Knowledge Transfer Networks
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 through
http://www.dti.gov.uk/crd/.
Click here
to view the future Knowledge Transfer Networks.
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:
There is also a network set up in
Micro and Nanotechnology.
Other links:
Link to
Other Knowledge Transfer Activity
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