British Academy/Leverhulme Workshop, September 12th, 2017, London

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 British Academy/Leverhulme Workshop

How can SMEs make the most of public R&D investment?

Drivers of SMEs impactful engagement with universities

The British Academy, 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, St. James’s, London SW1Y 5AH

September 12th, 2017, 10:00-1:00

This event will present the findings of a BA/Leverhulme-funded project on knowledge co-creation between universities and SMEs, together with a panel discussion on what can be done to help SMEs benefit from public R&D investment.

As part of its new industrial strategy, the UK government has committed to an additional investment of £4.7 billion by 2020-21 in R&D funding, a large part of which will be channelled through the research councils and through schemes targeting selected technologies. However, it is not clear whether and how SMEs can benefit from this increase in public R&D spending, beyond the possible expansion of existing schemes for innovative procurement. Ensuring that SMEs are able to benefit from public research is important in order to spread the rewards of public R&D investment more widely and to boost productivity and innovativeness across the economic spectrum.

The debate will focus on what can be done to increase SMEs’ ability to access funding schemes, boost knowledge co-creation with universities and public research, and make the most of these interactions.

9:30 Tea and coffee

10:00-10:10 Welcome by Dr. Marion Frenz (Birkbeck, University of London)

10:10 – 10:45 Introduction: Dr. Muthu de Silva (University of Kent), Dr. Ainurul Rosli (University of Westminster), Dr. Federica Rossi (Birkbeck, University of London) and Dr. Nick Yip (University of East Anglia): “How do SMEs capitalise on their engagement with academics to create new business opportunities? Evidence from SME-university partnership in the UK”

10:45 – 12:15 Panel discussion on:  How can SMEs make the most of public R&D investment? Opportunities and challenges of the UK’s industrial strategy. Chair: Dr. Federica Rossi Panelists: Dr. David Docherty, Chief Executive, National Centre for Universities and Business; Dr.Lisa Mooney, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research and Knowledge Exchange) University of East London; Prof. Stephen Roper, Director, Enterprise Research Centre and Warwick Business School; Representative from Innovate UK; Representative from Federation of Small Business

12:15 Networking lunch

Attendance is free but places are limited. Please register your attendance here.

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