Working together we can help create the future research leaders of tomorrow in technology and management, generate world-leading academic research and outputs, address real-world challenges through impactful research, and develop technology, products and services in conjunction with business organisations.
To support the next generation of skilled, highly-employable graduates, external partners can engage with Cranfield in a variety of ways. These include the sponsorship or part-sponsorship of a master's project or a PhD studentship for specific projects of interest, via a CASE (Collaborative Awards in Science and Engineering)-like arrangement whereby the student project is based on a co-produced research idea with academic staff. Other options include the offer of internships for practical experience; sponsoring events and activities in the student calendar; hosting students for short periods of time; or providing access to hosted expertise, facilities and data, including organising specialist technical training for students and delivering seminars at the University. Once our students have graduated, there is also the option of part-funding a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) whereby graduates are hosted within a commercial organisation for a period of time, but employed by the University, allowing a true academic-industrial relationship to be developed.
Our researchers also work with a wide variety of universities and research organisations through a range of different mechanisms designed to create networks, partnerships and communities where new academic ideas are forged, the latest knowledge and best practice is shared amongst peers, and insightful, impactful research is conducted from idea conception through to practical application to meet current and future research challenges. Such working relationships may be enacted through small or very large research projects and programmes; joint research studentship and training initiatives; network and workshop grants; visiting researcher and travel schemes; international funding opportunities; innovation activities; or event contract research and consultancy. The most appropriate options are selected on a case-by-case basis in close collaboration with the research partner.
A large proportion of our research is also conducted with businesses, where they benefit from Cranfield's unique knowledge, expertise and flexible consultative approach. Our long-running organisational experience with industry ensures our academic experts have significant commercial understanding of the technical, engineering and management challenges facing organisations today. This work focuses on research and innovation collaboration, consultancy and commercialisation activities, but also includes provision of advice, use of laboratory facilities and longer-term change projects. Cranfield ensures that industrial partners also benefit from the wealth of private : public funding schemes available from public sector funding bodies, designed to co-fund research and development that is impactful, practical and economically valuable to the UK. Such schemes include business growth funding through R&D, academic and industrial researcher placements and knowledge exchange schemes, industrial fellowships, research partnership grants, PhD studentships, and research development programmes designed to raise the maturity of academic research and make it ready for market.
If you wish to engage with Cranfield and discuss your research and business challenges, please get in touch.
