UCL ADVANCES
Training Programme Description
Knowledge Exchange Associate
1. Background Information
UCL – a university, a community, a world-class reputation …
UCL is one of the UK’s leading universities, a world-class multidisciplinary research and teaching
institution, whose staff and former students have included 26 Nobel Prize winners. Founded in 1826,
UCL was the first university in England to admit students regardless of race, religion or gender. It
continues to thrive on the creativity and diversity of its community which today comprises 10,000
staff, 13,000 undergraduates and 9,000 graduate students from 130 countries across the globe.
Constitutionally part of the federal University of London, UCL is in practice an independent university,
with an annual turnover of over £800 million. Its 70 departments span arts and humanities, social and
historical sciences, law, architecture and the built environment, engineering sciences, mathematical
and physical sciences, life and clinical sciences, and medicine. UCL includes academic units as
diverse as the UCL Slade School of Fine Art, the UCL Bartlett School of Architecture and the UCL
Institute of Child Health, which is associated with Great Ormond Street Hospital.
75% of UCL’s departments received ratings of ‘excellent’ in national teaching quality reviews carried
out between 1993 and 2001 and 60 departments achieved top (grade 5 and 5*) ratings in the 2001
Research Assessment Exercise. As a result of its track record, UCL receives substantial funding from
government and charities, and more than £250 million is currently being invested in state-of-the-art
facilities for cutting-edge research and teaching. Situated at the heart of one of the world’s greatest
cities, UCL’s historic central campus in Bloomsbury is within easy reach of several rail and
underground stations, the Eurostar terminal and Heathrow airport.
UCL Advances
UCL Advances was launched in August 2007 to enhance UCL’s role as a hub of technical innovation
benefitting its status as one of the top 10 universities in the world. UCL Advances, UCL’s centre for
entrepreneurship, has been formed to develop new links between UCL and businesses of all kinds,
with a particular focus on entrepreneurs and small and medium–sized enterprises.
In fulfilling this objective UCL Advances’ activities are based around training programmes and events
that bring together potential collaborators to ease UCL’s staff and students ability to meet businesses
and investors which enable UCL students and academics to develop new business capabilities, and
through support schemes, providing inducements to engage and collaborate with business.
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2. The Training Programme Role
Job Title
Location
Knowledge Exchange Associate (KEA)
UCL Advances, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London WiT 4TJ
Job Function
Knowledge Exchange Associate (KEA) is a 3 to 9 month training programme to deliver a knowledge-transfer
collaboration between a small or medium-sized enterprise and UCL. PhD students near completion (who will
submit their corrections in the next 3 months or are close to writing up) or recently graduated PhD can apply to
become a KEA and act as a conduit for the transfer of knowledge from UCL to a company that will really
benefit from exposure to their specialist knowledge.
Although the KEA training programme stipend is paid by UCL, the KEA’s place of training will be within the
company for much of the time. The KEA acts as their own Project Manager for their collaboration.
A plan of work will be agreed before the KEA programme starts depending on the subject of the project and
the academic challenge presented by the project, but will be related to their thesis in most cases.
Approximately 20% of their time will be devoted to training to enhance their career prospects. The KEA’s will
be put on relevant courses through programmes at London Business School, at UCL and elsewhere.
This training will be in two parts: To provide them with the skills for project management and specific training
to help them with the project, depending on the subject matter of the project. For example, it may be specialist
software training, or attendance at highly focussed conferences. This training is unique to the KEA and is of
direct benefit to them.
2.1 Principal Responsibilities:
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To work with SME’s for the transfer of knowledge from UCL to the company
Take up training courses to enhance their career prospects
Give presentations to UCL Advances staff and businesses about their work
Provide reports to the business
Work as a team with the business, UCL and investors and help maintain and modify the needs of the
company/business. This should be achieved by having regular meetings with all concerned and should
be to the best interest of all.
Keep in contact with UCL Advances and to bring up any problems to the Executive Director.
Meet with customers of the business in most cases
To support general activities designed to enhance collaboration between UCL and the business and
investor communities
Other duties as required
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3. Person Specification: Knowledge, Skills and Attitude Required
3.1 Essential
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Any completing PhD students who have submitted their thesis or have graduated within the last year
Show how their work would be useful to businesses and SME’s
3.2 Desirable
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Have a business that would be interested in taking them in.
Previous business experience is not essential
3.3 How to Apply
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Complete the application form,
Send latest CV,
200 words describing their research
200 words on how it would be useful to businesses and SME’s
200 word on information on: have they spoken to businesses, what business and what they have said
regarding their research work
4. Terms
4.1 Stipend
The stipend for this position is £2,185 per month. Stipend will be paid in monthly instalments.
4.2 Probation
Training appointments are subject to receipt of satisfactory references and a probationary period of 3 months.
4.3 Hours of work
This is a part-time training programme of 4 days a week work and 1 day for training, fixed term of 3 to 9
months.
4.4 Holiday
As this is a training programme, there is no annual leave entitlement however UCL closes for a period at
Christmas and Easter, which the KEA is entitled to.
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