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 4, 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 4 will focus on improving the external interface between universities and business and society that will result in the creation of more knowledge-based businesses. It will:

• provide information via the High Impact University Business and Industry (HIUBI) Action Tracker about their actions in this area, and
• take part in the High Impact University Business and Industry (HIUBI) Action Tracker ‘collaborators marketplace’ where universities can seek collaborators from other universities and industry

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

Better targeted web portal to allow non academic business to understand technologies/science/offerings we have available for potential business use

Create a physical innovation space for KT practitioners to routinely engage business - The Leeds Innovation Zone

Use opportunity when making a visit to a work placement student to engage with the line managers to find if there are issues/problems etc that could be looked at collaboratively

Remind everybody constantly that Universities are a PART of society not separate ivory towers (As the question seems to imply). A by-product of running Universities like businesses is a deficit model - that academics are deficient and need to engage more with business. In the abstract, this should be the question.

Audit the recent sponsored research projects in the University which ICT companies and pursue any resulting consultancy or other opportunities for engagement

Will try and increase oppotunities for university professionals to interface with business and society.

1) Having regular meetings with the business community/society.

2) Playing a bigger role in the council/chamber of commerce e.g in regeneration programmes.