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Transforming lives through collaboration and knowledge exchange
Through knowledge exchange, our staff and students work with businesses, government, not-for-profits and community groups to turn their knowledge and ideas into solutions that benefit us all.
UCL is one of the top universities in the country for knowledge exchange, as recognised in the annual Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF). More detail about UCL's KEF results can be found in our KEF news story.
Knowledge exchange is a two-way exchange of ideas, evidence and expertise between universities and organisations and communities outside of academia. It can involve a wide variety of activities and partners – we’ve highlighted below some examples of what UCL has been doing.
How UCL is collaborating with partners
Working with the public and third sector
By partnering with local authorities, health services, charities and voluntary groups, our research improves the daily lives of millions of people.
Transforming climate change education in Iraq with the British Council Iraq
Academics from the UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education have been working with British Council Iraq to enhance Iraqi climate change and sustainability education.
Ammar Tariq, Interim Head of Education at British Council Iraq said:
“The experience I had was inspiring in terms of thinking of this work as behavioural change among children. It was driven by receiving an appropriate level of knowledge rather than focusing simply on course book design – and in that respect it was different to the process normally followed in Iraq and so had greater impact on the students, teachers and the local community."
Intellectual property and commercialisation
Our spinouts solve complex global problems and attract investment into the UK and stimulate economic growth. In addition to creating spinouts, we support academics to license ground-breaking technologies for commercial development and manufacture.
Gene therapy transforms lives of people with haemophilia A
A new treatment for people with haemophilia A, developed at UCL and licensed to BioMarin Pharmaceuticals Inc., is offering a new quality of life for people with the debilitating disease.
Maciej, a patient who has received the treatment, said:
"I feel very good now after the gene therapy. I feel like a normal person. I feel safe and secure that there will be no more bleeds that will cause any more damage to my body."
Student startups
Our thriving entrepreneurial community creates startups that attract millions of pounds of investment, creating jobs and spearheading innovation, that boosts the UK economy.
BoxxDocks improves logistics efficiency with its data-driven solution
By integrating advanced tracking technology into reusable packaging, UCL startup BoxxDocks helps logistic businesses boost efficiency while lowering costs and environmental impact.
UCL alumnus James Della Valle (BSc Architecture 2020 and MSc Architecture 2023), Co-Founder, BoxxDocks said:
“It’s been a rapid and exhilarating journey, and the input we’ve had from UCL has been pivotal in all of it.”
Working with business
From global corporates to SMEs, we partner with businesses and other organisations to solve complex challenges and deliver economic and social advantage.
UCL and Amazon Web Services accelerate digital innovation
The UCL Centre for Digital Innovation (UCL CDI) is a collaborative initiative between UCL and Amazon Web Services. The centre brings together the expertise of both organisations, with the aim of making research more useable, and accelerating transformative innovation.
Leanne Hurrell, Head of UK Regional Public Sector, Amazon Web Services, said:
“Working with UCL is unique. We collaborate because we genuinely want to solve societal problems and use technology for good.”
Public and community engagement
Public engagement is a dialogue between UCL's staff, students and alumni, and diverse local and global communities. By listening and responding to the public, ensuring UCL listens and responds to community needs.
Creating positive change in our home city
We're working with a wide range of organisations including Islington Council, London Higher and UCL Academy.
Islington Councillor Santiago Bell Bradford, Executive Member for Inclusive Economy and Jobs, said:
“The challenges that Islington faces are huge and we value working with collaborators such as UCL to help us tackle our priorities. Islington has always been a place that prides itself on being on the cutting edge and by working with UCL we’ll be doing just that.”
Local growth and regeneration
We foster a culture of collaboration that brings economic benefits, tackles environment and sustainability challenges, and helps local communities to thrive.
Working towards a sustainable future
We’re supporting the Thames Estuary Growth Board to deliver its long-term goal of creating 1.3 million jobs, a million new homes, and 190 billion GVA (gross value added) to the British economy.
The Thames Estuary Growth Board was a key partner of UCL’s inaugural Hydrogen Showcase, an event which brought together leading experts on hydrogen research from industry, academia and government.
Kate Willard OBE, Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board said:
“Hydrogen is a key part of our sustainable energy strategy and partnerships with organisations like UCL…are key to us moving that agenda forward to deliver good, great and fair green growth across the Thames Estuary.”
Research partnerships
We're home to world-leading researchers, across a wide range of academic subjects. We work in partnership with business, not-for-profit, education and the public sector to solve complex problems, challenge our understanding and shape the world around us.
Researchers transform Parkinson's tremors into music
UCL researchers launched an album inspired by the tremors of Parkinson’s patients to help provide relief for people with the condition. The aim of the project is to raise awareness of Parkinson’s and highlight the importance of a holistic approach to managing symptoms.
Participant Kuhan, whose song was called “The Greatest Day”, said:
“I feel a physical change in my symptoms when I have an emotional reaction to things. And there’s nothing more emotional than music that’s based on me.”
Read the latest case studies and news articles from UCL Innovation & Enterprise.