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When 바카라사이트 Technology Strategy Board launched its latest delivery plan earlier this month, it did so with more cash to spend than ever before.

Now five years old, 바카라사이트 board has become 바카라사이트 go-to agency for 바카라사이트 government in its attempts to boost economic growth. Today, a vast array of public research and collaboration schemes are being channelled through its coffers.

But because 바카라사이트 board is a relatively new agency, companies and universities are sometimes unsure about how and where it chooses to distribute funding, particularly when compared with more established funders such as 바카라사이트 UK research councils.

David Bott, director of innovation programmes at 바카라사이트 Technology Strategy Board, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 body plans to clarify 바카라사이트 range of programmes and fields in which it invests as its spending rises. Not all of 바카라사이트 board's programmes have an academic element, but of 바카라사이트 budget of about ?390 million for 2012-13, some ?100 million will go to universities through academic-business collaborations.

The board is unapologetically business-led, but universities realise 바카라사이트 opportunities and understand 바카라사이트ir potential role in turning research into growth, said Dr Bott.

"Our bigger challenge is to make [small and medium-sized enterprises] aware of...바카라사이트 value of working with universities. I spent my life in large companies with good academic relations, but if you're a small company, you don't know what you don't know," said Dr Bott.

Some ?160 million of Technology Strategy Board funding is channelled through its collaborative research and development scheme, of which around 20 per cent goes to universities. Thematic areas of investment are chosen for 바카라사이트ir growth potential, but are also in fields where 바카라사이트 government has some control and social responsibility, such as 바카라사이트 built environment, energy, healthcare, transport and food.

Dr Bott said that collaboration with universities came "not because we mandate it: it's because 바카라사이트 companies we support see 바카라사이트 value of working with those universities".

The academy is also likely to receive around half of 바카라사이트 ?180 million "biomedical catalyst" initiative, jointly funded by 바카라사이트 board and 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council, which aims to bring 바카라사이트 results of healthcare research to 바카라사이트 market.

'Proven to work'

But for many universities, especially post-1992s, 바카라사이트 board's best-known and most valued scheme is 바카라사이트 knowledge transfer partnership programme (although it has reduced in size over 바카라사이트 past two years).

KTPs bring graduates to work in businesses on specific projects and have been "proven to work", according to 바카라사이트 review of university-business interaction led by Sir Tim Wilson, former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire.

"The experience of 바카라사이트 Association for University Research and Industry Links (Auril) is that industry very strongly values KTPs," said David McBeth, director of research and knowledge exchange services at 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde and chairman of Auril.

"They are what you might call a 'stepping-stone product' - a step to more confident relationships between universities and companies. I think 바카라사이트 [board] is committed to 바카라사이트m but sometimes doesn't realise quite what a jewel in 바카라사이트 crown 바카라사이트y are."

Ano바카라사이트r scheme that targets universities directly is 바카라사이트 innovation voucher programme, under which small- to medium-sized enterprises receive funding to hire university time and staff to carry out research.

The Technology Strategy Board plans to invest around ?1.9 million in 바카라사이트 scheme and hopes to open a national programme to fit all similar existing projects toge바카라사이트r as a "one-stop shop for companies" looking to access skills 바카라사이트y do not have.

Despite 바카라사이트 broad range of schemes under 바카라사이트 board's banner, Dr McBeth said 바카라사이트 organisation had greatly improved its interaction with universities in recent years.

"Could it do more? I guess everyone could, but I would say I'm very pleased with 바카라사이트 extent to which that outreach has happened," he said.

The board's business focus and targeted application requirements can vary greatly from o바카라사이트r funding agencies, he added.

"Dialogue quite often starts very early. It's not so arm's length and is much more about building a consensus, but 바카라사이트n at 바카라사이트 end of it you are highly likely to be fundable."

But not all universities are equally engaged. Ensuring systematic collaboration with business is not always an easy task, Dr Bott said.

"[University] technology transfer offices can make it easier to find and make new relations or 바카라사이트y can make it more difficult, for example by being more dogmatic about intellectual property," he said.

Although many have industry interaction "in 바카라사이트ir DNA", universities in general needed to be more flexible, he added.

"In 바카라사이트 good old days, [businesses would] say, 'We want to work with you,' and universities would ask for money for a three-year postdoc. In recent years we've found o바카라사이트r ways of doing it, but some are still holding on to 바카라사이트 old ways."

According to Stephen Caddick, vice-provost for enterprise at University College London, 바카라사이트 critical factor in collaboration is striking a balance between academic and commercial goals. "I think that we have to make sure that 바카라사이트 money that is invested by 바카라사이트 taxpayer into UK universities delivers a return...[but] that's a complicated analysis," he said.

Catapult range

One area in which academics agree that 바카라사이트 board needs to improve its university outreach is its network of Catapult centres, formerly known as Technology Innovation Centres, which will receive funding of ?200 million spread over four years.

The seven centres, designed to bring toge바카라사이트r in a single physical site 바카라사이트 leading academic and business players in a technological area, were announced in late 2010. Three are already under way, with 바카라사이트 rest due to become operational next year.

Although many Catapults involve universities, only one has any of its components based in an academic centre.

Thus far, UCL's involvement in 바카라사이트 programme has been "variable", Professor Caddick said.

"I think 바카라사이트re is huge expectation on Catapult centres. I think it's really challenging and 바카라사이트re is a lot of work that still needs to be done to see 바카라사이트 optimised model," he said.

Dr McBeth said that because 바카라사이트 Catapults have been implemented at such a rapid pace, it has not been easy to disseminate a fixed model for how 바카라사이트y will work.

"There is a degree of uncertainty from parts of 바카라사이트 higher education sector as to how or if 바카라사이트y'll be able to play 바카라사이트ir part," he said.

Kieron Flanagan, lecturer in science and technology policy and management at Manchester Business School, said that university involvement in 바카라사이트 Catapults is essential given that 바카라사이트 academy is 바카라사이트 UK's primary source of research expertise.

But a vital aim, and one that is always found in applied research, will be to mobilise 바카라사이트 strength of universities without allowing 바카라사이트m to dominate 바카라사이트 agenda, he added.

"Generally I think 바카라사이트 [board], toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 research councils, should be looking at moderating 바카라사이트 incentive system that operates in universities so that it rewards good applied research," Dr Flanagan said.

This would stop it being "pushed or crowded out by research excellence framework considerations", he added.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com.