Universities can appear complex, and even impenetrable to SMEs – SMEs do not have the time, or the resources to navigate their way through. Formal initiatives, such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, have gone some way to bridge the gap between universities and business. However, there is a richness of untapped potential resources which universities can offer business. This includes not just people and knowhow (academic staff, PhDs, masters students and undergraduates), but also specialist equipment which businesses can use to develop, test and scale new products and processes, as well as managed workspaces (offices, laboratories and incubator space).
Solent University
Solent University is one of the UK’s newest universities offering 11,000 students a choice of courses ranging from foundation years that lead onto degree courses, to master’s degrees, plus short courses. Specialisms include: sports science & development; nautical science & marine engineering and creative businesses.