Knowledge exchange

We encourage industry to forge links with the science of STFC. This has several advantages for industry:

• Connection with cutting edge research to benefit your products and services
• Contacts in STFC funded facilities. Beneficial for tendering or developing research projects
• Source of trained professionals through contact with graduating students

There are multiple ways for industry to forge links with the science of STFC.

We hold networking events on specific topics through our Innovations Club. This help academics and industry to forge links and STFC staff will always be present to help broker relationships.

Finding or showcasing technologies

• Knowledge transfer from STFC national facilities and Universities (HEIs) 
• Knowledge transfer from CERN 
• Knowledge transfer from European Southern Observatory (ESO) 

Funding

Our IPS (Innovations Partnership Scheme) scheme supports the flow of technology from STFC funded research to industry or to academics from other disciplines towards commercialisation. An IPS project must be in collaboration with industry or an academic discipline outside STFC’s remit, so this is an excellent way for industry to engage with the latest technologies developed in STFC.

Challenge led schemes encourage the transfer of knowledge from STFC towards commercialisation within one of the Futures Programme areas identified by STFC.

CASE studentships provide support for research students working for a PhD in collaboration with an industrial partner. This helps the student and the academic partner gain experience of working with industry and the industry to build links with the latest academic research.

Knowledge transfer partnerships (KTPs) (link opens in a new window): KTPs place Associates (graduate or postdoctoral) in a company to work on a project that is a key part of the company's business development strategy. The Associate is supervised by an academic partner. KTPs are sponsored by STFC and run by the Technology Strategy Board.