Scheme Details

The Centres of Industrial Collaboration aim to create collaboration between companies and regional universities with first-class research. The objective to make the centres self-sustaining on commercial income ensures that their work corresponds to companies’ real needs.

Rationale and objectives

The Centres of Industrial Collaboration (CICs) have been established by the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward as a reaction to the findings the there were poor links between regional industry and academia in Yorkshire and Humber. Their key objective is to exploit the region’s well-developed science base to improve regional competitiveness and productivity. The CICs provide a professional entry point for companies to get access to universities’ specific technological resources, and facilitate the transfer of skills and know-how from academia to small and large firms. They encourage greater levels of industrial innovation and R&D, and improve the understanding of technology commercialisation within the research community as well as within SMEs. Being part of the region’s cluster support strategy, the CICs cove areas of expertise related to Yorkshire Forward’s seven priority clusters.

Key activities

14 CICs have been accredited since the start of the programme. The main criterion for the approved CICs was scientific excellence together with a good track record in knowledge transfer to, and engagement with, the region’s industrial base. A few centres are run jointly by two universities, and all centres are encouraged to work together.

The host university of each CIC received around £600,000 for a period of three years, with the objective to achieve sufficient commercial income from contracts with companies to be self-sustaining after that. The funding covered costs such as a commercial manager, dedicated research staff and specific equipment. Yorkshire Forward provided central marketing support, access to commercial opportunities, and workshops and seminars to improve commercial skills. As part of the accreditation process, each CIC has to produce a business plan which set the strategy for how to generate enough income to become self-sustaining. No subsidies are provided for companies to work with the CICs, nor is the technical work of the academic research groups funded. This mechanism guarantees that the work of the CICs corresponds to real needs.

The CICs’ performance is monitored quarterly, and funds are paid out based on expenditure. Underperforming CICs receive closer monitoring and support, and funding can be suspended or terminated. Due to the close attention paid to the centres, and the possibility of losing CIC status, the CIC accreditation has been trademarked and is valued in its own right.

Funding information

The total budget of the scheme is £11.16 million, of which £2.4 million come from the Structural Funds’ Objective 1 and 2 programmes.

Outcomes

Four CICs are now successfully operating on a fully commercial basis, and no longer receive Yorkshire Forward funding. To date, over 1,300 jobs have been created or safeguarded and over £40 million generated from 1,700 contacts with companies.