University offers business opportunity
Date published: 24th October 2002
ARFS and Essex university are cooperating, using a government grant, in the development of new e-commerce tools. Kate McNally, from the East Anglia Daily Times ventured on to the Wivenhoe campus to find out more.
There's a bit of a revolution going on up at the University of Essex. Not the subversive kind with shouting students, but a constructive revolution involving academics shouting about what they can do for business. Following in the footsteps of many other research organisations in the Eastern region, Essex University too is joining the throng of waking giants who are finally realising there is gold in them patents. The university is literally open for business, eager to work with industry and commerce to help find solutions to their problems through its horde of untapped intellectual property and new research.
Three new business development managers were appointed earlier this year, charged with bringing the worlds of academia and business together. Their positions are funded under a new Government initiative aimed at driving greater exploitation by UK universities of their research-led IPR.
In the past, Essex University has done rather well from Government research and teaching grants, being rather good at both - it is number 10 in the UK for research, and number six in the UK for teaching, which is exceptional for a small, regional university established in the mid 1960s. But, as Dr James Callaghan, business development manager for the computer science and electronics systems engineering departments, explains, while its expertise drew in substantial grants over the years, it also engendered an "ivory tower mentality". Now, however, the Government has said it will be reducing the grants in coming years and expects universities to make up the shortfall by generating income from their research. To kick-start the changeover, it has given universities additional funding, which Essex has used to bring in the experts. "It was a major shock for Essex and many other universities, but it's a great way to stimulate researchers to produce technology that benefits the region and the country," says Dr Callaghan. "Universities start disseminating information into industry. You get academics working with industry and everyone gets more focused on what industry wants so the research becomes more relevant - everybody benefits."
Dr Callaghan also wants to make companies aware of the various Government research grants and schemes aimed at encouraging closer liaison between business and universities. For example, Ipswich-based A Recipe For Success is currently enjoying the services of a graduate student under the Teaching Company Scheme. The university is also in talks with Bury St Edmunds web consultancy Marketing Interactive, and earlier this year established a strong link with BTexact Technologies setting up an outpost of its social sciences department at Adastral Park. "Many companies aren't aware of these schemes. A small company that puts around £15,000 a year into a project, for example, can receive substantial Government backing bringing the value up to around £80,000. "I usually get two responses when I tell people about TCS. First, 'this is really great, I need those skills'. Then they get angry, asking 'why didn't I know about it two years ago, I'd be 10 times the size I am now'. "I'd like small companies to see the university as their R&D centre, make them realise that they've got a fantastic asset just sitting here.
There's a bit of a revolution going on up at the University of Essex. Not the subversive kind with shouting students, but a constructive revolution involving academics shouting about what they can do for business. Following in the footsteps of many other research organisations in the Eastern region, Essex University too is joining the throng of waking giants who are finally realising there is gold in them patents. The university is literally open for business, eager to work with industry and commerce to help find solutions to their problems through its horde of untapped intellectual property and new research.
Three new business development managers were appointed earlier this year, charged with bringing the worlds of academia and business together. Their positions are funded under a new Government initiative aimed at driving greater exploitation by UK universities of their research-led IPR.
In the past, Essex University has done rather well from Government research and teaching grants, being rather good at both - it is number 10 in the UK for research, and number six in the UK for teaching, which is exceptional for a small, regional university established in the mid 1960s. But, as Dr James Callaghan, business development manager for the computer science and electronics systems engineering departments, explains, while its expertise drew in substantial grants over the years, it also engendered an "ivory tower mentality". Now, however, the Government has said it will be reducing the grants in coming years and expects universities to make up the shortfall by generating income from their research. To kick-start the changeover, it has given universities additional funding, which Essex has used to bring in the experts. "It was a major shock for Essex and many other universities, but it's a great way to stimulate researchers to produce technology that benefits the region and the country," says Dr Callaghan. "Universities start disseminating information into industry. You get academics working with industry and everyone gets more focused on what industry wants so the research becomes more relevant - everybody benefits."
Dr Callaghan also wants to make companies aware of the various Government research grants and schemes aimed at encouraging closer liaison between business and universities. For example, Ipswich-based A Recipe For Success is currently enjoying the services of a graduate student under the Teaching Company Scheme. The university is also in talks with Bury St Edmunds web consultancy Marketing Interactive, and earlier this year established a strong link with BTexact Technologies setting up an outpost of its social sciences department at Adastral Park. "Many companies aren't aware of these schemes. A small company that puts around £15,000 a year into a project, for example, can receive substantial Government backing bringing the value up to around £80,000. "I usually get two responses when I tell people about TCS. First, 'this is really great, I need those skills'. Then they get angry, asking 'why didn't I know about it two years ago, I'd be 10 times the size I am now'. "I'd like small companies to see the university as their R&D centre, make them realise that they've got a fantastic asset just sitting here.
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