Alex Thompson

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Welcome
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Alex Thompson Senior Policy Officer Higher
Education Funding Council for England KnowledgeL
ondon Launch Event SOAS, 27 March 2007
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Higher Education Funding Council for England

• Distributes public money for teaching and
  research to universities and colleges.
• Aims to promote high quality education and
  research, within a financially healthy sector.
• Plays a key role in ensuring accountability and
  promoting good practice.

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HEFCE strategic plan 2006-11
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Enhancing the contribution of HE to economy and
society

• To increase the impact of the higher education
  knowledge base to enhance economic development
  and the strength and vitality of society.

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Economy and Society Objectives

• Long term and adequate support for the third
  stream
• Integrated into every HEI appropriate to its
  mission
• Increase global engagement in third stream
• Distinctive regional third stream mission new
  users
• Focus on social aspects
• Awards scheme for public engagement
• Effective funding mechanisms, metrics
  evaluations

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HE Innovation Fund HEFCE/OSI Joint Initiative

• Aim To increase economic benefits from the HE
  knowledge base
• Supports HE sector to undertake knowledge
  transfer activities with business and other
  organisations
• Began in 2001 with first round of funding
• 2006-08 (round 3) 234M funding awarded
• 164M distributed in formula funding to HE
  institutions
• 53M allocated via a competition to 11
  large-scale projects
• 17M awarded to 22 Centres for Knowledge Exchange

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Metrics and evaluations

• Annual Business and Community Survey of HE sector
  (HE-BCI)
• Informs strategic direction of knowledge transfer
  policy of HEFCE and other funders
• May 2007 publication of data for 2004-05 and
  2005-06.

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HE-BCI Data 2000-04
All figures have been adjusted to 2003-04 prices
From HE-BCI survey
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Other current activities

• Evaluation of third stream funding 2007-08
• Interim self-evaluation of CKEs
• Lessons learnt from HEIF 3
• Third Stream as Second Mission exploratory
  projects
• Future HEIF funding
• subject to CSR outcomes
• informed by Sainsbury Review

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Professional development and networking

• Commitment to continuous improvement in knowledge
  transfer practice
• Support for
• AURIL
• Praxis
• Institute of Knowledge Transfer
• JISC knowledge transfer programme
• Good Practice Programme www.kegoodpractice.org

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Welcome