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Knowledge exchange - strategy

Introduction

This strategy will aim to maximise the transfer of all forms of knowledge arising from NERC funded science to its users. The strategy will be user-led and address the needs of all users in the private and public sectors. It will also promote entrepreneurship and the commercialisation of NERC research centre science. The strategy's four aims are to:

  • ensure users are involved in the planning, implementation and review of NERC science and knowledge exchange activities
  • fund the best ideas for knowledge exchange across NERC's science remit and enable partnerships between researchers and users
  • make knowledge exchange an integral part of NERC's strategic science programmes
  • promote entrepreneurship and the commercialisation of research

Delivering the aims of the strategy

The key actions necessary to meet the four aims in the strategy are outlined below.

1. Involve users in planning, implementation and review

To achieve user involvement in NERC science it will be necessary to:

  • build and maintain links between users and the NERC scientific community
  • consult key users and take into account their needs in developing key policy documents, such as future versions of the science strategy and inputs to spending reviews
  • carry out periodic surveys of user needs and preferences for routes to knowledge exchange, and for knowledge exchange schemes and mechanisms
  • encourage proposals for working in partnership with users
  • maintain presence of users on NERC's advisory and decision-making bodies and involve them in programme review and evaluation.

2. Fund the best ideas

NERC will periodically call for proposals to put its science to use and ensure that funds and the right knowledge exchange mechanisms are available. Proposals stemming from past and current NERC funded science projects and programmes, together with proposals for new partnerships and other knowledge exchange activities across NERC's science remit, will be encouraged.

NERC will continue to support knowledge exchange mechanisms within all four routes to knowledge exchange. The balance of support for the four routes will reflect user needs.

3. Include knowledge exchange in strategic science programmes

To ensure the new knowledge generated from NERC's strategic investments in science programmes (eg Renewable Energy) is put to use, it will be necessary for each programme to develop its own knowledge exchange strategy. Each strategy must include an analysis of the:

  • potential users and benefits of the knowledge generated by the programme
  • likely synergies between projects to minimise fragmentation of intellectual property (IP)
  • optimal knowledge exchange routes and appropriate mechanisms (eg Knowledge Transfer Partnerships)

To enable delivery of the strategy, programme steering committees must, at a minimum, budget for networking with users. They may also wish to employ technology translators.

4. Promote entrepreneurship and commercialising science

In order to contribute to a more innovative UK, NERC will:

  • promote entrepreneurship across the community through activities such as the Research Council Business Plan Competition and the Young Entrepreneur's Scheme
  • with other research councils, run the Follow-on Fund — a proof of concept fund to bring early stage business ideas to the point where they are able to attract other funds

Within its own research centres NERC will:

  • maintain knowledge exchange through undertaking commissioned research for customers in the public and private sectors
  • meet the requirements of the Baker Review and maintain investment aimed at identifying and carrying forward opportunities to commercialise research centre IP through licensing and spin-outs
  • consider opportunities for the further development of existing knowledge exchange staff

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