Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) and Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership (MKTP)

The KTP and MKTP scheme is a UK-wide, government-funded programme, which has been around for over 45 years, with around 800 in place across the UK at any one time.

KTPs and MKTPs help you access the knowledge, technology and skills available within universities and other research institutions. They can assist your business in an area you have identified as high priority. KTPs are open to businesses of all sizes, industries and sectors, including not for profit organisations. Projects usually last between 1 to 3 years in duration.

KTPs and MKTPs at York St John University can help businesses achieve strategic goals, and access funding to innovate and grow. You will work with one of our expert academics and a highly qualified recent graduate.

Bring in new skills to deliver a strategic innovation project through a funded knowledge-based partnership with York St John University.

How it works

There are 3 elements to the KTP:

1. The Company Partner (your business)
2. The Knowledge Base Partner (York St John University)
3. The KTP Associate (graduated in the last five years)

Knowledge and skills from the University are transferred to your business through a highly skilled graduate, (the KTP Associate) on a strategic project, led by an academic mentor. York St John University employs the Associate, who works at your company on the project. The Associate is jointly supervised by you and the University. The Associate will have the capability to lead a strategic business project. They will use their expertise and knowledge to find a specific, strategic solution to help your business grow, generating innovation and profitability.

Types of project

Any strategic project which can lead to innovation and profitability. Examples of projects include:

• Development of sustainable technologies
• Embedding new systems in the workplace
• Development of new digital and agile ways of working
• Linking new product development to scientific research using university equipment
• New products that are more efficient, more economical and more environmentally friendly.

Costing model and funding

KTP is a cost-effective way to develop innovation. You contribute to the KTP Associate’s salary and the cost of a supervisor to oversee the scheme. The rest is funded by public body Innovate UK.

SME average annual contribution is a third of the total project cost (typically around £35k).

Larger companies’ average annual contribution is half the total project cost (typically around £55k).

The budget covers the cost of:

• Employment of a full-time Associate
• 10% of the time of an Academic to provide mentoring support
• Travel, consumables and training for the associate. 

KTP can also qualify you to claim significant R&D tax relief. 

Eligibility

Your company must:

• Have a strategic project for the Associate to manage.
• Be able to demonstrate the ability to supervise the Associate and support the embedding of the knowledge transferred
• Be able to evidence that you can afford to pay for the KTP and commercially exploit the results.

Get in touch today

We can help you understand your project requirements and eligibility, identify the right academic experts, support you with the development of your proposal and grant application, manage recruitment of the right associate(s), and support you throughout the project right through to completion.

Would you like to discuss a potential idea for a KTP project? Please email us and we would be happy to arrange a meeting to discuss this further with you. 

business@yorksj.ac.uk