The event, to be held in the Ethos building in SA1, courtesy of the West Wales Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for the 24th November 2009 and will run from 7.45am until 10.00am, and includes breakfast.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) are the focus of the event. KTP is a UK-wide programme enabling businesses to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance. The programme enables new capability to be embedded into the business and benefits a wide range of businesses across many sectors, including small and large businesses, third sector and public organisations.

KTP has been running for over 30 years and average projects may result in pre-tax profit gains of up to £227k, an average of 3 additional jobs created and enhanced skills all round.

Alison Parker, the event organiser and Knowledge Transfer Officer for the Dragon Innovation Partnership, explains further:

“A Partnership is formed between business and an academic institution, to enable the business to access skills and expertise which would otherwise be unavailable to them.  An associate (often a recent graduate) is recruited to the business specifically to work on that project. KTPs can vary in length from ten weeks to three years, depending on the needs of the business and the desired outcomes.

 “The Dragon Innovation Partnership offers the expertise of all three partner universities, Swansea Metropolitan University, Swansea University and Trinity University College – so a business entering in to a KTP with us has the added benefit of a wide range of academics to work with.

“Our KTP event will show businesses the available resources and expertise that the partner universities have to offer.  There will also be case studies of existing KTPs, with representatives available to answer questions from businesses new to the scheme.”

Andrea Jones, Business Development Executive for the West Wales Chamber of Commerce, said:

“We are delighted to be working with the Dragon Innovation Partnership on this event.  It is an ideal scheme for many of our members – and we are keen to provide them with ways to develop and expand their businesses, especially in the current climate.

“It will also help promote the collaborative projects with universities, and show how academia and business can develop each other. This can only be an advantage to the economy.”

The event will feature speakers from the Welsh Assembly Government, the KTP Office, as well as representatives from universities and businesses already involved in KTPs.

To find out more details, please contact Alison Parker on +44 (0)1792 602630 or a.c.parker@swansea.ac.uk.

To register for the event, please contact Libby James on libby@wwcc.co.uk.