This week’s Times Higher carries a news item about the current controversy over the new funding arrangements for the next round of the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF4).  The features of the HEIF 4 funding method are detailed n the HEFCE website.

Welcome to Action Track 3, one of the outcomes of the High Impact University Business, Enterprise and Innovation Workshop held on 18th December 2007. The High Impact University Business and Industry Community (HIUBI), has been launched to enable the Workshop participants to continue to work together to create more knowledge-based businesses and the four Action Tracks will drive this.

Action Track 3 will measure the impact of university interaction and interface with business and society. It will provide information for the UK Directory of University Start-up Business (UKDUSB): a free online directory for all UK universities to showcase the businesses, spin-outs and spin-ins that they have established and supported. The UKDUSB will list university spin-outs, spin-ins, graduate start-ups, created by, and with support of, UK universities.

Ensure the same debate we have had at this conference is held within my own institution (with senior management).

Re-run survey of large organisations (500+ employees) last run in 2002 to see if perceptions have changed of BCU.

The impact should be measured in terms of how often business & society come back to universities to seek collaberation. We will strive to achieve this.

Engage business school more closely with research and knowledge transfer services for capturing details about activity/business interaction.

Identify the possible offerings of the School of Technology, in terms of attractiveness to business in the region.

Change the way we measure impact, to get best practice/most benefit from our metrics.

Assess businesses experience of working with the University. Hopeful outcome would be better undestanding of how to improve the interaction.

We currently survey the employers we engage with (over approx 18 months). Unpick existing measures and review to see if fit for purpose.