Introduction

A Knowledge Transfer Network is a single national over-arching Network in a specific field of technology or business application.  It brings together a variety of organisations, such as businesses (suppliers and customers), universities, research and technology organisations, the finance community and other intermediaries who will provide a range of activities and initiatives to enable the exchange of knowledge and stimulation of innovation amongst this community.

The objective of a Knowledge Transfer Network is to improve the UK’s innovation performance by increasing the breadth and depth of the knowledge transfer of technology into UK-based businesses and by accelerating the rate at which this process occurs.   The Network must, throughout its lifetime, actively contribute and remain aligned to the development of a national Technology Strategy.

Knowledge Transfer Networks are part of the DTI’s Technology Programme whose purpose is to provide funding to facilitate further investment in science, engineering and technology with the active participation of business and industry.  The Technology Programme is made up of 2 products;

• Collaborative Research & Development and

• Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTNs)

Information about Collaborative R&D can be accessed  here.

Background

The DTI’s Innovation Review identified access to networks and sources of new knowledge as two of the most important determinants of business innovation performance.  Because innovation is a complex process, success relies on the coming together of a variety of players, such as suppliers, customers, other firms, universities, research and technology organisations and other intermediaries.  Together, these players form part of the knowledge transfer system.

Many businesses may not make the most of their potential for innovation and often this can be attributed to a lack of awareness and access to the latest technological knowledge and breakthroughs.

Networking is a well-tested method of finding out what is happening in an organisation, sector, country or the even the world.  Knowledge Transfer Networks provide businesses and members of business organisations (e.g. Trade Associations), Research and Technological organisations with the opportunity to network and share mutually beneficial information.

Knowledge Transfer Networks will play a vital role in making the necessary connections between these various players, helping industry to access knowledge and information central to innovation growth.

Aims
Within the overall objective of accelerating the rate of technology transfer into UK business, the specific aims of a Knowledge Transfer Network include the following:

• to provide UK businesses with the opportunity to meet and network with individuals and organisations, in the UK and internationally;
  
• through a high quality, easy to use service, encourage knowledge transfer between the supply and demand sides of technology-enabled markets;
  
• to encourage the flow of people, knowledge and experience between industry and the science base, with the common aim of delivering improved industrial performance;
  
• to attract and optimise the use of funding resources by applying professional road-mapping techniques, market analysis tools and methods;
  
• to provide a forum for a coherent industry voice to inform government policy making;
  
• to provide advice on the various support mechanisms available to the research base and business.

A Knowledge Transfer Network aims to encourage the active participation of all networks currently operating in its field and to establish connections with networks in other fields which have common interests.  The Knowledge Transfer Networks are required to develop strong links with each other to maximise the benefits to the UK from effective knowledge transfer across technology boundaries.

To enable the effective “Networking of Networks”, all Networks are required to use the web-based platform provided by DTI to facilitate effective networking between each of the individual Knowledge Transfer Networks.

Knowledge Transfer Network Communities

Knowledge Transfer Networks have already been established in the following areas:

• Aerospace and Defence
• BioProcess UK
• Bioscience for Business
• Chemistry Innovation
• Electronics-enabled Products
• Food Processing
• Low Carbon & Technologies
• Grid Computing
• Industrial Mathematics
• Integrated Pollution Management
• Location and Timing (GPS applications)
• Materials
• Health Technologies
• Photonics
• Resource Efficiency & Waste Management
• Sensors
• UK Displays
   

There is also a network set up in MNT.

(53Kb) Succeeding through innovation: guidance for applicants knowledge transfer networks - the technology programme   (168Kb)