Loughborough University has an institutional track record of research exploitation and has invested significantly in a framework to promote partnerships with industry. Its Enterprise Office offers organisations of all sizes seamless access to the University's research expertise through a wide range of activities, ranging from secondments, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and significant industrial partnerships, to consultancy, licensing and spin-outs.

Loughborough's collaborative research activity is 70% compared to the national average of less than 20%. This reflects Loughborough success in many large projects with multiple partners. Whilst large collaborative programmes are attractive to a wide range of companies, many small to medium-sized organisations prefer to operate on a smaller scale and find the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) an invaluable way to access resources, government funding and expertise to improve performance. A KTP is a three-way collaboration between the University, company and a graduate working on a project central to the needs of the company for a period of one to three years.

Many companies have engaged in a KTP before undertaking further collaborative research with the University. Other forms of engagement include sponsored research studentships, undergraduate placements that are undertaken by 38% of Loughborough students (800 students in 500 companies) and six-month placements through the Graduate Gateway scheme.

Find out more about engaging with Loughborough University.