Businesses urged to take advantage of KTP scheme with Wrexham Glyndwr University

Businesses are being urged to join a scheme bringing industry and academia together to complete strategic projects.

Wrexham Glyndwr University has a strong tradition of working with companies to deliver KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership) programmes, including partnerships with North Wales companies Brother Industries, P&A Group and Quay Pharma

Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Aulay Mackenzie is aiming to further bolster relations and grow educational partnerships, with KTP at the top of the agenda this autumn.

Business Development Manager Laura Gough is leading the team, and confident the institution’s reputation within business, wide knowledge base and a further increase in its employability numbers will result in new alliances that will benefit all parties.

She said: “We have always believed in the value of KTPs, delivering academic excellence into businesses undertake innovative projects for the benefit of both the employer and the regional economy”

“We have supported up to 50 firms in a wide range of areas from chemistry to marketing, with our lecturers feeding directly into the projects, providing new knowledge into companies to aid in their strategic development and growth.”

Laura added: “The University gets a lot out of this as well; our degrees are tailored to suit industry, so working with local and regional companies on projects allows us to further develop our curriculum to include up to date industry awareness which aids us to ensure our full time students are job-ready on graduation.”

Brother Industries UK (Ltd), which operates a site in Ruabon, is one of those to have worked closely with Wrexham Glyndwr University on a KTP campaign encouraging customers to return more consumables directly to the company for recycling, rather than to landfill.

A Consumer Psychology graduate and lecturer from North Wales Business School teamed-up on the project, which it hoped would add an extra million on to the number of consumables, including printer cartridges and toners, it recycles.

Phil Mack, director at Brother Industries UK (Ltd), said: “The project is part of our global environmental objectives. As a company we have a responsibility for sustainable production which is why we want more people to return our consumable products back to us for recycling.

“The site in Ruabon is taking responsibility for recycling within the company and we’re delighted to have Glyndwr University, a local university, on board.”

The agreed length of a KTP can be for any length of time between one and three years, and can vary depending upon the business need. The overall aim is to help organisations make significant step changes in areas they have identified as high priority.

KTP has worked with more than 3,000 organisations. From manufacturing to design, sustainability to marketing; any business sector, including third sector and public sector organisations such as the NHS, can take part.

Businesses of all sizes can take part too, from micro businesses to large enterprises.

For more information, call Laura Gough 01978 293997 or visit visit wgu.ac.uk/ktps