The First Research into KT Practice Seminar
February 2009

How did the February event tackle the Research into KT Practice aims and was it a success?

Yes, it was really good start, and we were delighted by the response and positive feedback and comments that we have received since. Almost 50 delegates braved the snow and floods to attend the event at Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, Daresbury, Warrington, which is run by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). There were a range of keynote speakers covering a wide range of issues on a variety of research topics. We also received an excellent response to our call for papers and the presentations on these really contributed to the seminar's success.

Sir Brian Fender, President and Chairman, IKT explained the context IKT's "Research into Knowledge Transfer Practice" initiative and how IKT is looking to contribute to this, outlining the themes from the workshop above. "Knowledge Transfer should reinforce and enhance teaching" is a quote from Sir Brian. See the paper here

Henry Etzkowitz Head of the Triple Helix Group and Chair in Management of Innovation, Creativity and Enterprise at the Newcastle University Business School on how the triple helix innovation strategy of universities, government and industry collaborating with each other in innovative ways offers potential solutions to the problem of the current depression. See Henry's presentation here

Professor Colin Whitehouse, Deputy Chief Executive of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, Head of STFC.s Daresbury Laboratory and Director of Campus Strategy presented an example of how KT and open innovation are being applied successfully in the national science and innovation Campus models at Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus and Harwell Science Innovation Campus. Quote from Professor Whitehouse "co-production is the dialogue between those looking at development of markets and those engaged in technological development". Please see Professor Whitehouse's presentation here

Mike Wright, is Professor of Financial Studies at Nottingham University Business School (NUBS) and Director of the Centre for Management Buy-out Research (CMBOR) gave a presentation on opportunities and challenges arising in spinning out enterprises from universities and public sector research organisations. See Mike's presentation here

As well as the keynote speakers, the audience were given opportunities to learn about new leading edge KT research:

• Dessy Irawati, PhD researcher at Newcastle University-Business School is working towards completing her PhD this year, presented a paper on "Technology and Knowledge Capability in the Global Automotive Production Network: The Case Studies from Indonesia". She has been expanding her research focus on the process of innovation and knowledge-based development as a learning dynamic within firms and regional learning, particularly from the automotive industry, regarded as a global industry and high-capital and knowledge sector. See Dessy's presentation here
• Barry Lowe is a Principal Lecturer at Thames Valley University where he teaches in an undergraduate Journalism programme and in a postgraduate Corporate Communication course presented a paper on "Knowledge transfer can be two way: lessons learned from a partnership with a minority ethnic business". See Barry's presentation here
• Mr. Weisheng Liu, Liverpool Business School joined the EPSRC 'Innovation and Productivity Grand Challenge' project as a researcher and PhD Candidate at the University of Liverpool Management School, presented a paper entitled "Towards Open University Knowledge Transfer: the Q Study for Perspective Insights". See Weisheng's paper here
• John Bradford, Knowledge West, University of the West of England contributed a paper on how an opportunity for Universities, not-for-profit organisations and high technology companies, to collaborate on stimulating social learning and value creation was assessed using a market focused approach from a collaborative platform. See a paper from John Bradford here.