Two recent events focused on Research and Knowledge Exchange made me reflect.
Research England (2024) defines Knowledge Exchange as the way universities not only educate students and generate knowledge, but also work with partners to deliver benefits for society and the economy. In higher education, acronyms are everywhere, and Knowledge Exchange is often shortened to KE. I tend to avoid them, as they can obscure meaning for wider audiences. For this post, I’ll stick with the full term.
At the University of Salford, this sits within Research and Knowledge Exchange, supported by a dedicated directorate of c.55 professionals. In practice, it brings together academics, external partners, and communities across three areas: Collaborative Research and Development, Business Innovation Services, and Public and Community Engagement. Although I’ve worked at the University for several years, it’s only since September 2023 that I’ve been fully immersed in this wider practice. That said, Knowledge Exchange is not new. It’s existed under different labels (technology transfer, enterprise, commercial services, etc) but the principle is the same – universities have long worked with external partners to address real-world industrial challenges. Despite this, the practical benefits are still not always well understood outside the sector. Many local businesses remain unaware of the breadth of expertise and support universities can offer.
The events I attended in Blackpool and Coventry explored policy, best practice and emerging frameworks. They also offered an opportunity to observe place. Blackpool’s faded Victorian and Art Deco fabric and Coventry’s post-war modernist landscape tell parallel stories of optimism and reinvention. Today, both face high unemployment, constrained public services, and long-standing structural issues, despite very different histories.
At the Blackpool event, sessions focused on economic impact, skills, leadership, and regional inequality. While much of this was ambitious, contributions from Blackpool and The Fylde College and the University of Manchester grounded discussion in local context. A highlight was “The State of the Nation: Regional to National” by Alun Francis and Andy Westwood, which captured the potential of Knowledge Exchange when rooted in place. A simple hope: that Knowledge Exchange continues to benefit the places where universities are located. While Blackpool doesn’t currently have a university, plans are approved for University Centre Blackpool, developed with Lancaster University. A university alone is not a silver bullet, as Coventry demonstrates. I don’t claim to have answers, but I do think it’s worth asking what more Knowledge Exchange can do to support local communities, and bring together social value and respond to business needs.
