On 10 December, the Ashcroft International Business School (AIBS), in association with Research, Development and Commercial Services (RDCS), held a one-day Knowledge Transfer workshop on the Cambridge campus for our Knowledge Transfer graduates.

Philip Robinson and Dr Helen Benton, Associate Lecturers from AIBS, coordinated December's workshop, running seminars on topics such as value creation and change management as well as chairing individual presentations and discussions from Anglia Ruskin graduates.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) and Knowledge East of England Partnerships (KEEP) are part funded by government and provide resources and expertise to thriving businesses and organisations throughout the UK which wish to innovate, expand or improve their performance.

KTP graduates are employed on specific projects of strategic importance for a period of between 12 and 36 months with the added benefit of academic supervision.

Knowledge transfer programmes at the Ashcroft International Business School are dramatically going from success to success. Over the last 18 months income from Knowledge Transfer Partnerships has increased from £21,000 to over £500,000 and it's Anglia Ruskin students and graduates who are leading the way, project managing the schemes with over 12 of the regions companies. A clear indicator that Anglia Ruskin University is producing quality graduates who are able to add value to businesses.

The Business School now has more KTP programmes than the combined efforts of University of Bedfordshire, UEA, University of Essex, the Open University, Writtle College and the Royal Veterinary College. Over the last two years Anglia Ruskin has also successfully delivered 20 KEEP projects. Even so, there's no room for complacency and staff are working hard to ensure that in 2009 Anglia Ruskin is one of the leading knowledge transfer universities in the East of England.

The KEEP (Knowledge - East of England - Partners) scheme focuses on small and medium sized companies based in the East of England and manages shorter-term projects. Anglia Ruskin is now managing the Knowledge East of England Partnership programmes on behalf of the 12 universities in the East of England, and has successfully delivered over 20 KEEP programmes in the past 12 months - more than any university in the region. Along with nine KTPs, Anglia Ruskin is now the most improving knowledge transfer University with these KTP's alone generating in excess of £1.2 million over the next two years. The companies involved in these programmes range from an infection control company to specialist designers of audio/video recording systems for police forces and government agencies.

In addition to the success Anglia Ruskin is having with the knowledge transfer partnerships, our University is also managing the Shell Step Scheme for Cambridgeshire and Norfolk and in summer of 2008, managed to successfully deliver 24 Shell Step placements with companies across Cambridge and Norfolk.