AC24 Paul Roberts Higher education research, knowledge exchange and innovation.pdf

Dr Paul Roberts
Advance HE

1. Dr Paul Roberts
Higher education research, knowledge exchange and innovation.
I havesupported academics at all stages of their career and continue to
have a fascination the sociology of higher education.
On 14 February 2022 I set upCollaborateHELtd, to encourage greater
collaboration with and within thehigher education sector.
I support higher education institutions to enhance their research,
knowledge exchange and innovation culture andadvise industry on
theirengagement with the higher education sector.
Collaborate
HE

2. A non-higher educationprovider of business engagementsupport and technology transfer
services.
PD+ is the trading name used in the UK by the Campus Plus Group with offices inAustralia
and NewZealand.
© Campus Plus Group Pty Ltd Commercial- in-Confidence
PD+
Startedin
of commercialisation offices
of institutions
of researchers
www.pdplus.co.uk

3. Good ideas are everywhere
© Campus PlusTM Group Pty Ltd - Commercial- in-Confidence

4. PD+ committed to supporting doctoral researchers' engagement with business and to encourage
social and economic innovation.
Embedded in the Australian system - The Australian Government is investing $296 million to
build research talent skilled in university–industry collaboration across the sector. This includes
the National Industry PhD Program, run by Campus Plus, to support the Government’s
commitment to add 1,800 Industry PhDs over 10 years.
•NewZealandhaveplaced atender for asimilar programme,will thenewUKgovernment follow
suitas part of its new industrial strategy?
© Campus Plus Group Pty Ltd Commercial- in-Confidence
Talent Identification – Doctoral Researchers

5. Scenario Planning:
LabourGovernment
•In crisis:On the listofpotentially significant problems, but
notnecessarily one that needsimmediate action.Risksome
HEIscouldgo bankrupt.
•Funding:'The current higher education funding settlementdoes
not work for thetaxpayer, universities, staff or students. Labour
will actto create asecure futurefor higher education and the
opportunities it creates across theUK.'
•Breaking down barriers to opportunity:Section of the manifesto
education policy commitments are under, positioning on social
mobility/access to education.
•Teaching:'Strengthening regulation' - changestoTEF, OFS?
Integration of FE and HE?
•Economy andSociety:'Wewill work withuniversities to deliver for
students and our economy'.
•'There was a clear consensus that TTO’s would be more valuable if
they were not simply siloed by institution'.Ref: Start-up, Scale
UpReport.

6. •ElizabethHalton, Director ofthe Doctoral School, UCL-Embedding impact in doctoral training is
essential.
•Our new governmentwillcontinue to stress the contribution universities are expected to deliver to
both society and the economy.
•Nationalneed for economic growth/productivity - arguably the most pressing issue facing the new
government. This provides the platform for investment in the public sector many voters are
desperate to see!Greater encouragement of economic impact?
•Universities should be ‘more culturally and institutionally oriented towards the commercialisation
of research making more of our university research, because doing so can drive forward self-
sustaining economic development across the whole of the UK’(Labour, Start-up,Scale-up report).
© Campus Plus Group Pty Ltd Commercial- in-Confidence
Impact (impact)orgrowth?

7. •A current focus in the UK is looking at ways to support institutionalresponses to theGovernment’s
response to spin-out review- recommendation 8
‘It is therefore important that during their training, researchers can receive training in
commercialisation and entrepreneurship’ P17
‘UKRI will ensure that all PhD students it funds have the option to attend high quality
entrepreneurship training and increased opportunities to undertake internships in local spin-
outs, venture capital firms or TTOs.’ P16
•Training providers are responding to this.
© Campus Plus Group Pty Ltd Commercial- in-Confidence
Spin-out review -supported

8. •Greater emphasis on identifying and supporting/encouraging doctoral entrepreneurs.
•Need to identifying research projects and people.
•On the latter point PD+ ran a pilot project with UAL on Researcher Personas
© Campus Plus Group Pty Ltd Commercial- in-Confidence
Implication1:Know your doctoral entrepreneurs

9. ©Campus Plus Pty Ltd Commercial- in-Confidence
Questionnaire helps identify
innovative researchers, using
researcher personas to increase
engagement effectiveness
between researchers and
professional services staff, with the
following key outcomes:
RESEARCHER PERSONAS
Tested in New Zealand andAustralia since 2022.

10. •Campus Plus delivers research commercialisation webinars to support academic entrepreneurs
across Australia and New Zealand.
•These are being embedded in a platform (Platform+) due to be launched in Australia this autumn!
•Campus Plus would be interested in piloting the platform with a UK Doctoral Training Partnership
and if this of interest I would be happy to connect you to the correct individuals.
© Campus Plus Group Pty Ltd Commercial- in-Confidence
Implication2:Training and support

11. •Investors focus on the team. They invest in credible people (...ones they believe will deliver 10x on
their investment!)
•Cultivatelinks withdoctoral researchers thathavegone on to be part ofuniversity spin-outs.
•Facilitate more conscious serendipity - meetings with industry, research experts, government,
investors and founders.
•Managetheplacements in local spin-outs, venture capital firms or Technology TransferOffices.
© Campus Plus Group Pty Ltd Commercial- in-Confidence
Implication3:Networks and Mentoring

12. Good ideas are everywhere
www.pdplus.co.uk
Linkedin
PAUL ROBERTS
Thank you for attending, anyquestions...
Do connect on Linkedin....
Do keep the dialoguegoing!