Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
What are Knowledge Transfer Partnerships?
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) consist of a unique three-way collaboration between a business, a university and a graduate (known as the associate). The KTP scheme is a UK-wide programme helping businesses to improve competitiveness and productivity.
There are two types of KTP:
- Classic KTPs focus on expanding the capabilities of a business’s products and services, often using cutting edge technologies. They allow you to embed expertise and generate new knowledge.
- Management KTPs are people-focused, designed to foster culture change, enable transformational improvements - applying a broad range of management practices and processes to create robust businesses.
A KTP is a cost-effective way to access academic expertise and recruit a highly skilled graduate.
What you can expect
- A project length of between one and three years
- Up to 67% funded and 33% company contribution
- Weekly access to academic expertise
- Graduate placed within your business to fully embed knowledge
Supporting 50 years of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)
Watch this four minute video and meet three businesses who have done a KTP with us or are currently undertaking a KTP.
Supporting your project
Our KTP team brings together academics, graduates, and businesses on strategic projects. They are there to provide expert and professional support for submitting the project. They will support your project through application right through to the end of the project. This includes the recruitment, financial administration and support at the project quarterly management meetings which takes place between all the partners of the project.
From the initial first contact, we are there to provide support and guidance including the formation of the project team, where we will find suitable partners, support the work plan, and the writing and submission of the KTP application.
We have a strong track record where we have supported over 100 projects in 24 years. Our experienced Knowledge Exchange team will support throughout the process of the submission of the project.
Benefits
Benefits for businesses
- Embedding expertise, develop new knowledge
- Creating Intellectual Property
- Gaining cost-effective access to the University's knowledge base and resources
- Increasing revenue through access to new markets and new product development
- Improving profits, increased productivity
- Improving processes to the business
- Access to an experienced Knowledge Transfer Adviser and access to the Knowledge Transfer Network throughout the project
Benefits for academics
- Solving real-world business problems
- Influencing development within the UK industry
- Developing impact case studies
- Developing publications and conference papers
- Implementing research in a business setting
Benefits for associates
- Earning a competitive salary
- Applying developing knowledge and skills
- Securing employment
- Annual training and development budget
- Being supported through an academic supervisor and the company supervisor
"There has always been this disparity between academics and the business world as they both have unique ways of doing things so having the opportunity to bridge that gap in a partnership is a wonderful opportunity only KTP can give. The business world is now coming to terms with growth and development academics offer and if properly harnessed, businesses can see the benefits in their annual turnovers."
Mayowa Olanrewaju a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate for Harris Evolution Ltd acknowledges the benefits of a KTP.
Our case studies
Take a look at our Research, Enterprise and Engagement (REE) blog to find out more about our case studies.
Research and External Engagement (REE) blog
Keep up-to-date with news about our innovative research, Business Services, Degree Apprenticeships, Professional Development, Graduate Talent and Recruitment.
-

UWE Bristol is delighted to once again take part in the Festival of Nature, the UK’s largest celebration of the natural world. UWE staff, families, and friends are warmly invited to join us at Millennium Square, Bristol City Centre, on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June, where our researchers will be showcasing an inspiring range … Continue reading "UWE Bristol Returns to the UK’s Biggest Celebration of Nature."
UWE Bristol Returns to the UK’s Biggest Celebration of Nature.
-

Black voices remain underrepresented across many areas of health economics, research leadership and policy decision-making. The newly launched Black Health Economists’ Network (BHEN), founded by Dr Chizoba Esio-Bassey at UWE Bristol, aims to help change that. BHEN is a new platform that brings together Black researchers, students, practitioners, policy professionals and allies working across health … Continue reading "Building a Community for Inclusivity, Equity and Impact: Introducing the Black Health Economists’ Network (BHEN)"
Building a Community for Inclusivity, Equity and Impact: Introducing the Black Health Economists’ Network (BHEN)
-

Written by Maddy Foard It has now been 3 years since the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Impact Accelerator Account (IAA) opened at UWE, supporting knowledge exchange and impact emerging from arts and humanities-based research. Since then, seven IAA funding calls have awarded 85 grants to projects involving 116 UWE staff members, ranging in size from £1k to £23k. These projects represent a huge range of disciplines within arts and humanities research, including law, media studies, visual … Continue reading "Celebrating three years of AHRC-funded collaboration, knowledge exchange, and real-world impact at UWE"
Celebrating three years of AHRC-funded collaboration, knowledge exchange, and real-world impact at UWE
-

Written by Dr Tariq Umar A researcher at UWE Bristol has secured new international funding to explore how informal engineering skills can help accelerate the green transition across Africa. The project, “Unlocking informal green engineering skills in Africa: A comparative pilot for scalable recognition pathways,” is led by Dr Tariq Umar, Senior Lecturer in Civil … Continue reading "Royal Academy of Engineering funding awarded to unlock informal green engineering skills in Africa"
Royal Academy of Engineering funding awarded to unlock informal green engineering skills in Africa
-

What does long-term business growth actually look like for SME leaders? For more than 330 participants on a high-impact leadership and management course at UWE Bristol, it has meant building stronger strategies, more resilient teams, and lasting peer networks that continue well beyond the classroom. The Help to Grow: Management Course is a 12‑week, 90% … Continue reading "A network that doesn’t disappear after 12 weeks"
A network that doesn’t disappear after 12 weeks
-

About Metrea: Metrea is a global defence company, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in London, Harwell, and multiple locations worldwide. The company is the originator and leading provider of specialised services known as “effects as a service” to national security partners. Delivering across multiple domains and over a dozen mission … Continue reading "Knowledge Transfer Partnership case study – Metrea"
Knowledge Transfer Partnership case study – Metrea
-

This Article has been written by Ben Mitchell, Impact Development Manager. UWE Bristol hosted the CHSS (College of Health, Science and Society) Impact Showcase on April 30. This was the fourth occasion an Impact Showcase has been run, and second time for CHSS. It was comfortably the best attended one yet, with well over 100 people … Continue reading "CHSS Impact Showcase: Thursday 30 April 2026"
CHSS Impact Showcase: Thursday 30 April 2026
-

This blog is written by Ben Tilley, Employer Engagement Officer in the Student and Graduate Talent team at UWE Bristol. With all careers events now delivered for 2025/26, we thought it would be a good time to reflect on another dynamic year in the Student and Graduate Talent team. In this academic year we welcomed … Continue reading "Employer Engagement: A Year in Review"
Employer Engagement: A Year in Review
Get in touch
If your business has a strategy for growth, we can help make your ambitions a reality. Contact our Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Team at KTP@uwe.ac.uk to find out more.
Sign up to our mailing list
To stay up-to-date with the latest news, sign up to our mailing list to receive the UWE Bristol Business e-newsletter.
Transforming tomorrow, today.
Our unique approach to research, innovation, skills, enterprise and just and ethical practices is driving societal improvements and transforming futures for the better.
RISEYou may also be interested in
Graduate recruitment
UWE Bristol graduates really work for business. Employers tell us they’re more industry-ready than others they’ve welcomed into the workplace.
Employing graduate and student interns
UWE Bristol graduate and student interns can offer your business a great deal, with subsidised student or graduate talent, ready to meet to your individual business requirements.
Collaborative research
Find out how you can work with us on research to drive your business forward.
Funded skills programmes
Affordable programmes to strengthen leadership, drive innovation and advance sustainability.