What is knowledge exchange (KE)?
Knowledge exchange can be defined as a collaborative, creative endeavour that translates knowledge and research into impact in society and the economy. KE includes a set of activities, processes and skills that enable close collaboration between universities and partner organisations to deliver commercial, environmental, cultural and place-based benefits, opportunities for students and increased prosperity.
What is the concordat? What is it trying to accomplish?
The KE concordat has been created to facilitate the development, enhancement and transparency of the wide range of knowledge exchange activities performed by universities and other providers of higher education and research (HEPs) and support the partnerships integral to success. It is being implemented by the sector for the sector, recognising that autonomous higher education providers play a critical role in KE policy and practice. It is developed with the recognition of the needs of relevant external partners, government and funders, and implementation is supported by the UK higher education funding bodies (UK HEFBs).
The concordat is designed to:
give universities, other higher education providers and research institutions, along with their staff and students, a clarity of mission and support for the KE activities they perform
give partners an accurate representation of the approach that individual organisations are taking to KE
provide clear indicators of their approaches to performance improvement
encourage organisations to work together to strengthen KE practices across the sector and to deliver KE when appropriate
give governing bodies and governments broad confidence in the activity that is taking place
The concordat sets out possible routes to good practice in processes and approaches that would enable universities to fulfill a KE role whether across the whole spread of their disciplines or for specific activities and relationships.
What is the purpose of the development year and how will it work?
The development year is intended to explore the extent to which higher education providers are meeting the principles of the KE concordat in the context of their own published institutional strategies relevant to KE. During the year, we will also work with higher education providers and partner bodies to consider, discuss and share good practice in a range of areas.
At the end of the development year, there will be a review of implementation in the UK which will advise the process of embedding the concordat long-term.
What will institutions be asked to do to show they are delivering against principles in the concordat?
In England, providers will carry out a self-evaluation and gap analysis in relation to the principles of the KE concordat in the context of their own published institutional strategic objectives relevant to KE.
Guidance on how HEPs could complete their self-evaluation will be published on the portal. This guidance is not a ‘one-size fits all’ approach but rather a possible tool for conducting a self-evaluation. This exercise will feed into the completion of an action plan, with the final deadline of submission being 31st July 2021. Institutions are welcome to submit their completed action plan from 1st May 2021.
The action plans will be examined by an England-wide evaluation panel and feedback will be given, focusing on the ambition of the action plan in relation to the institution’s KE priorities and strategic vision. For the Development Year, the feedback will be confidential and the action plans will not be published.
At the end of the development year, a sector-wide anonymised review of the action plans will be published, highlighting good practice and recommendations.