Hertfordshire Science Partnership was founded to create a translational Doctoral Training Centre focussing on Hertfordshire’s regional strength in the Agri-Tech and Advanced Pharmaceuticals sectors while providing a strong pipeline of applied scientists. The Partnership leverages the University’s state-of-the-art science facilities and academic expertise to boost these dynamic industry sectors in the East of England, particularly for the benefit of SMEs.
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Hertfordshire Science Partnership is a unique collaboration between the University of Hertfordshire and Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This programme aligns with the Hertfordshire LEP’s objective to stimulate enterprise and innovation within the county through targeted investment in its key sectors.
The flagship delivery for the programme is the Hertfordshire Knowledge Exchange Partnership (HKEP). Each HKEP is designed to enable a business to establish new capabilities, proof-of-concept for new products/services or expand the business’ capacity and market.
With Knowledge Exchange values at its core, the HKEP is unique within the sector: in year one the student is recruited and placed directly into the company undertaking a commercially focused project. This provides the business with new capacity and skills for its existing innovation activities, but also provides the student with significant experience of a commercial environment. Businesses can then develop the student to meet the ethos and standards of the business from day one. Upon completion of year one the student returns to UH to complete a three-year research project which is of strategic importance to the business.
Hertfordshire Science Partnership is expected to facilitate over 20 knowledge exchange partnerships by 2021 and will result in 20 collaborative PhD projects with innovative regional businesses.
Darragh Murnane, Director Hertfordshire Science Partnership: “The partnership will offer new opportunities to a fresh pool of small/ medium size enterprises to access exactly the same research and innovation activities that are often only available to large industries. Many companies are struggling to access funding and scientists to undertake fundamental research that is needed to develop new products, and we’re aware there are many companies who may currently be frustrated in their ambitions to develop innovative new ideas and technologies. Our partners and the University feel strongly about this and our goal is to unlock opportunities to this otherwise hidden talent.”
