So how do you go about applying for a KTP?
First thing to know is that the whole application process is managed by the University (the Knowledge Base in KTP-speak). Both from an academic perspective and from the company side you will have someone like, well me, to help you through the process of applying for KTPs. Usually your guide will have some experience of navigating the process and can help you avoid some of the common mistakes and pitfalls along the way (because they’ve already made all of them with someone else).
The reason why KTPs have such a high success rate at application stage (might have mentioned previously it’s around 85% success) is that the project team conducts due diligence all along the way from first scoping discussions to application submission and beyond.
Once the introductions are made, eligibility is assessed, the project is scoped out, the beginnings of a collaboration are set-up and the desire is there to move to the next stage we will work together to complete what is called a Fact Finding Form.
The Fact Finding Form (or FFF) is basically a summary of what the KTP is going to be.
There’s some information about the company involved and details about the Knowledge Base. We then go on to give a summary of what the benefits of the project are predicted to be. From a Company perspective we look at the anticipated potential financial payback (they don’t need exact numbers or promises at this stage, just an indication of how impactful commercially this project is going to be for the business partner) and the capabilities that will be increased within the company (remember this is about knowledge transfer, where the skills and capabilities developed through the KTP can be embedded in the partner and exploited after the end of the project).
The form then asks for a definition of what the benefits will be for the University and the academic team involved – these usually revolve around generation of research income which helps academic promotion prospects but also around the challenge of working on real world problems, the development of teaching materials and new research ideas and the possibility of writing academic publications or attending academic conferences to report on the project and its outcomes. From a University perspective KTPs are great impact case studies which go to justifying research and impact in important assessment metrics such as the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and for HEBCIS and KEF reporting.
We then talk about what the project is going to be and why it fits with the strategic aims of the company – this is a commercially driven project after all. There’s a section on innovation and also a section on the specifics of the knowledge to be transferred. Final section is about the academic challenge and why the project will be interesting and challenging for all parties – the academic team, the company and the Associate. If it’s not challenging then it’s not a KTP.
Once the FFF has gone through a couple of iterations within the project team we share this with our nominated Knowledge Transfer Advisers (KTA). KTAs are a critical part of the project development process – they are the actual assessors of KTP applications once they are submitted and act as a gatekeeper to the programme. If we can’t convince the KTA with our FFF (and accompanying background financial data about the company partner – proving affordability and absorbability) that the project is innovative, impactful and challenging, and that the company is eligible and knowledge transfer will occur, then the KTA won’t allow us to make an application.
There’s a specific question on the application form that asks if we have approval from our KTA to submit. They have the final power of application so we need to take them on the journey and convince them of the validity of our project.
The great thing is that the KTAs are not there to put blockers in front of us, but are there to help us make great applications, whilst being realistic and ensuring we are sticking to the rules.
Once we get the go ahead we move to full application stage and confront the application form and workplan – next couple of blogs will address these….. 😉