PraxisUnico and AURIL have a strong track record of working together, advocating and collaborating on behalf of the knowledge exchange and commercialisation sector.
With demonstrable effectiveness in producing benefit for members and stakeholders through combined policy responses, co-production of support materials for members and jointly run events, the Directors of both organisations believe the future of the sector will be best served by a single entity. We are therefore proposing to come together to form a single new organisation
A consultation process launches today to collect views of the AURIL and PraxisUnico membership on the proposed development of a new organisation.
The anticipated benefits of this are:
· A single voice for the knowledge exchange and commercialisation (KEC) profession
· Consistent professional standards across activities covered by the combined memberships
· A broader curriculum of training and professional development activity
· Flexibility to cater for the needs of our all combined members, no matter what their size, focus or breadth of activity
· Increased agility of engagement with KEC policy contexts emerging across the UK
· Expanded activity through pooled resource
All PraxisUnico and AURIL member organisations will have the opportunity to comment on the emerging plans. Members and stakeholders are invited to ask questions, provide feedback and make suggestions.
A working group formed of Directors of the Board and Council of PraxisUnico and AURIL respectively has been constituted and is in discussions. The consultation process feeds into these discussions, along with legal and financial advice.
The working group consists of:
Dave Bembo Working Group Chair (Cardiff University)
Bryn Jones AURIL Council (University of Bangor)
Andrew Carlin AURIL Council (University of Reading)
Sue O’Hare PraxisUnico Board (Science & Technology Facilities Council)
Sean Fielding PraxisUnico Board (University of Exeter)
Angela Kukula, Chair of PraxisUnico, said, “We’ve been working ever more closely with AURIL as the challenges within our sector increase in complexity and more demands are made of our profession. By formally coming together, we will be in the best position to face future challenges and ensure that knowledge exchange and commercialisation professionals are represented and our voice is heard.”
Carole Barron, Chair of AURIL, said, “We have a very strong working relationship with PraxisUnico, and our objectives and goals have become closely aligned. We believe that we can best serve the needs of our members as a single entity; this consultation process will ensure that the views of our members are taken into account as we look to the future together.”
The consultation process opens on October 6th and closes on October 28th.
Further information can be found at https://www.praxisunico.org.uk/praxisunico-auril-proposal-consultation
Notes to editors:
About PraxisUnico
PraxisUnico is the UK’s professional association for public sector knowledge exchange and commercialisation practitioners. Membership is at an organisational level, and its 174 members include universities, research councils, Catapults and other public sector research establishments to translate research outcomes into social and economic impact. Its network reaches over 5000 individuals, and it was a founder member of the Association of Technology Transfer Professionals, providing global standards and accreditation for Registered Technology Transfer Professionals (RTTP).
PraxisUnico was formed in 2009 from the merger of Praxis (committed to training for technology transfer officers in universities and research centres) and Unico, a membership organisation including universities and PSRE organisations.
Today PraxisUnico develops knowledge exchange and technology transfer professionals with world-leading training; connects members and stakeholders at our events and promotes best practice for our sector, facilitating interactions between the public sector research base, business and government.
About AURIL
AURIL is the professional association representing all practitioners involved in knowledge creation, development and exchange in the UK and Ireland who work to ensure that new ideas, technologies and innovations flow from their institution into the market place. AURIL has more than 1600 members from universities and public sector research establishments across Europe.
The Association enjoys widespread international recognition through its success in influencing UK government policy. It has strong working relations with the Confederation of British Industry, Universities UK, the UKIPO, the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), HM Treasury and Higher Education Funding Councils, in partnership with whom it has produced many publications.