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.
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In this blog, Professor Matt Freeman, Centre Director of Future Space, UWE Bristol’s innovation centre for high-tech businesses, shares his journey from academic to start-up founder to university-business innovation leader, reflecting on what it truly takes to bridge these worlds and make collaboration thrive. If you had met me a few years ago, I might … Continue reading "Innovation with impact: Matthew Freeman, Bridging Universities and Start-ups"
Innovation with impact: Matthew Freeman, Bridging Universities and Start-ups
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UWE Bristol is leading a new international partnership with Universidad Tecnológica de Saltillo (UTS) the Secretaría de Educación de Coahuila (SEDUC), and Universidad Politecnica de Ramos Arizpe (UPRA) Mexico, under the British Council’s HE Connects 2025 programme. The project, titled “Strengthening systems to improve the quality and efficiency of Higher Education Institutions in Coahuila, Mexico,” … Continue reading "Strengthening Higher Education systems through UK-Mexico collaboration"
Strengthening Higher Education systems through UK-Mexico collaboration
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The Global Migration Network, a research group at UWE Bristol chaired by Dr Emily LeRoux-Rutledge, brings together over 60 academics and practitioners across the university working on migration-related research. The network supports cross-disciplinary collaboration, informs public debate and policy, and fosters engagement with communities affected by migration and displacement. For the 2025/26 academic year, the … Continue reading "UWE Global Migration Network: Upcoming Seminar Series 2025/26"
UWE Global Migration Network: Upcoming Seminar Series 2025/26
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The ongoing collaboration between Dr Francesco Tava, Associate Professor of Philosophy at UWE, and HSBC has reached a new phase in October 2025. Francesco has been invited to design and co-lead a series of high-impact workshops on Critical Thinking for HSBC’s legal teams in London, Birmingham, and Leeds. For this initiative, he partnered with professionals … Continue reading "UWE Philosophy and HSBC Deepen Collaboration with Critical Thinking Workshops for Legal Teams"
UWE Philosophy and HSBC Deepen Collaboration with Critical Thinking Workshops for Legal Teams
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We spoke with Dr Faatihah Niyi-Odumosu (MBChB, MSc, PhD, PGCTHE, FHEA), Associate Professor of Physical Activity and Health Promotion, School of Applied Sciences, College of Health Science and Society, UWE Bristol, about a new collaboration designed to strengthen independence and wellbeing among older adults and people requiring reablement support. About the project Happy Care Ltd first … Continue reading "Research with purpose: Supporting independence through reablement: The Happy Care Project "
Research with purpose: Supporting independence through reablement: The Happy Care Project
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UWE Bristol has been recognised at the 2025 Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Awards, marking the 50th anniversary of the UK’s longest-running innovation programme. The partnership between UWE Bristol, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Nigeria, and Taro Agric Farm (TAF) was named winner of the African Agriculture KTP Award for its work applying data-enabled … Continue reading "UWE Bristol wins at the 2025 Innovate UK KTP Awards for pioneering digital agriculture project in Nigeria"
UWE Bristol wins at the 2025 Innovate UK KTP Awards for pioneering digital agriculture project in Nigeria
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ICA@UWE Bristol Innovation Grants 2025 Funding is available for UWE Bristol innovators to deliver scalable pilot innovation projects in collaboration with external partners. Demonstrating potential for significant impact, projects must align with the mission of the Integrated Care Academy (ICA) and its core priorities. Successful projects will focus on the three shifts, as identified in … Continue reading "For Staff: Call for proposals – Integrated Care Academy"
For Staff: Call for proposals – Integrated Care Academy
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UWE Bristol’s Wild Kitchen is taking its sustainability ambitions to the next level through a new collaboration with Generation Soil, the community composting organisation founded by UWE Bristol alum and doctoral researcher Alex Montgomery. Together with the UWE Hospitality Team and UWE Bristol’s Sustainability Team, this partnership will see food waste from Wild Kitchen transformed … Continue reading "From plate to planet: Wild Kitchen and Generation Soil close the loop on food waste"
From plate to planet: Wild Kitchen and Generation Soil close the loop on food waste
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.
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