Knowledge exchange

Resources on knowledge transfer in higher education including industry-university exchanges, international partnerships and reputation building to maximise impact

Three ways universities can enhance teacher engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals

Using the UN SDGs to teach core content in a ‘real world’ context can enhance student engagement – but what about overstretched educators? Rebecca Watts Hull shares three strategies for bringing faculty on board

Rebecca Watts Hull

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

How to collaborate successfully with big business

Lessons for university teams on working with corporate business to deliver mutually beneficial projects

Tanya Wood

King’s College London

Seven tips for successful collaborations with other institutions

Collaborating with other institutions is a complex process, but in the current education environment, it can be transformative. Here’s how to make it work for all parties involved

Sami Mohamed

Dubai Medical College for Girls

A good practice guide for student business placements

Advice for university educators on setting up projects in which students work directly with external partners such as local businesses, based on a pilot initiative

Marek Hornak

University of Staffordshire

Equipping university students to be leaders in addressing climate change

The world is hotter today than at any time in the past 100,000 years. Tripp Shealy offers educational strategies for universities to develop the leaders needed in the critical fight for a liveable future

Tripp Shealy

Virginia Tech

How to preserve academic credibility when engaging with social media

As political expression on social media can harm public perception of scientists, strategies such as sharing research, separating personal and professional identities, and engaging objectively are ways that academics can use it effectively while preserving credibility

Eleonora Alabrese, Francesco Capozza, Prashant Garg

University of Bath, WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Imperial College London

Leveraging international collaborations to tackle global health challenges

Global health challenges such as cancer demand collective efforts that transcend national boundaries. Eli Vlaisavljevich shares how he leverages international collaborations to produce groundbreaking biomedical work

Eli Vlaisavljevich

Virginia Tech

Where there’s WIL, there’s risk

As demand for universities to support work-integrated learning rises, so does exposure to potential pitfalls such as personal injury and reputational harm. What can higher education institutions do to mitigate the risks?

Clare Murray

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

THE podcast: knowledge exchange and data management as drivers of research and innovation

The University of Oxford’s pro vice-chancellor for innovation on how universities and industry can work together for the benefit of all, plus a leading data scientist on why data needs careful handling to protect future research efforts

Chas Bountra, Sara de Freitas

University of Oxford, Birkbeck, University of London, The Open University

What I learned about knowledge transfer with policymakers during my parliamentary fellowship

Advice on how to share your research with the aim of maximising knowledge transfer among policymakers in parliament

Rajiv Prabhakar

The Open University

How Indian universities can address the country’s talent crisis

Higher education’s role in preparing students for real-world jobs includes forging strong industry partnerships, establishing pathways into apprenticeships and fostering creativity

Raul Villamarin Rodriguez, Hemachandran K

Woxsen University

How to bring teaching, research and knowledge exchange together

By getting students involved in real-world ‘live’ projects, academics can integrate research and knowledge exchange into teaching, resulting in positive impacts reaching far beyond the classroom, as Alan Chandler explains

Alan Chandler

University of East London

Host a competition to foster creativity and innovation at your institution

Challenging and rewarding staff for coming up with innovative solutions can help your institution become more adaptable and forward-thinking

Multiple authors

Monterrey Institute of Technology

‘Doing human’: ways for researchers to make patients feel comfortable to express themselves

When patient and public involvement is done in an inclusive, safe environment, it results in more relevant, higher-quality health and social care research

Gary Hickey

University of Southampton

AI communities of practice can help us face its challenges head on

GenAI’s disruptive effects have driven universities to seek answers as uncertainty mounts. Communities of practice focused on the technology could provide solutions

Mariángeles Castro-Sánchez

Universidad Austral

Strategies to help students conceptualise their research projects

Effective conceptualisation is key when beginning any research project. Help students get off to a good start using these strategies

Adrian Man-Ho Lam

The University of Hong Kong

Academics can (and should) be idiots

The comedy stage can be a place for academics to be silly and let it all hang out. Chris Pahlow explores why humour is effective for scholars and the people they’re trying to communicate with about their research

Chris Pahlow

Amplifying Research

Three ways to optimise your business school’s AI-related offering

As workforces change, chunks of business schools’ curricula risk becoming outdated and irrelevant. Here are three ways institutions can adapt their teaching to bridge the AI-driven skills gap

Abdelmounaim Derraz, Julien Malaurent , Guillaume Chevillon

ESSEC Business School

Can academic prenups help overcome barriers to interdisciplinary research?

A bottom-up approach could establish shared values, objectives, risk appetites and publication strategies as ways to mitigate challenges that hinder effective progress of interdisciplinary teams

Himanshu Kaul

University of Leicester

Service and creative practice as a university administrator

Why give up or reduce teaching responsibilities to enter an administrative role? Jim Bassett took on the position of director for simple but meaningful reasons: deepening the level of service to students and colleagues and extending creative practice

Jim Bassett

Virginia Tech

Teaching public policy research skills to tomorrow’s leaders

When students learn the fundamentals of public policy research, they also acquire tools to evaluate how institutions operate and how those same tools can be used to solve problems in their communities. This blended learning approach can level up these skills

Christopher Kromphardt, Mark Anthoney , Cassidy Branch

Johns Hopkins University, University of Iowa

How to make enterprise activities enjoyable and impactful

Incorporating knowledge exchange and enterprise activities into demanding academic schedules can be a challenge but it doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are ways to make it enjoyable, rewarding and impactful

Larisa Yarovaya , Jeni Giambona

University of Southampton

A framework to develop communities of practice

Supporting communities of practice across an organisation can provide extraordinary benefits. Drawn from the author’s experience, these tips aim to build connection and engagement through a formalised framework and senior leader sponsorship

Karen Mather

Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury

Universities need to act now to bridge the Gen Z gap

Many educators are still struggling to harness the talents of Generation Z and help set them up for employment. Just a few key business changes can make the connection, writes Salah Al-Majeed

Salah Al-Majeed

Al Akhawayn University

Streamlining a move from a faculty position to a leadership role

Moving into a leadership role at an academic institution includes setting ambitious goals around collaboration and finding solutions to worldwide challenges. These techniques can support leadership success

Brian Lattimer

Virginia Tech

University leaders must become entrepreneurs to address inequality

A university’s achievement should not always be measured by rank, facilities or number of graduates. The greater community appreciates institutions that take steps to provide equal access to education, writes Bhakti Eko Nugroho

Bhakti Eko Nugroho

University of Indonesia

THE podcast: higher education leaders on their priorities for the new UK government

What will the UK’s new Labour-led parliament mean for university funding, research impact, international student flows and free speech on campus? Two higher education leaders share their perspectives on the challenges ahead

Vivienne Stern, Chris Day

Universities UK, Russell Group

Experiencing the workplace can help students’ career readiness

How to help your graduates step straight into the world of work? Give them a taste of it while they’re still students. Gaini Yessembekova and Liliya Tleukenova offer advice

Liliya Tleukenova, Gaini Yessembekova

Nazarbayev University

How can universities make their case to a new government?

Three key considerations to convincingly showcase the value of universities to a new government inundated by competing priorities

Hamir Patel

Russell Group

Regional place-makers: how to demonstrate the economic and societal value of higher education

Higher education institutions should build a strong regional presence, addressing local issues, then find innovative ways to demonstrate their impact to the public and policymakers, writes Anthony McClaran

Anthony McClaran

St Mary’s University Twickenham , GuildHE

The making of: turning a research project into a documentary

To get your research findings into as many hands as possible, consider filming a documentary. James Layton, Paul Tucker and Bettina Talbot offer their advice

James Layton, Paul Tucker, Bettina Talbot

University of the West of Scotland

THE podcast: how to lead a university from the front

De Montfort University vice-chancellor Katie Normington talks about leadership, why change is best undertaken quickly, what ballet taught her about resilience and persistence, and how to empower others to realise their potential

Katie Normington

De Montfort University

A woman holds a lightbulb with a holographic rendition of a mortarboard,

Seven things driving the evolution of the university in the 21st century

How can we align higher education with the changing demands of society? Urbi Ghosh identifies the seven factors involved in transforming the university

Urbi Ghosh

Colorado State University

Two people discuss diagrams laid out on a table

Maximise your research impact through interdisciplinary collaboration

What’s the best way to achieve research impact? Qingyan Chen makes the case for an interdisciplinary approach

Qingyan Chen

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Two people in hard hats walk through a lab

How can we take research from the lab to the marketplace?

When getting the products of your research into the hands of the people who need them, challenges arise. Vorathin Epin, Ibham Veza, Mazian Mohammad and Abdul Rahim Othman offer advice on how to overcome them

Ibham Veza, Abdul Rahim Othman, Vorathin Epin , Mazian Mohammad

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Effective public-speaking techniques for university faculty

University faculty need public-speaking skills when they seek to engage students, collaborate with colleagues, secure funding and further their careers. Patty Raun leverages her skills as a stage actor to help higher education professionals improve their presentation chops

Patricia Raun

Virginia Tech

Ideas that make a difference for the digital transformation of universities

In a series of Campus resources, UK digital adopters explore what has worked (and what has not) as universities go digital and where investment in technology can be most effective

Sarah Dyer, Craig Walker, Lisa Harris, Arunangsu Chatterjee, Niamh Downing

University of Manchester, HEdway Group, University of Exeter, University of Leeds, Canterbury Christ Church University

Collaboration requires more than not stepping on toes

To get things done in universities, do we need to embrace conflict or find new ways to work together? Here, three digital adopters explain why collaboration isn’t the same as hoping not to annoy anyone

Sarah Dyer, Lisa Harris, Craig Walker

University of Manchester, University of Exeter, HEdway Group

THE podcast: what is open access?

Experts demystify what open access and open research are, tips for best practice, and where the movement and research culture are heading

Heather Joseph, Steven U. Vidovic

Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, University of Southampton

A group of researchers discussing ideas at a table

Using a business framework to advocate for international research collaboration

In this resource, Daniel Moraru uses a framework to help researchers interrogate the multi-faceted implications of international collaboration in research

Daniel Moraru

Shizuoka University

Man in light from lightbulb-shaped hole in the wall, open research

Open research: what is it, really?

Broadly, open research principles aim to foster openness, transparency, replicability and accountability, writes Steven Vidovic. Here, he offers a fresh perspective along with practices to establish trust in research and foster collaborations and future opportunities

Steven U. Vidovic

University of Southampton

An early career researcher looking through a microscope in a lab

Empower ECRs to commercialise their research

Early career researchers face many barriers when it comes to translating their research into commercial success, be they a lack of time, being overlooked in favour of more established colleagues or simply not knowing where to start

Lysimachos Zografos

The University of Edinburgh

Opening doors to knowledge: making data open access

Making data open access has become a cornerstone of transparent and collaborative research practices. Here, Jon Petters provides a brief guide on how to do it, emphasising accessibility, reproducibility and interoperability

Jonathan Petters

Virginia Tech

Using storybooks to share research with a wider audience

Storybooks offer a collegial method of sharing research findings beyond the peer-reviewed journals of academia – and putting it in the hands of the people who can best use the information, write Dominic Petronzi, Dean Fido and Rebecca Petronzi

Dominic Petronzi , Dean Fido, Rebecca Petronzi

University of Derby

A librarian in a striped dress stacks books on a shelf

As librarians, we should embrace open research

Open access represents a new opportunity, and librarians are ideally placed to implement it. Nazarbayev University’s library team offers their advice

Jerald Cavanagh, Darya Zvonareva, Monika Bukowska, April Manabat, Yelizaveta Kamilova

Nazarbayev University

THE podcast: an interview with James Purnell, president and vice-chancellor of the University of the Arts London

The president and vice-chancellor of the University of the Arts London talks about how AI will affect the creative sector, the connection between cities, commerce and creativity, and how UAL plans to pioneer online creative education

James Purnell

University of the Arts London

Driving change through knowledge: how to increase policy impact

Academic research is invaluable in informing governments and leaders so they can make decisions that affect us all. Here, Yaryna Basystyuk offers advice on how to make your research count in the policy world

Yaryna Basystyuk

University of Southampton

In-person events are still necessary

Should academics be travelling to events that could be done virtually? Drawing on her experiences at COP28, Denise Baden shares tips on how to make the most of these events – and why a chance to form alliances, learn from each other and share ideas for action make it worth being present

Denise Baden

University of Southampton

How can universities increase diversity in spin-out founders?

Ensuring that all talented researchers can participate in spin-out leadership is core to translating world-leading discoveries into innovative and impactful businesses, writes Simonetta Manfredi in her response to the UK spin-outs review

Simonetta Manfredi

Oxford Brookes University

veterinary students on work placement watching farmer worm a sheep

Leveraging internships to empower first-generation students

Professional placements – whether paid or unpaid – offer practical, hands-on experiences aligned with students’ academic pursuits and help level the playing field for first-gen students in competitive job markets

Lisa M. Lee

Virginia Tech

Knowledge exchange

.css-1ndcrd1{overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;max-height:108px;text-indent:0px;}Three ways universities can enhance teacher engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals

How to collaborate successfully with big business

Seven tips for successful collaborations with other institutions

A good practice guide for student business placements

Equipping university students to be leaders in addressing climate change

How to preserve academic credibility when engaging with social media

Leveraging international collaborations to tackle global health challenges

Where there’s WIL, there’s risk

THE podcast: knowledge exchange and data management as drivers of research and innovation

What I learned about knowledge transfer with policymakers during my parliamentary fellowship

How Indian universities can address the country’s talent crisis

How to bring teaching, research and knowledge exchange together

Host a competition to foster creativity and innovation at your institution

‘Doing human’: ways for researchers to make patients feel comfortable to express themselves

AI communities of practice can help us face its challenges head on

Strategies to help students conceptualise their research projects

Academics can (and should) be idiots

Three ways to optimise your business school’s AI-related offering

Can academic prenups help overcome barriers to interdisciplinary research?

Service and creative practice as a university administrator

Teaching public policy research skills to tomorrow’s leaders

How to make enterprise activities enjoyable and impactful

A framework to develop communities of practice

Universities need to act now to bridge the Gen Z gap

Streamlining a move from a faculty position to a leadership role

University leaders must become entrepreneurs to address inequality

THE podcast: higher education leaders on their priorities for the new UK government

Experiencing the workplace can help students’ career readiness

How can universities make their case to a new government?

Regional place-makers: how to demonstrate the economic and societal value of higher education

The making of: turning a research project into a documentary

THE podcast: how to lead a university from the front

Seven things driving the evolution of the university in the 21st century

Maximise your research impact through interdisciplinary collaboration

How can we take research from the lab to the marketplace?

Effective public-speaking techniques for university faculty

Ideas that make a difference for the digital transformation of universities

Collaboration requires more than not stepping on toes

THE podcast: what is open access?

Using a business framework to advocate for international research collaboration

Open research: what is it, really?

Empower ECRs to commercialise their research

Opening doors to knowledge: making data open access

Using storybooks to share research with a wider audience

As librarians, we should embrace open research

THE podcast: an interview with James Purnell, president and vice-chancellor of the University of the Arts London

Driving change through knowledge: how to increase policy impact

In-person events are still necessary

How can universities increase diversity in spin-out founders?

Leveraging internships to empower first-generation students

Three ways universities can enhance teacher engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals