In this episode of the People's Planets Podcast, we explore the critical role of knowledge transfer in promoting sustainability within organisations, with a focus on Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) that link universities and businesses with funding from Innovate UK.

Key Points:

- Introduction to Knowledge Transfer:

- Importance of transferring knowledge for sustainable practices in organisations.

- Overview of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs).

Commercial Perspective (Marcelle):

- SMEs need to shift their perception of academia and recognise the benefits of collaboration.

- Aligning business needs with academic research goals fosters innovation.

Academic Perspective (Usman):

- The global challenge of bridging the gap between industry and academia.

- Partnerships can involve businesses of all sizes and address diverse issues.

- Universities offer technical support, innovative business processes, leadership skills, and sustainable practices.

Mutual Benefits of KTPs:

- Universities gain practical insights and opportunities for students.

- Businesses access cutting-edge equipment and expertise at lower costs.

- Successful collaborations, such as Rolls Royce's University Technology Centres, illustrate this synergy.

Embedding Sustainable Change:

- Effective mechanisms are needed to embed sustainable change within organisations.

- KTPs, where associates drive change from within the business, are advocated by Marcelle.

- Usman emphasises clear communication and maintaining usable, sustainable knowledge post-project.

Practical Advice for Knowledge Transfer:

- Usman suggests lunchtime talks to share project results and improve public speaking skills.

- Marcelle advises understanding project participants' capacity and expectations to manage responses and keep the project on track.

Next Episode Teaser:

Join us next week with guest Rich Tricker, who will discuss the leadership skills necessary to embed long-lasting change within organisations.

Contact Us:

Email: peoplesplanetpodcast@gmail.com

Twitter: @peoplesplanet_

Hosts:

⁠Marcelle Batson-Warner⁠

⁠Simon Morris⁠

⁠Dr Usman Sikander⁠