Knowledge exchange and enterprise

The KEE Strategic Plan, will deliver the greatest possible benefit to the economy, society, culture, and the environment. As a result, the University will be recognised locally, nationally and internationally for its contributions in KEE. Within our community, KEE will be valued as an important strength. Specifically:

• Our KEE activities will benefit Southampton and Winchester, Hampshire, the South of England, the UK and the world, contributing to well-being and prosperity.
• KEE activities will make an increased contribution to the financial and non-financial (e.g. environmental and reputational) sustainability of the University.
• KEE activities will be an important route to positive impacts for our research and educational activities, relevant to employment, partnerships, and reputational outcomes, but also to strong performance in the future Research Excellence Framework (REF), Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) and
• Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
• Our strength in KEE will attract high calibre and motivated students and staff; and bring investors, businesses, policymakers, public sector and charity partners into the flourishing innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem within the University.
• As a result of these activities and their impact, the University of Southampton will be recognised as being one of the strongest universities for KEE in the world.
   

To deliver on our vision, we are working towards the following goals.

People

• Enable staff and students engaged in KEE to gain skills and experience to help them to succeed in their careers, realise their potential to innovate, and deliver impact. Recognise and value staff involved in KEE activities to ensure we bring the best people and commercial skills into the University.

Partnership and collaboration 

• Grow and deepen our partnerships, from policymakers to industry and third sector organisations, to be the partner of choice, so we collaborate to innovate, show we are open to business and to bringing investors, business partners and supporters into our flourishing inventive and entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

Process and customer journey 

• Transform and simplify our processes, systems, and customer journey to better fulfil our stakeholders’ needs. 

Prioritise the KEE activities targeted for growth

• Recognising the different strengths and characteristics of KEE across our Faculties, we will agree which activities will be supported for growth, so we invest resource and focus service improvement initiatives appropriately, enabling them to succeed. Likewise, we will be clear where we will consciously disinvest, reduce, or cease activity.

Grow our financial surplus and overall income

• Grow our income from KEE over the next five years so it contributes to diversifying University income, helps secure our financial sustainability, and allows strategic investment into KEE activities.

Enable KEE activities to show their contribution to our shared purpose

• By developing a framework of metrics and KPIs (financial and non-financial) for all our activities we will review their performance fairly, ensure they succeed, and contribute to our mission in a sustainable way.
   

Primary responsibility for delivering the KEE strategic plan sits with the Vice President Research & Enterprise (VPRE). VPRE is supported by the Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise (KEE) Board and all Faculties are represented through their Associate Dean Enterprise. 

Research and Innovations Services (RIS) is the professional service driving the delivery of this KEE Strategic Plan under the leadership of the Director Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange.

To succeed in delivering the vision and strategic goals, we will: 

1. Strategically invest our HEIF, UKRI Impact Acceleration Accounts and similar funding to support delivery of KEE. 
2. Reinvest a proportion of any surplus from KEE activities into delivering this strategic plan and in our continual improvement. We will also address and consciously disinvest where activities are underperforming and continually loss-making. 
3. Empower and enable our people to take responsibility and have accountability.
4. Ensure our infrastructure investments and professional services are resourced to deliver our Vision, Strategic Goals and Implementation plan.
5. Ensure consistency in the implementation of our KEE policies, our financial and governance procedures across all Faculties, whilst recognising different characteristics of effective KEE relevant to their disciplines.
    

Read the KEE Strategic Plan to find out how we are overseeing, delivering, and measuring the progress of our KEE goals.