How the Scottish Funding Council supports Knowledge Exchange

Keith McDonald, Policy Officer, [email protected], www.sfc.ac.uk Who we are  The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is the national, strategic body that is responsible for funding teaching and learning provision, research and other activities in 's , and education institutions (HEIs).  We invest our funding in ways that support the 's national priorities. In 2011-12, we are investing about £1.5 billion in Scotland's colleges and universities. Knowledge exchange: what and why? “[Knowledge exchange is] the two way flow of people and ideas between the research environment and wider economy, thereby contributing to national prosperity, the quality of life of citizens, and cultural enrichment of our society.” RCUK/DIUS

“We will work closely with the national enterprise bodies to stimulate new demand from business for knowledge exchange from…universities that can be translated into economic gain… particularly those operating in the priority economic sectors.” SFC Corporate plan – outcome 3 Outcomes and Impact for the economy and public good

Businesses / Public sector / Third Sector

Strategic Knowledge Supporting a projects – transfer National KE big and grant – Infrastructure small formula (HFU and (HFU) funding working with (GFU and our delivery HFU) partners)

SFC knowledge exchange (corporate plan, priority 3) Support easy access for Scottish businesses (particularly SMEs) to the knowledge, skills and facilities of the Scottish research base. Strategic KE projects

• Competitions, ‘pipeline’ projects and innovation voucher programme;

• Demand-led KE project activity: people exchange, problem solving, commercialisation etc.

• Collaborative – university, industry and others

• Demonstrate impact/outcomes for university, project partners and sector in Scotland 2009 (SPIRIT) and 2010 (HFU) KE competitions • Total of 20 projects funded – “Addressing the needs of industry in Scotland” • Approximately £14M of SFC funding over 2009/13 How is it going so far?

PACEC – commissioned to evaluate the 2009 and 2010 programme cohorts. Early results from the 2009 programme suggest:

• Greater coherence in the interaction between universities and their industrial partners; • Improved culture amongst the academic cohort involved towards engagement with industrial partners; • Greater confidence and improved capability amongst academics to get involved in KE; • More opportunities for academic-industry interactions being realised; • The leveraging of additional funds; • New ideas for research, improved networks, and opportunities for research funding.

Further details and reports published at - www.sfc.ac.uk / Public and Corporate Economic Consultants - www.pacec.co.uk Future opportunities for project funding

Innovation Voucher Scheme (managed by SFC and Interface) – enhanced by ERDF funding: more opportunities for collaboration (interface-online.org.uk)

Scottish Government spending review for 2012 onwards TBA. Register your details www.sfc.ac.uk and receive updates on HE funding Researcher career development and postgraduate research students

• SFC is a signatory of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers;

• SFC is a member of the Scottish Researcher Career Coordination Forum: working in partnership to implement the Concordat Scotland-wide;

• Postgraduate research (PGR) student experience: exploring opportunities and challenges and continuous enhancement of the PGR experience. How the Scottish Funding Council supports University Knowledge Exchange

Keith McDonald, Policy Officer, [email protected], www.sfc.ac.uk