Knowledge Exchange

KE activity can take many forms, and generally can be categorised as:

• Research partnerships
• Working with business
• Working with the public and third sector
• Skills, enterprise and entrepreneurship
• Local growth and regeneration
• Intellectual Property (IP) and commercialisation
• Public and community engagement

Knowledge Exchange at Goldsmiths

Goldsmiths’ approach to KE reflects the creative, radical and intellectually rigorous nature of our research. As an arts, humanities and social sciences university we aim to address the challenges that face society and lay the foundations for societal, economic and cultural benefit.

From cutting-edge research collaborations and our portfolio of short courses to support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and access to our specialist facilities, Goldsmiths prides itself on two-way collaborations with partners across the Private, Public and Third sectors and our local community; who in turn inform, enhance and enrich our research.

Goldsmiths receives funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), which is designed to support and develop a broad range of knowledge-based interactions between higher education and the wider world, which result in economic and societal benefit to the UK.

At Goldsmiths, we use our HEIF funding to support KE activity through our Research and Enterprise team, who work with academic and professional services staff across the institution.

KE activity is measured annually by HESA through the Higher Education Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey. HE-BCI data is also used to benchmark higher education institutions via the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF).

Goldsmiths is a signatory to the Knowledge Exchange Concordat (KEC), a series of high-level principles which cover the range of necessary underpinning activities for effective knowledge exchange.

Policy engagement

Goldsmiths has a long history of creative, radical and intellectually rigorous research. As an arts, humanities and social sciences university we aim to address the challenges that face society and lay the foundations for societal, economic and cultural benefit.

Complementing our work with private, public and third sector businesses and our public and community engagement, we engage with policymakers to ensure our expertise helps to shape and inform public policy. We work with local policymakers in Lewisham and across Greater London, as well as national and international policymakers from governments, NGOs, charities and public sector organisations.

Our expertise spans cultural, education, health and social care, law and human rights, urban and environmental policy. See some of our case studies.

Goldsmiths is a member of the Universities Policy Exchange Network (UPEN).

If you have any queries about our policy work or want to know how you can get involved, please email S.Tasheva(@gold.ac.uk).

Local growth and regeneration

Goldsmiths works with a number of local partners to deliver growth and regeneration in Lewisham, south east London and the UK.

We have successfully delivered the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) funded Dek Business Growth Programme and ESF (European Union Social Fund) funded Digital Grid Partnership; both of which used staff and student expertise to support over 300 small and medium-sized enterprises to develop and grow.

Goldsmiths is also delivering creative business support as part of SHAPESLewisham and Stride London, and is lead partner on the ESF funded Inspire Lewisham project.

We work with a number of local authorities and have collaborated with key organisations across London including further and higher education institutions, cultural organisations and businesses.

Strategy and policies

Making a difference through research and knowledge exchange is one of the four strategic priorities in Goldsmiths’ institutional strategy. Relevant themes within our institutional strategy include strengthening our international relationships and profile (4.4, 4.6 & 4.7), civic engagement for mutual benefit and active partnership with our community (5.1 - 5.6).

Our Public Engagement Strategy includes a focus on developing a sector leading, sustainable culture of public engagement.

As outlined in its HEIF statement 2021-25, Goldsmiths has three specific Knowledge Exchange objectives developed to further enhance Goldsmiths’ existing strengths in KE, enabling Goldsmiths to make a difference locally and globally. These are:

• Economic growth, jobs and prosperity - focused on local growth, supporting SMEs, and enabling student enterprise activity
• Creativity, ideas and innovation - focused on engaging academics in more KE, building on our Research Themes, and supporting more spin-outs
• Skills - focused on flexible access to learning and training for the local community, engagement with local FE providers, and development of a higher level skills programme

Support for Knowledge Exchange

Staff

Support for KE is provided by the Research and Enterprise Office. Goldsmiths staff can contact the team for support with:

• Consultancy and contract research projects
• Commercialisation of Intellectual Property, including spin-outs
• Delivering short courses and executive training
• Engaging with partners (e.g. for funded Research projects)
• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Students

Student involvement in KE is key to Goldsmiths’ approach.

We have worked with students to deliver contract research and consultancy projects, to deliver regeneration projects including the Dek business growth programme, and by offering placements and internships to a range of private, public and third sector organisations.

Goldsmiths students should contact the Careers Service for information on student enterprise, entrepreneurship and employability.

Governance

Knowledge Exchange activity is overseen by Research and Enterprise Committee and led by:

• David Oswell - Pro-Warden for Research, Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange
• Professor Jonathan Freeman - Academic Lead for Knowledge Exchange
• Siân Prime - Academic Lead for Enterprise
• John Price - Academic Lead for Public Engagement

Team and contact information

• Vivienne Hurley - Director of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange 
• Desislava Stoitchkova - Deputy Director of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange 
• Michael Eades - Head of Civic Engagement
• Anthony Crowther - NX Hub Manager 
• Will Cenci – Public Engagement Manager 
• Dean Williams – Business Adviser
• Trudi Hamer – Business Engagement Officer
• Majidur Rahman - Business Engagement Officer 
• Stefani Tasheva – Policy Engagement Officer
• Nicola Benford – Knowledge Exchange and Executive Training Officer