Universities and Local Partnership Collaboration in Innovation

URBACT RUnUP Annual Conference9th December 2010

Enterprise Campus

Roger CandyBusiness Partnerships Manager Research, Business & InnovationNorthumbria University

roger.candy@northumbria.ac.uk

Northumbria University

A modern, vocational university incorporated in 1992.

> 34,000 students. Enterprise start up support since 2002.In 2009/10 >2,000 students studied

enterprise. Since 2003 172 new enterprises have been

supported to sustainable trading.

Enterprise Support

At any time 20 – 30 student or graduate enterprises under support.

The process is resource lean. It is mainly advisory.

As far as possible we like enterprises to move off campus and into the Tyneside business community quickly.

Accessible initial business accommodation is critical.

Partnership in Practice

Over the past 3 years Northumbria University, has partnered the Council in a number of initiatives to support the local economy through the establishment of knowledge centred enterprises in Gateshead.

These developments indicate possible longer term collaborative strategies between the University and the Council. The aim is to maximise both access to graduate level enterprise education and enterprise support within Gateshead.

Collaboration

Graduates into Gateshead – Enterprise Start Up Support

Collaboration in Advanced Learning

Collaboration in Support for Local Enterprise

Graduates into Gateshead

Since 2005 the University has been encouraging graduate start up businesses to locate in Gateshead, initially at preferential rents offered by the Council. There are presently 4 companies located in the GIBC who chose to do so (UKC Design, Invate Ltd, Gospelware, City Base Lettings Ltd). These now employ around 20 staff between them.

UKC Design

Graduates into Gateshead

In November 2008 the Council created the Graduates into Gateshead scheme giving Northumbria University the opportunity to offer graduate start-up businesses access to free office accommodation in Greenesfield BC. 9 companies have benefited from this provision so far, 4 have gone on to rent accommodation within Council business centres.

Graduates into Gateshead

The University manages the companies progress through their tenancies – which are up to a maximum of one year. Companies are then encouraged to subsequently locate in Gateshead.

Examples of Companies

Orange Panda (now trading as Kuro Dragon)New Age StudiosDivided MediaEdot 3Student DecksI Am SoldCity Base LettingsGospelware

Fresh Soap Deli

Deadgood

Collaboration in Advanced Learning

During 2010 five teams from the MSc/MA

Multi-Disciplinary Design Innovation programme have worked to provide strategic business planning support for small enterprises and other organisations in Gateshead.

Collaboration in Support for Local Enterprise

In May 2010 places were made available to enable creative sector entrepreneurs in the ‘Shed’ centre on Gateshead High Street to study towards the University’s ‘Professional Award in Enterprise’. This is a certificated short course which enables new entrepreneurs to develop skills and understandings.

A Model for Partnership

Partnership Dynamic Elaborating the Partnership Enterprise and Location

Partnership Dynamic

The basic dynamic of the partnership is the provision of accommodation by local authorities in return for the direction of graduate businesses into the local authority area.

Elaborating the Partnership

In addition to the basic dynamic of exchange in the partnership, the University can also offer broader ‘one way support’, in particular in relation to certificated and other training to community based businesses within the local authority area. The aim here is the broader support for the regeneration of the sub regional economy.

Enterprise and Location

The University has the enterprise generation capacity to establish and drive forward cultural districts and quarters as part of urban regeneration. It is important to ensure that this aspect is central to decisions made in business location. Again the aim is support for the regeneration of the sub regional economy.

A Model for Partnership

This is a model of University/Government / Industry collaboration that offers the possibility to grow collaboration from the bottom up.

It does not require complex organisational frameworks or agreements between parties.

It generally avoids the need for special additional funding.