Working together benefits both business and university, as demonstrated by examples from Lincoln International Business School.
The University of Lincoln has a strong civic mission to add social value and economic progress by working with businesses of all sizes and sectors to solve operational challenges and remove barriers to growth.
“The university has internationally renowned academics dedicated to developing solutions to real world problems and we do this in partnership with industry and community. In many ways it is a symbiotic relationship: business and community engagement enables knowledge sharing through practice, research and application.”
- Dr David Twigg, Director of Innovation and Impact at the Lincoln International Business School.
Working together benefits both business and university, as demonstrated by examples from Lincoln International Business School.
Business needs to offer opportunities for the university to assist in finding solutions. Some of these can be short term and low cost, such as engaging students in practice-focused projects or setting business challenges. They may involve working directly with academic staff on research projects, short-term consultancy or utilising funded opportunities to solve specific issues (such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships or the Local Productivity Programme).
Student development opportunities build on existing relationships between business and the community or can be the start of new beginnings. The university brings speakers into class to share direct experiences with students through their learning.
Continual professional development can be enhanced through short courses (existing or bespoke) and through the mentoring of students, benefiting both.
Networking opportunities such as Lincoln International Business School Connect and the Resilience Lincoln webinars seek to share experiences, debate the current challenges and to look for future ways forward.
Engaging with the university, businesses and community brings benefits to all participants. Several current schemes available to businesses include the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) and the Productivity Programme for Greater Lincolnshire.
As part of the KTP Programme, the University of Lincoln will help to recruit a suitable graduate, called an associate, for a specific business project. They’ll act as the employer of the graduate, who works for the company for the duration of the scheme depending on the scope of the project and business need. Two partnership routes are available depending on the preferred outcome. The KTP offers access to the latest academic thinking and technology to deliver a specific, strategic innovation project, while a Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership can help to improve a process or cultural element of business.
Alongside, the Productivity Programme for Greater Lincolnshire seeks to drive productivity and innovation across the county by providing a range of services to SMEs such as match-funded grants, academic expertise, business adviser support and part-funded internships.
The full range of services available can be found on the business engagement web pages of the university here.
