Successful applicants of Knowledge Exchange Exploratory Grants

Today’s economic environment has created a need for finding creative and cost-effective methods for solving complex issues that afflict societies. Higher education institutions worldwide are increasingly being seen as the catalyst for fostering this innovative approach.

The British Council and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan have a joint aim to promote the role of universities as not just generators of theoretical research, but as important members of the community that can contribute to development. This is an essential third mission of universities, apart from their traditional missions of teaching and research, and is known as knowledge exchange.

The partnership between the British Council and HEC focuses on four areas:

1. KE national strategy development support
   As a result of the collaboration between the British Council and Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, the first ever Knowledge Exchange strategy has been developed for the Higher Education sector of Pakistan.
2. Developing institutional strategies for knowledge exchange
   The programme offers mobility grants to senior leaders in universities to work closely with UK partners and develop their knowledge exchange strategies. To date, 16 grants have been given to universities in Pakistan who worked with their counterparts in the UK.
3. ORIC staff training
   Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC) are being set up in universities to facilitate research and transform knowledge into products and services. British Council and HEC are working together to develop the capacity of ORIC staff.
4. HEC Research Links
   A network of UK and Pakistan partner institutions will be created to generate successful and credible case studies of knowledge exchange. As a first step to this, 16 Exploratory Grants have been given to universities in Pakistan to identify university and non-university partners in the UK.

The British Council-HEC knowledge exchange platform is a means for universities to create partnerships with business, government and other organisations to exchange skills and ideas. This two-way flow of knowledge benefits both universities and the wider community by stimulating innovation, improving quality of life and earning significant economic returns.  

Knowledge exchange is not just about the commercialisation of science and technology through the creation of spin-offs and patents etc. It encompasses all disciplines, including the arts and humanities.

Connect – Interact, Inspire, Innovate

The British Council organised a networking event bringing together members of universities, industry, government and non-governmental organisations called Connect – Interact, Inspire, Innovate. Held on the 22nd on November, 2011 in Islamabad, Connect was a vibrant and interactive evening that aimed to create new collaborations and spark new ideas.

Knowledge exchange was discussed in detail by a panel of experts – from the UK as well as from Pakistan – and video examples of knowledge exchange success stories were shown to an audience of around 400.

The British Council filmed several examples of knowledge exchange in Pakistan to show that it is not just an abstract idea. You, as a member of the academia, industry or community, can do it too. All it takes is creativity and commitment.

Watch below videos of our five case studies on knowledge exchange programme:

				Iqra University encourages entrepreneurship and social enterprise amongst its students to create a new generation of savvy industry professionals.
				Beaconhouse National University has found a way to give back to the community by training women and helping them realize their earning potential.
				Air University collaborates with the international organization National Instruments to provide engineering solutions to local industry that can change the way we live.
				The University of Veterinary and Animals Sciences is making our world safer by training security dogs for the police force.
				A healthy mother raises a happy family. The collaborative health project of Rawalpindi Medical College and Liverpool University underpins this idea.