Lancaster University has ranked among the top institutions in the country for partnership working and using its research to create positive economic and social impact.

Research England has released its latest Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) findings measuring the quality of knowledge exchange activity taking place across the sector and capturing how institutions utilise their academic activity outside their walls to benefit society.

Seven activities are measured – Research Partnerships; Working with Business; Working with the Public and Third Sector; Skills, Enterprise, and Entrepreneurship; Local Growth and Regeneration; Intellectual Property and Commercialisation; and Public and Community Engagement

Lancaster’s analysis of the findings, found the University to be joint fourth of 122 higher education institutions in England when measured across all areas, and overall best in the North West.

The outcomes recognised Lancaster among the top 20 per cent of English institutions for Local Growth and Regeneration, Working with Businesses and Working with the Public and Third Sector. The University also placed in the top 40 per cent for Research Partnerships, Public and Community Engagement and IP and Commercialisation. The University “scored" 30 out of possible 35 measured points.

The KEF analysis places each University into one of seven clusters. Lancaster is in Cluster X, a group of large, highly research-intensive and broad-discipline universities undertaking a significant amount of excellent research.

In Cluster X much of the research taking place is funded by UKRI and other government bodies; with a discipline portfolio balanced across STEM and non-STEM, although with less clinical medicine activity, and a large proportion of taught postgraduates in the student population.

Other Cluster X institutions include Bath, Brunel, LSE, Loughborough, Royal Holloway, Durham, Hull, Kent, Surrey, York, Keele, SOAS, East Anglia, Essex, Exeter, Reading and Leicester.

Lancaster came joint top of Cluster X, performing equal to or better than Cluster X average on all measures.

The latest findings use data measured between 2018 and 2021 with Research England finessing the metrics used in the latest Knowledge Exchange Framework to ensure even more exemplary work was being recognised across the sector.

Lancaster University Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Schofield said: “I’m delighted the latest Knowledge Exchange Framework recognises the importance we place on working with our valued partners – across all sectors. Engagement is one of the three pillars of our Institutional Strategy and the Knowledge Exchange Framework is a great way to showcase our strengths around engagement and how we translate our activity to benefit the wider society.

“To have been recognised as joint fourth in the country – a substantial improvement on our position last year – shows how much focus we have placed on this activity in recent years.

“I would like to put on record my gratitude to all the staff at Lancaster who have contributed to this fantastic result. I hope they are proud of this national recognition of the excellent work they do, which really helps consolidate Lancaster’s leading position in this area.”

Sarah Kemp, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Engagement at Lancaster University, added: “As a civic university and an anchor institution for its region, Lancaster places huge importance on its responsibilities to support and catalyse positive societal change so the results of the latest KEF findings are extremely encouraging.

“Part of my role is to ensure the University translates the relevant and beneficial learning and knowledge created here to maximise impact for our communities of businesses and people, whilst at the same time enhancing the University’s national and international profile and reputation.

“Lancaster is a key partner in huge initiatives for the region, such as the incoming National Cyber Force and plans for Eden Project North, while still focussing on important knowledge exchange programmes for our valued SME community, all of which contributes towards these important KEF results.”

The Knowledge Exchange Framework findings for the 122 HEIs involved can be viewed here https://kef.ac.uk/dashboard while Lancaster's rankings can be found here https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/research/research-enterprise-services/he-bci--heif/