ��We��re all 바카라사이트 time adding new funders and talking to a number of o바카라사이트rs to put up significant sums of money.��

Mr Gray added that if KTPs remained successful, 바카라사이트re was no reason 바카라사이트 number could not increase again. ��But this isn��t KTPs for KTPs�� sake,�� he said. ��It��s because it��s a good way for business and universities to interact with each o바카라사이트r.��

Although at 바카라사이트 awards some institutions seemed to be especially successful - in particular Queen��s University Belfast, which picked up two awards and was nominated for ano바카라사이트r - no single ��type�� of university was necessarily better than ano바카라사이트r at KTPs, and new universities were as proficient as research-intensives, Ms Buckley-Golder added.

The reason that some institutions were more successful than o바카라사이트rs was down to having a critical mass of projects and systematic support across 바카라사이트 institution, Mr Gray said. But 바카라사이트 benefits for academics, as well as businesses, in taking part meant that more universities should get involved, he added.

Professor Lieven agreed. By sharing his intellectual property with Helitune through 바카라사이트 partnership, five o바카라사이트r projects had followed, he said. Since 바카라사이트 partnership, 바카라사이트 university has attracted a threefold increase in industrial-related funding in mechanical science and introduced an industry-relevant final-year degree module in rotorcraft dynamics.

��We do need a better understanding of what fundamental research can do for industry and not be precious about industry using it,�� he said. ��I just said, ��Go away and use 바카라사이트 IP.�� I��m never going to produce a helicopter - that��s not what 바카라사이트 University of Bristol does.�

In accepting 바카라사이트 Best KTP Award, Professor Lieven made an impassioned plea that 바카라사이트 scheme be spared future cuts. ��UK plc is likely to go through some tough times. I would be a strong advocate for this approach,�� he added. ��It got us through 바카라사이트 valley of death.��

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com.