Entrepreneurial spirit sees Teesside University achieve top marks
Teesside University’s position as an enterprising university has been recognised nationally with top marks achieved in the majority of categories in a major performance indicator.
The Knowledge Exchange Framework 2023 (KEF3) saw Teesside University achieve the top result in four out of seven categories, reinforcing the institution’s status as a university that transforms lives and economies.
KEF3 categorised Teesside University as having ‘very high engagement’ - the highest possible result - across ‘research partnerships’, ‘working with business’, ‘continued professional development’ and ‘graduate start-ups and local growth and regeneration’.
The Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) is a national assessment of the work carried out by Higher Education Institutions with external partners to support the economy and society. KEF is based on a range of metrics across institutional strategies, activities and their impact.
The Knowledge Exchange Framework sees institutions assessed in clusters among comparable providers.
Teesside University was grouped among 33 large universities nationally with excellent research and teaching across a similar broad discipline portfolio, with Teesside scoring above the cluster average for comparable institutions for 6 out of 7 perspectives in KEF3.
These positive results follow Teesside University’s outstanding performance in the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023 – where the University was awarded gold across all areas.
In addition, last month Teesside University was shortlisted for University of the Year in the brand-new Mail University Guide.
Reflecting on the success of KEF3, Professor Craig Gaskell, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange) at Teesside University, said: “We are delighted with the results of this year’s Knowledge Exchange Framework and pleased to see Teesside recognised nationally as a top performing, enterprising institution.
“These results reinforce our position as a university which is committed to transforming lives and economies through education, research, and engagement with business.
These results reinforce our position as a university which is committed to transforming lives and economies through education, research, and engagement with business.
“Our enterprise and knowledge exchange work is all about developing an entrepreneurial culture and equipping people and businesses with the skills, behaviours and confidence to excel.
“As a University, we will continue to lead the way in developing and delivering high level knowledge and skills which are essential to support a future-facing workforce for our region and beyond.”
Teesside University embeds an entrepreneurial approach across the curriculum which is actively supported as a legitimate career path for all students.
A recent report by the Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey (HE-BCI) revealed that businesses founded by Teesside University students have some of the highest turnover in the country, bringing millions of pounds of revenue into the North East region and beyond.
The survey data showed that for the academic year 2021/22, the estimated current turnover of all active businesses founded by Teesside University students was more than £94 million, which is the 7th highest total in the UK*.
Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Teesside University, Professor Paul Croney, OBE, said: “Teesside University is a global institution which continues to go from strength to strength.
“The positive results in the Knowledge Exchange Framework again recognise the excellent work that has positioned Teesside University as an enterprising institution, working in partnership with our key stakeholders to have a transformational impact on people, our region and the wider world.”
* HESA Intellectual property: Spin-off activities by HE provider 2014/15 to 2021/22 table, sourced from Higher Education - Business and Community Interaction survey data.