BCU Event Marks 50 Years of Knowledge Transfer

Birmingham City University (BCU) recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme with a two-part event that brought together university leaders, industry pioneers, government stakeholders, and KTP Associates past and present.

The day began at STEAM House, where an engaging exhibition highlighted pioneering projects that demonstrate how innovation flourishes when academic insight meets commercial ambition. The event continued into the evening with the KTP Dinner at The Curzon Building —an opportunity to reflect on the legacy of the programme, celebrate successes, and look toward a collaborative future.

Since 1975, the KTP programme—funded by Innovate UK—has facilitated over 14,000 partnerships and contributed more than £2.3 billion to the UK economy. BCU has played a significant role in that success, submitting 240 KTP applications over the years, 79% of which have involved micro or SME businesses.

Innovation with Real-World Results

Made in the Midlands members featured prominently throughout the day, offering tangible proof of how KTPs are driving innovation, embedding talent, and creating sustainable growth within the region’s manufacturing and training sectors.

In-Comm Training, a leading skills provider, has launched a two-year KTP with BCU to develop an AI-powered Learning Management System (LMS). The project will support over 2,500 learners and connect with more than 700 employers across the Midlands.

As Gareth Jones, Managing Director of In-Comm, explained:

“This is a two-year project, but really part of a five- to six-year journey to completely digitise the business. The conversations here today have already sparked potential new synergies.”

Gareth Jones, Managing Director at In-Comm Training Services, networking on the stand at STEAM House.

COBA, a high-volume manufacturer based in the Midlands, is undertaking its first KTP to explore advanced manufacturing through AI and machine learning.

CEO Jonathan Atkinson reflected on the broader potential of the partnership:

“We’re not just thinking about the current KTP—we’re already imagining the next one. It’s about sustained talent and technology transfer that supports growth.”

Their KTP Associate, Sovic Ghosh, a robotics and AI specialist, is leading the development of an intelligent vision system to automate quality checks across the production line.

“We’re going from manual inspections to high-speed AI-driven checks—up to nine parts per second—with greater accuracy and less downtime,” he explained.

COBA team at the STEAM House exhibition: Bethan James (People Partner), Jonathan Atkinson (CEO), and Sovic Ghosh (Computer Vision Engineer).

ECAM Engineering, which has already completed its KTP with BCU, shared its transformative journey—from analogue processes to intelligent automation.

Managing Director Philip Arme shared his changed perception:

“I never went to university, so I didn’t think academia could influence what we do. But I now believe every company should work with a university like BCU.”

Their Associate, Rama, helped bridge the gap between outdated systems and digital innovation. The shift was deeply felt across the business.

Production Manager Elliot Arme added:

“A digital and cultural shift. We’ve automated workflows, and the system Rama built is forming the base of our next-generation platform.”

Inspired by the results, ECAM is now planning further KTPs in software development, management, and marketing—embedding students and researchers into each phase of growth.

ECAM Engineering team networking at STEAM House: Philip Arme (Managing Director), Elliot Arme (Production Manager), and Rama Kolluri (Business Systems and Technology Analyst).

Dinner Reflections: Past, Present and Future of KTP

The KTP Dinner brought together voices from across academia, government, and business to reflect on five decades of achievement and set a bold vision for the future of knowledge exchange in the UK.

Richard Lamb, Innovation Lead at Innovate UK, opened the evening with a powerful statement:

“As far as I can tell, KTP is the world’s longest-running business support programme. Since 1975, we’ve helped deliver more than 14,000 projects—11,000 of them with SMEs. These projects have generated billions in impact because of people like you.”

He described the KTP model as more than a funding mechanism—it is a national community, bound by a shared ambition to transform knowledge into real-world value. Lamb also announced the formation of a new national KTP alumni network, which will connect past associates and partners and support the ongoing exchange of insight and innovation.

Senior leaders from BCU’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment spoke about the university’s expanding role in applied education. The faculty has grown by 74% over the past four years and now supports more than 4,800 students on campus, with thousands more learning remotely around the world.

Speakers described a shift toward immersive, project-based learning, co-developed with employers, to better prepare students for the challenges of modern enterprise. This commitment to industry engagement was further reflected in the announcement of a new undergraduate degree in Artificial Intelligence—building on the university’s existing master’s-level offering and meeting growing demand for digital and data-driven skills.

Industry and academic partners connect over dinner at BCU’s KTP50 celebration.

A Toast to the Future

The evening concluded with a celebratory toast to the people, partnerships, and projects that have defined the KTP programme over the past five decades. While the event honoured the past, the energy in the room was firmly focused on what comes next.

“The world is changing fast,” Lamb noted. “But what won’t change is the power of partnerships like these—to drive economic growth, improve lives, and create lasting impact.”

With its growing KTP portfolio, commitment to applied learning, and strong ties to industry, BCU is well-positioned to lead the next chapter in the UK’s innovation journey—where academia and enterprise continue to grow, together.