KEF3 recognises Staffordshire University's impact on growth
The significant impact Staffordshire University is having on supporting graduate start-up companies and upskilling the region’s workforce has been recognised in a new report.
The Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) examines the performance of higher education providers and how they engage with society and the economy.
It also shows that Staffordshire University is having a greater impact on local growth and regeneration – a result of the University’s work to support SMEs to develop new products and services and provide short courses to develop and upskill the workforce.
In KEF3, undertaken by Research England, Staffordshire University remains in the top 20 per cent of universities who are very highly engaged with Continued Professional Development and graduate start-ups.
It also rates highly – in the top 40 per cent – for local growth and regeneration, research partnerships and working with the public and third sector organisations.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Kevin Hetherington said: “The KEF3 findings recognise our work as a Civic University and our commitment to supporting and celebrating our businesses and communities.
“Cutting-edge facilities at our Innovation Enterprise Zone, Centre for Health Innovation, Staffordshire University London, and The Catalyst provide us with opportunities to engage with our communities and to further our research and enterprise portfolio.
“This year we have introduced the Staffordshire University Business Awards and Your Heroes awards which increases our engagement with businesses and the wider community and which helps us to recognise the great work happening in our region.”
Executive Director of Business Engagement Marek Hornak added “KEF3 is confirmation that our Innovation Enterprise Zone in helping businesses and individuals to upskill.
“The IEZ is the umbrella that connects businesses with our research, student and graduate talent and cutting-edge facilities. Building on this success, the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund projects will help drive digital innovation, adoption of advanced technologies and workforce skills development."
Being a Catalyst for Change is the main thrust of the University’s 2030 strategy. Staffordshire University has recently been selected to take part in The National Civic Impact Action Learning programme to accelerate the impact it is having in its community. Last year it launched StaffsCAN (Community Advisory Network) to strengthen its links with local voluntary and community partners.
Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Executive Chair of Research England, said: “Across the breadth of higher education, institutions make rich and diverse contributions to the economy and society through their knowledge exchange activities.
“The KEF continues to be a powerful tool to describe the breadth of scope of knowledge exchange. It also provides important evidence of different university strengths through peer group comparisons.”
About the Knowledge Exchange Framework
The new dashboards are available on the KEF’s interactive website.
Significantly, the KEF compares institutions on a like-for-like basis, with similar institutions being grouped together with their peers in ‘KE clusters’.
All institutions in receipt of a Research England Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) allocation in 2022-23 are included in the exercise.
KEF results are determined by taking data covering a wide range of a university’s activities, and using this to form a series of metrics. These then go into seven perspectives and a university receives a quintile score for each perspective displayed in
Maria Scrivens
Communications Manager
t: 01782 294375
m: 07766 520339
e: m.c.scrivens@staffs.ac.uk
Staffordshire University’s ambition is to become the UK’s best modern university. An institution with a strong civic mission, it has committed to being a ‘catalyst for change’ for students and businesses, positively impacting wider society and the regional economy.
The 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) classed 68% of the University’s research as world leading or internationally excellent and 87% of its ‘research impact’ was judged to be outstanding or very outstanding.
Substantial investment in innovative technologies and teaching environments ensure next generation courses and education are delivered across all three campuses in Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford and London.
