Earlier this month, our Knowledge Exchange and Innovation team joined hundreds of other Knowledge Exchange practitioners at the Praxis Auril Conference 2021 in Brighton.
As well as being a fantastic opportunity to meet other Praxis Auril members face-to-face for the first time since 2019, it also gave our team the chance to engage in range of knowledge exchange-themed sessions and discussions on innovative practice, skills development and the anchor role that Universities have to play in the research and knowledge exchange continuum.
As Carole Barron, Director of Knowledge Exchange and Innovation, explains, “the KE landscape is rapidly changing with increased scrutiny, new accountability requirements, and KE league tables. Despite all this it is a very exciting time for KE as it puts the spotlight on the importance, and impact, of KE on our communities and economic growth.
“There is still confusion within the HE sector as to what we mean by Knowledge Exchange. The KE sector definition is ‘a collaborative, creative endeavour that translates knowledge and research into impact in society and the economy’. This definition combines three elements that form what the University of Kent believes are essential to the process of knowledge exchange or technology transfer; using skill and creativity to collaborate with partners; effectively translating and mobilising output from knowledge generators; and making an impact.
At the previous years’ conference, Carole contributed to a panel discussion on equality, diversity and inclusion in knowledge exchange, which continued to be a strong theme at this years’ conference. “EDI is an important part of our KE endeavours. At Kent we have committed to embed EDI in our KE activities. This is an ambitious goal, however, it is vital we take the first steps to bringing our communities, both internal and external, together in a supportive and inclusive way.”