A new profession, knowledge transfer, has emerged to manage the process of turning technology, know-how, expertise and skills into innovative, commercial products and services.
The IKT will set standards for development of the profession and address issues surrounding accreditation, certification and training. The Institute will become a major force, helping knowledge transfer professionals work effectively by drawing on best international practice.
Existing bodies bring together the organisations involved in knowledge transfer. IKT is different. It is dedicated solely to meeting the needs of the individuals involved in knowledge transfer; the professionals which make this dynamic new industry.
The growing need to commercialise the output of publicly-funded research and knowledge intensive activity - be it in the sciences, to the arts and social sciences - is evidenced by the fact that there are around 12,500 knowledge transfer professionals employed in the UK and Ireland.
There is an urgent requirement to turn cutting edge research into viable business propositions quickly; to effectively increase the rate of research outputs. Business, intermediaries and development organisations can make this happen. The development of this fresh, new profession will have a major role in the successful commercialisation of research and other knowledge-intensive activity for the benefit of the economy and society.
As a membership organisation, IKT recognises that its stakeholders and members should play a significant part in the future direction of the Institute and that the governance and management structures should reflect this. The Board and its committees will be fairly elected and appointed and the composition balanced to reflect the range of interests in knowledge transfer. The Board currently comprises the Chairman, 12 appointed Board members and 9 member elected Board members. The number of member elected Board members will increase in line with membership numbers. The Executive Committee has been appointed by the Board and is responsible for the day to day running of the Institute. Executive Committee members are the legal directors of the company.
The Board Members are listed below.
| Board appointed members | ||
|
Sir Brian Fender
|
President
|
|
| Adrian Hill | Chairman & Executive Committee member | |
| Dr Ian Harrison | Chairman of Membership and Professional Standards Committee & Executive Committee member | |
|
Kim Dovell
|
Director of Corporate Services & Executive Committee member | |
|
Malcolm Parry
|
CEO, Surrey Science Parks and Chair UKSPA
|
UKSPA
|
|
Dr Patrick Frain
|
Director, Nova UCD and Chair ProTon Europe
|
Ireland & Europe
|
| Mike Hall | Deputy Director, Association of Universities of the East of England | University Associations |
|
Dr Sally Wilson
|
Commercial Director, National Physics Laboratory
|
AIRTO
|
|
Alun Tlusty-Sheen
|
Chair of AURIL and Director Research & Enterprise Services (RES) and Managing Director, WestmInnovation
|
AURIL
|
| Member elected members | ||
| Dr David Secher | Independent consultant and Chairman on PraxisUnico | Member elected |
| Owen Adams | Programme Manager in the Enterprise & Innovation Office, University of Leeds | Member elected |
| Arnold Black | Director Resource Efficiency KTN | Member elected |
| Sue Gunn | Director, Centre for Innovation and Knowledge Transfer | Member elected |
| Professor Bob Howlett | Executive Chair, KES International | Member elected |
| Professor Chris Birch | Pro Vice Chancellor, Thames Valley University | Member elected |