Brunel University London: KEF2 results recognise Brunel’s strong research partnerships and engagement activity

The way Brunel University London’s research community maintains and enhances its engagement with society and the economy has been recognised among the best in its peer group in the second iteration of Research England’s Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF), announced today.

In KEF2, Brunel shows very high engagement in ‘research partnerships’, with high engagement in ‘intellectual property (IP) and commercialisation’, in ‘public and community engagement’, and in ‘working with business’.

These are four of the seven perspectives Research England assesses – categories of performance of English Higher Education Providers (HEPs) which demonstrate the range of valuable activities they conduct with external partners.

KEF2 compares institutions on a like-for-like basis, reviewing narrative accounts of the work they do to build public and community engagement, and to promote economic growth in their local area and beyond. Similar HEPs are grouped together with their peers in ‘KEF clusters’ based on factors such as their size, specialisation and the intensity of their research activities. Brunel remains in ‘Cluster X,’ described as large, high research intensive and broad-discipline universities undertaking a significant amount of excellent research.

In comparison to last year’s inaugural KEF1, KEF2 uses updated data and an evolved methodology, developed in response to positive feedback. It now provides a more accurate picture of how universities perform across the sector while preserving the considered and tested model developed alongside the sector.

Brunel’s KEF2 results show an improvement in ‘research partnerships’ and in ‘IP and commercialisation’ compared with KEF1. Both measures have now risen above the average for Cluster X, with ‘research partnerships’ now achieving the top rating of 5.

Prof Geoff Rodgers, Brunel’s Vice-Provost of Research, welcomed the results. “We are proud of the impact our research has on the economy here in West London and beyond. This is a result of significant and strong partnerships with organisations of all sizes, of building on opportunities to commercialise our research, and of engaging with our local community. The KEF2 results provide independent validation of this activity,” he said.

David Sweeney CBE, Executive Chair of Research England, said: “Knowledge exchange is integral to the mission and purpose of our universities, and its importance in contributing to societal and economic prosperity is strongly supported by the Government.

“Today’s new version of the Knowledge Exchange Framework takes further forward the vision and potential of KE activity, providing richer evidence to demonstrate universities’ strengths in different areas when set alongside their peers.”