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Imperial college established the Pharmacat Consortium in 2006, with industrial partners AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer. The consortium aims to promote and support stronger collaboration between chemistry and chemical engineering. Syngenta and Lilly joined the consortium in 2010.

The consortium identifies strategic areas of importance to pharmaceutical research and manufacturing. The focus is on developing multi-discipline academic/industrial collaborations. Research is based in the area of the catalysis of organic reactions.

The consortium aims to support pre-competitive research in chemical technologies, leading to best routes and processes for the production of pharmaceuticals. This includes incorporating quality-by-design, and improved environmental credentials to lead to greener, more efficient processes.

The research is used as a basis to provide training to ensure the next generation of scientists are comfortable working in collaborations spanning traditional disciplines.

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The Chemistry Innovation Laboratory (CIL) is a project part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. It aims to support and strengthen links between the University of Nottingham and chemistry-based SMEs within the East Midlands. The ultimate goal is to increase the number and quality of interactions between businesses and the university sector.

The CIL does this by providing practical support for SMEs. Funding and resources are available to support specific projects with eligible companies. The assistance offered can include: analytical work, feasibility studies, consultancy and literature reviews. CIL can also provide access to specialist skills, knowledge, equipment and new technologies within the University. Funds are available to support short secondments of postgraduate students into eligible companies.

CIL also supports a series of knowledge transfer events. These are aimed at SMEs to keep them informed of key developments in chemical science and analytical capabilities, and help them identify how to apply them to benefit their business.

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The Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry (KCMC) combines leading edge academic research facilities with knowledge and expertise in applied materials chemistry. KCMC brings together the universities of Bolton, Liverpool, Bristol, and Manchester with the molecular modelling capabilities of the Science and Technology Facilities Council at Daresbury.

KCMC helps companies to access knowledge from within universities, which may otherwise be inaccessible. The KTN unit covers many sectors, ranging from nanotechnology to the creative industries. This allows KCMC to look for new applications for developing technologies and ensure the right ideas reach their potential. They also bring together collaborations to meet business needs.

KCMC’s model fosters collaborations between the research base and industry, leading to fresh approaches and delivering products to the marketplace. KCMC is an example of how one unit within the KTN can boost growth across multiple sectors by supporting cross-sector and university-business collaborations.

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Aston University’s Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry Department (CEAC) is successful in building partnerships with consortia to support collaborative research and knowledge transfer.

The University’s Research and Enterprise Office identify new collaborative partners and highlight funding opportunities. They work closely with existing company partners to integrate academic activities with the commercial R&D strategies of partner companies. This approach has enabled CEAC to form long-lasting and meaningful partnerships.

The University also operates an account management approach with key strategic partners. This helps the University stand out in a crowded market by ensuring that it is easy for organisations to engage and collaborate. It ensures the University is responsive to organisational needs and both parties achieve the most value out of the partnership. They identify key accounts that have multiple touch points with the University, including small and large, public and private, local, national and international organisations. An account manager is assigned to each company. Their role is to be a point of knowledge of the organisation, collect and share information, spot opportunities and pass them on to the relevant people.

The ability to build relationship with companies across both its teaching and research activities has been crucial to CEACs success. The culture at Aston involves activities at university, departmental and individual levels that ease the development of industrial relationships and encourages sharing of opportunities with our academic staff to maximise the chances of broader relationships developing.

CEAC has been particularly successful in developing consortia-based research projects through InnovateUK and Horizon2020 funding. Notable projects include CASCATBEL and ESTABLIS. Both projects feature EU industry and academic consortia. Aston played a key role in sourcing the industry partners, and ensuring that the proposed research meets the needs of industry, the academic partners and the requirements of the funder.

The CASCATBEL project aims to develop a process for the production of second-generation biofuels in a cost-efficient way. Industry partners in this project were Silkem, a European manufacturer of raw materials; MAST Carbon International, an independent company based in the UK; Outotec, a global leader in minerals and metals processing technology; and Eni –  a global leader in the energy field. The ESTABLIS project aims to harvest solar energy by employing 15 researchers to create stable organic solar cells. Industry Partners are Merck and Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH&Co.

As part of the development of its new chemistry department, Lancaster University has set up a centre to facilitate knowledge transfer and build close links with local industrial partners.

Match funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Collaborative Technology Access Programme (cTAP) is a technology facility that enables businesses to access cutting-edge instrumentation, infrastructure and expertise. Interactions are fostered at all levels from simple one-off analysis/consultancy through to fully-funded research partnerships between an industry client and the chemistry department at Lancaster University.

The facility aims to provide a cost-effective option of engaging with academia for local industry in the North West. There are a significant number of technology-based SMEs in the region involved in products that are either directly related to chemistry or linked to chemistry through associated disciplines such as materials. The initial bid for the ERDF included the REACH Centre – a chemical regulatory services SME based on the Lancaster University campus – as an industrial partner for the scheme.

Links to companies are formed through interested companies directly contacting cTAP and through proactive publicity and marketing of the cTAP scheme. This activity is strongly supported by the university’s Business Partnerships and Enterprise team within the faculty of science and technology, with referrals through the REACH Centre. Lancaster University has also been able to support feasibility studies through its Impact Acceleration Account (funded by the EPSRC), which has already been a rich vehicle through which to initiate research relationships and programmes with industrial partners.

Since its establishment in late 2015, the cTAP has facilitated the department’s engagement with around 30 SMEs and 20 large companies, with a growing number of funded projects across a range of industries in the North West.

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