Innovation UK > News > Innovation UK Vol5-1 > University of Plymouth

With innovation and creativity at its heart, Plymouth is emerging as the enterprise university, truly business-engaging and delivering outstanding economic, social and cultural benefits from its intellectual capital.

Building on a strong track record of knowledge transfer and innovation, together with practical support for entrepreneurship and student and graduate employability, the university produces research of national and international repute and is committed to working with business to harness the commercial benefits of this expertise.

With 3,000 staff and 30,000 students, the University of Plymouth is one of the largest higher-education institutions and employers in the South West. It is the primary provider of health education and teacher training in the region, an international centre of marine science and maritime innovation, and a key regional resource for the creative sector.

The university has built strong, mutually beneficial relationships with public and private-sector organisations and its business and research partner portfolio includes: BD, Plymouth, Bombardier Transportation and Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust. The University of Plymouth is responsive to the needs of business and runs bespoke Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses in everything from leadership to practical skills.

In addition, Plymouth is one of the most successful universities in the UK at delivering Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs). A KTP enables businesses to access the expertise of the university, with a talented graduate appointed as project manager on a key initiative. The KTP programme aims to help businesses and organisations to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK Knowledge Base. KTP is funded by the Technology Strategy Board, along with the other government funding organisations.

A KTP undertaken between the University of Plymouth and website and technology specialist GOSS Interactive has recently won the Technology Strategy Board?s award for the Best Partnership ? South West England. The university has built a strong relationship with GOSS over several years. As well as working together on KTPs, the company also feeds in to the university?s IT Industrial Liaison Group, meaning that its academics are aware of the needs of industry and can build this into course planning so that graduates are industry-ready.

This emphasis on employability is embedded across all academic faculties, with students encouraged to gain as much commercial experience as possible. University of Plymouth students have demonstrated their entrepreneurial skills by winning the national enterprise competition, FLUX, for the past two years. Students, staff and alumni are encouraged to fulfil their entrepreneurial potential through the university?s annual Business Ideas Challenge, which helps turn business ideas into reality.

The University of Plymouth plays a pivotal role in the city?s National Enterprise Week celebrations each year, underpinning one of the country?s largest events programmes and Plymouth?s status in the Enterprising Britain competition as the most enterprising city in the South West. With a broad, advanced knowledge base, the university is a founder partner in the Tamar Science Park and has established on campus Formation Zone, a specialist hub for creative businesses that provides incubation units and pre-incubation support.

Through the expertise of its Socio-Economic Research and Intelligence Observatory (SERIO), set up in partnership with the local authority and Local Strategic Partnership, the university provides cutting-edge data to inform business and public policy centred on economic regeneration.

Professor Julian Beer, Director of Research and Enterprise at the University of Plymouth, says: ?Enterprise lies at the core of activities at the University of Plymouth. From students taking part in internships through to businesses giving input into course content, we are a demand-led organisation providing innovative, knowledge-based solutions to real-world problems.?

For further information visit:
www.plymouth.ac.uk/theuniversity