The Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) examines the performance of higher education providers and how they engage with society and the economy.
It also shows that Staffordshire University is having a greater impact on local growth and regeneration – a result of the University’s work to support SMEs to develop new products and services and provide short courses to develop and upskill the workforce.
In KEF3, undertaken by Research England, Staffordshire University remains in the top 20 per cent of universities which are very highly engaged with Continued Professional Development and graduate start-ups.
The University also rates highly – in the top 40 per cent – for local growth and regeneration, research partnerships and working with the public and third sector organisations.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Kevin Hetherington said: “The KEF3 findings recognise our work as a Civic University and our commitment to supporting and celebrating our businesses and communities.
“Cutting-edge facilities at our Innovation Enterprise Zone, Centre for Health Innovation, Staffordshire University London, and The Catalyst provide us with opportunities to engage with our communities and to further our research and enterprise portfolio.”
“This year we have introduced the Staffordshire University Business Awards and Your Heroes awards which increases our engagement with businesses and the wider community and which helps us to recognise the great work happening in our region.”
Executive Director of Business Engagement Marek Hornak added “KEF3 is confirmation that our Innovation Enterprise Zone in helping businesses and individuals to upskill.
“The IEZ is the umbrella that connects businesses with our research, student and graduate talent and cutting-edge facilities. Building on this success, the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund projects will help drive digital innovation, adoption of advanced technologies and workforce skills development. “
Being a Catalyst for Change is the main thrust of the University’s 2030 strategy. Staffordshire University has recently been selected to take part in The National Civic Impact Action Learning programme to accelerate the impact it is having in its community. Last year it launched StaffsCAN (Community Advisory Network) to strengthen its links with local voluntary and community partners.
Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Executive Chair of Research England, said: “Across the breadth of higher education, institutions make rich and diverse contributions to the economy and society through their knowledge exchange activities.
“The KEF continues to be a powerful tool to describe the breadth of scope of knowledge exchange. It also provides important evidence of different university strengths through peer group comparisons.”
About the Knowledge Exchange Framework
The new dashboards are available on the KEF’s interactive website.
Significantly, the KEF compares institutions on a like-for-like basis, with similar institutions being grouped together with their peers in ‘KE clusters’.
All institutions in receipt of a Research England Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) allocation in 2022-23 are included in the exercise.
KEF results are determined by taking data covering a wide range of a university’s activities, and using this to form a series of metrics. These then go into seven perspectives and a university receives a quintile score for each perspective displayed in relation to the average for its cluster