KEEP+

A Knowledge Exchange and Embed Partnership, known as a KEEP, is a three-way collaboration between:

1. you, the business
2. a graduate employee (known as a KEEP Associate) who will exchange the specialist knowledge your business needs for the valuable experience you can offer
3. a Knowledge Base (Anglia Ruskin is known as a ‘knowledge base’). An academic from your chosen knowledge base will supervise the KEEP Associate and offer you consulting support throughout the collaboration.

Projects typically last 12 months. Each project is different. We work with you to establish the requirements of the project, which will determine its length.

The KEEP+ programme offers a number of research and innovation collaboration opportunities that can help your SME develop projects that test, develop and launch new products, processes and services. Known as 'RICs' for short, these Research and Innovation Collaboration interventions are designed to help your business grow its product or service portfolio.

You can use the intervention from initial idea/conception stage all the way through to market launch. We can provide collaborative research services or research and development support in a number of ways. Access to our research facilities and expertise will be integral to the project’s success. Through our network, it may also be possible to access new markets and stakeholders such as public sector organisations, other research entities and larger businesses.

By participating in KEEP+ you can:

• support the development of new products and services
• access academic experts and qualified staff to spearhead new projects and grow your business
• obtain greater market awareness and develop your business for today’s market
• enhance your business’s strategic planning and operational efficiency
• receive assistance for the development and design of new products
• improve your performance and business operations;
• identify and gain access to new markets
• increase your competitive advantage
• increase profitability
• support innovation and business improvement
• explore new ideas
• bring new knowledge into the business.

Written agreements are drawn up between you and the Knowledge Base to make sure you own the Intellectual Property of the project.

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) has funded this programme to support business investment in research and innovation (R&I) and help foster collaboration between businesses and the higher education sector. 

In doing so, KEEP+ will:

• increase innovation activity in SMEs
• strengthen local innovation ‘ecosystem(s)’ and leverage opportunities for social innovation
• leverage SME investment in R&I
• engage SMEs in knowledge exchange, collaborative and contract R&I
• enable SMEs to introduce new products and services to the market
• enable SMEs to introduce new products and services into their firms
• support the creation of new jobs
• support unique enterprises to innovate.

A KEEP+ is a collaboration between a company, a ‘Knowledge Base’ (an academic department within the University) and an Associate (that’s you).

The KEEP+ Associate is a recent graduate who is employed by our University to work full time at the company. As the KEEP+ Associate, you are really the bridge in the collaboration and will drive the project, with academic support, to deliver a strategic change and embed expertise into the company.

KEEP+ is designed to fast-track your career development. You’ll have the opportunity to work with senior management, often including the Managing Director, of a company on a pre-defined work plan. That means that not only will you have real, commercial deliverables with which to enhance your CV with but you will also have delivered a critical change within the core of a business.

A training budget specific to the KEEP+ Associate is built into each project. This means that you will be able to create a personal development plan and propose courses needed to complete the project as well as to enhance your post-project employability. Approximately 10% of your project time is dedicated to your training and development. You’ll come out with vital industry experience and with better skills, ready for your next opportunity.

You need to be a UK citizen or have the right to work in the UK without visa sponsorship.  As far as qualifications are concerned you need to be a recent graduate (i.e. have graduated from University within the last two years), with either Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or PhD.

Each project will have specific requirements, particularly with regards to technical skills but what KEEP+ is looking for is an Associate who is ambitious and driven, prepared to take ownership of the project and to drive it forward to deliver commercial out outcomes.