Small Business Service
access to knowledge
TCS
TCS
enables firms to take advantage of the wealth of scientific,
engineering, technological and business management skills
and knowledge available in universities and other research
and technology-based organisations (the 'knowledge base').
Each TCS Programme involves one or more high quality graduates
(TCS Associates) working in a company for two years on a
project which is central to the company's needs. TCS Programmes
are jointly supervised by representatives of both the knowledge
base and the company partner.
Support is available in the form of a DTI grant to the
knowledge base partner, the amount of which depends on the
detail of the specific Programme and whether or not the
company has previously participated in TCS. The company
contributes to the balance of direct costs of the TCS Programme.
An SME participating for the first time will generally contribute
about 40% of direct costs (about £14k per Associate per
year) and a larger company will normally contribute at least
60% (about £21k per Associate per year). Additionally, all
companies have to bear their own costs of participation.
The TCS Annual Report 1998/1999 reports that companies
could expect on programme completion an average profit of
£32,000 per Associate and an average recurring annual
profit increase of £125,000 leading to additional
jobs and trained staff.
Proposals can be submitted at any time by the 'knowledge
base' partner in conjunction with a UK-based company but
they must be in a business sector or technology area covered
by the 11 Government Departments and Research Councils which
fund TCS.
TCS is delivered, promoted and managed on behalf of the
government by an organisation known as TCD. Proposals for
new TCS Programmes are formally submitted for consideration
after discussion and agreement with a TCD Consultant.
TCD can be contacted direct on:
Tel: 01367 245200 Fax: 01367 242831
E-mail: office@tcd.co.uk
Web-site: http://www.tcd.co.uk
For further information, the contact in DTI's Technology
and Knowledge Transfer team is:
Fumi Adewumi
Technology and Knowledge Transfer Section
Small Business Service
66-74 Victoria Street
London SW1E 6SW
Tel: 020 7215 8132 Fax: 020 7215 2462
E-mail: funmi.adewumi@sbs.gsi.gov.uk
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