Review of UK Business-University Collaboration 2012 (Wilson Review)Dr Richard BlackwellDeputy Vice Chancellor and Wilson Review team member

Presentation overviewContext Employers and skillsGraduate employment Innovation and researchEco-systems & localitySummary

Wilson Review 2012

Context 1Knowledge & innovation essential to economyResearch base strong (2nd to USA)£1 public money leveraged £6 innovation income (2010-11)43% participation in Univ. (low in OECD)BUT economy and manufacturing weak; criticism of graduates skills; international competition growing & social mobility falling.

Wilson Review 2012

Context 2“…how we make the UK the best place in the world for university–industry collaboration”(UK Govt 2011)4 reviews since 2003HE as ‘Supply chain’(= more collaboration)

Competition and collaboration dynamic in UK policy, Univ. and business practice

Wilson Review 2012

Employers and HEMultiple forms of engagement:

Certification (e.g. CISCO, Microsoft)Sector Skills Council kite marking (e.g.

‘Skillset’ in creative industries)Professional body accreditation (e.g.

engineering)In-company progs and short courses CPDFully paid & sponsored courses (e.g.

maritime)

‘Tight collaboration’ rare (maritime, nuclear or individual big companies)

Wilson Review 2012

Graduate employmentAbout 65-70% in graduate jobs & 9% unemployedImbalances

Less than 10% of students recruited by big corps

Big corporates recruitment and diversity policy

Need for greater student awarenessSME connectivity and first engagementImportance of local networks

Wilson Review 2012

Student preparation for work Expansion of ‘sandwich’ progs (e.g. Surrey)Embedding work experience in coursesPaid graduate internshipsGenuine, structural support

changed role for Univ careers services curriculum role and issue of ownership

Address work readiness and access to SMEs

Wilson Review 2012

Innovation and research

‘Knowledge Transfer Partnerships’ (KTPs) from 1980s (add ‘innovation vouchers’) Public (HEIF) Innovation funding since 199950 hubs and centres since 20086 new ‘Catapult’ centres just createdStrategic relationships (e.g. Rolls Royce)Intermediaries and networking key

Inter-Univ collaboration & referral systems Wilson Review 2012

Eco-systems, locality and ‘place’

Facilitating economic growth Enterprise Zones and Science Parks Local Govt Action and LEPs (regional funding)

Univs- export earnings and inward investment

Overseas studentsKnowledge intensive investment

Univs as ‘Anchor Institutions’ (e.g. Teeside Uni & Middlesborough)

Wilson Review 2012

Summary 1‘....There is no simple model of interaction;

… diverse business needs and diversity of supply from universities leads to complexity …. The key to improving effectiveness … does not lie in regulation or in conformity; it lies in diversity, information sharing, mutual recognition and voluntary partnership.’

(from Wilson Review web site)

Wilson Review 2012

Summary 2Enhancement is by leadership and management to achieve better collaboration and internal co-ordination

Report: www.wilsonreview.co.ukEmail: Richard.Blackwell@solent.ac.uk

Wilson Review 2012