What is the Merseyside Centre for Knowledge Exchange Activity?
In 2004 the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) made funding available for 22 Centres for Knowledge Exchange Activity across the country. The 22 centres are diverse in nature ranging from sector specific to generic. Business Bridge in collaboration with GIEU have put together the Merseyside Knowledge Exchange Centre. Our Centre for Knowledge Exchange now has its own dedicated web site www.knowledge-exchange-merseyside.org.uk
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A Liverpool John Moores University graduation cermony
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Background to business and HEI collaboration
The background to business and university collaboration goes back further. The main documents have been:
Dearing Review in 1997 stated
The ‘four main purposes of higher education’ were :
- ‘to inspire and enable individuals to develop their capabilities to the highest potential levels throughout life, so that they grow intellectually, are well-equipped for work, can contribute effectively to society and achieve personal fulfilment;
- to increase knowledge and understanding for their own sake and to foster their application to the benefit of the economy and society;
- to play a major role in shaping a democratic, civilised, inclusive society.’
- to serve the needs of an adaptable, sustainable, knowledge-based economy at local, regional and national levels;
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Details of Knowledge Exchange Centres were first outlined in the Government White Paper “The Future of Higher Education” January 2003
Section 3.6 of the above report stated HEIs should
Want to identify best practice, and share it across the sector. The best arrangements for working with business – with support for skills development alongside provision of technology and knowledge – build a two-way process of higher education institutions and business learning about one another’s needs and capabilities.
Knowledge Exchange Centres again came up during the Government's Lambert review of Business-University Collaboration: December 2003
‘Transferring the knowledge and skills between universities and business and the wider community increases the economic and social returns from this investment. This process is referred to as knowledge transfer.’
Two of the recommendations made are:
- encouraging new forms of formal and informal networks between business people and academics, including the establishment of a business-led R&D employers' forum;
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- Universities to provide more information on student employability, and businesses to take a greater role in influencing university programmes and curricula.
An overview of the above reports and more can be viewed at:
http://www.liv.ac.uk/commsec/councilguide/system.html
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