Researchers and industry experts explore the value of engaging beyond academia at DBAA York events

On the 11th of December, the Developing Business-Aware Academics team ran two events in York in collaboration with the University of York’s School for Business and Society.

The morning event brought together staff from the University of York and eight other universities and consortiums, as well as professionals working in industry and policy, to find out more about the project and explore the value in engaging beyond academia and practical tips on how to do so effectively. In the afternoon, doctoral and early-career researchers from the University of York shared their insights into how we can motivate, facilitate and support them to engage beyond academia.

Professor Beatrice D’Ippolito kicked off the discussion by asking a panel of experts from academia, industry and policy for their insights on how researchers can engage, co-create and create impact across diverse audiences beyond academia. Newcastle University’s Professor Jonathan Sapsed, Professor Muthu De Silva of Birkbeck, University of London, Niall Walker from Diageo and Chris Webber from the UK Government’s Open Innovation Team presented the industry perspective. They spoke about the realities and benefits of academics co-creating research with industry partners, as well as advice for researchers on how to tailor communication of their research findings for industry and policy organisations.

“Co-creation throughout the project lifecycle from proposal development to delivery is key for simultaneously generating theoretically rigorous and practically impactful output. When co-creating with organisations beyond academia, look at each other’s resources, networks, and strengths. The key is to link them together to make sure everyone achieves their objectives.” Professor Muthu de Silva, Associate Dean, Research, Innovation, and Knowledge Exchange, Birbeck, University of London

Professor Bob Doherty chaired the second panel, and attendees heard from the University of York’s Professor Kiran Trehan, Professor Sarah Thompson, Professor Mark Freeman, Professor Jason Snape, and Dr Ulrike Ehgartner about the ways that universities can champion industry engagement among their researchers. This included discussions about embedding engagement and collaboration in researcher promotion criteria, in the advice given to researchers at the start of their careers, and in specific projects that work closely with industry partners.

“Knowledge exchange doesn’t go far enough; we must think about knowledge integration and adoption to realise meaningful impact. Our role in that is not just to inform, but to engage, as partnerships are critical by design. They’re not just a side-hustle.” Professor Kiran Trehan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise, Partnerships and Engagement, University of York.

“It is important to remember that what matters for a partner today might not tomorrow, and so you have to understand the evolving needs of that partner while ensuring that engagement remains rooted in ethical principles, societal benefit, and mutual respect. This means viewing engagement as relational, not simply transactional, and maintaining a critical perspective to balance the goals of the partner with the broader responsibility of academia to serve the public good.” Dr Ulrike Ehgartner, Research Associate, University of York School for Business and Society.

In the afternoon, the team spoke to postgraduate and early-career researchers (PGRs and ECRs) about their experiences and insights on the barriers, motivators and enablers to engaging with industry. These focus groups will form part of the evidence base of the DBAA project, which will in turn shape the initiatives the team designs to provide researchers with the support they need to engage beyond academia.

The data gathered during the event will be used alongside conclusions drawn from similar discussions with industry partners and researcher developers, ensuring that our outputs are targeted and impactful.

“It was fantastic to build on existing partnerships and explore new connections at our event in York. Many thanks to all of the speakers and attendees for generously contributing to conversations that have sparked so many new ideas for initiatives and collaborations. We’re looking forward to sharing some exciting opportunities for further engagement with the project early in 2025.” Professor Alison Truelove, Project Director, Developing Business-Aware Academics, University of Exeter.