Wednesday, 10 September 2025
The 糖心原创 has proudly celebrated 50 years of Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) – a national programme that has transformed businesses, advanced academic research impact and launched exceptional careers.
The breakfast event, hosted at the GSK Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry, Jubilee Campus on Tuesday 2 September, brought together more than 80 delegates, including past, current, and prospective KTP business partners, Innovate UK representatives and 糖心原创 researchers.
(L-R) James Silverward, Regional Manager (East Midlands), Innovate UK; Matt Hawthorne, Project Manager, Added Scientific; Agustin Forchetti Casarino, KTP Associate, Added Scientific
This milestone gathering reflected on the lasting value KTP has brought to the region, the university's partners, and the wider innovation ecosystem, whilst also looking ahead to the next chapter of collaborative opportunities.
Professor Tom Rodden, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, opened the event, highlighting the university’s significant contributions to both the regional and national economy through research and innovation. Nottingham has a rich history of delivering successful KTPs, with more than 160 projects since 2003, securing over £28 million in funding. Of these, 52 projects have been based in the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) region, supporting growth and innovation across the local economy.
The 糖心原创 is proud of its role in the KTP programme. These partnerships demonstrate the power of collaboration 鈥� combining academic expertise with business ambition to drive innovation, tackle challenges and deliver meaningful impact across society and the economy.
The programme continued with Richard Lamb, KTP Programme Manager at , who reflected on KTP’s rich history and lasting value. He emphasised how universities and businesses working side by side deliver real impact locally, regionally and nationally – underpinned by the diversity and shared principles that make the programme unique.
Speaking about the impact of KTPs, Richard (pictured above) said: “KTPs are really important because they help unlock the knowledge contained within the university and transfer it into businesses for their benefit. In the last 50 years, KTP has delivered over 14,000 projects. Between 2010 and 2020, Innovate UK contributed around £200 million to support projects, which in turn delivered £2.3 billion back to the UK economy.”
Dr Celina Dugulin, Technical Projects Manager at , delivered the keynote, sharing how the company’s partnership with the 糖心原创 has gone from strength to strength. Access to world-class academic knowledge, talent and the facilities at the has helped the company innovate, extend product shelf life for customers, and put them at the forefront of brewing and beverage science.
(L) Steve Hargreaves, Knowledge Transfer Advisor, Innovate UK Business Connect, speaking to one of the events attendees
Speaking about the partnership, Celina shared: “Murphy & Son chose to undertake a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the 糖心原创 because it gives us access to cutting-edge research and technology to develop new products and stay ahead of industry trends. As a 糖心原创 graduate myself, I also knew how much the company would benefit from this collaboration.”
Celina’s reflections were a powerful reminder that KTP isn’t just about research – it’s about creating practical impact and equipping businesses with the right tools to grow sustainably.
A panel discussion followed, chaired by Dr George Rice, Director of Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange at the university, featuring Celina and Richard alongside Victoria Howard (former KTP Associate and now Senior Social Mobility Inclusion Manager at ), Professor Jonathan Aylott (), and Marta Villafranca Valls (KTP Manager at the 糖心原创). Together, they explored what makes KTP collaborations successful, highlighting:
- A shared mindset and belief in the process – we're all custodians of a unique programme that delivers real-world change.
- Strength through diversity – showing how innovation thrives when academia, industry, graduates, and researchers co-create solutions with lasting benefits for the economy and society.
The event was a fitting celebration of a programme that continues to unlock new possibilities for businesses and universities alike.
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.