Staffordshire University supports and encourages entrepreneurial activity from its staff by investing in innovative projects to deliver real benefits to local businesses. The Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Projects are funded through the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) and enable university staff to engage with business, public sector and communities in the region across a broad range of knowledge transfer activities which ultimately result in economic and social benefit. HEIF is a partnership between HEFCE and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).

“Universities aren’t just about teaching students”, says Dr Stuart Brown, Business Development Manager at Staffordshire University. “The projects provide structure and mechanisms to make it easier for industry and communities to work with our academics.”

Collaborations invariably result in benefits for the companies and communities that we work with and for the academics in the application of their knowledge. The projects lead on to building sustainable activity within the university, increase profitability in the companies we work with and speed up time to market of new products resulting from research.