Overview
The Future of the Knowledge Excellence Framework (KEF) Forum 2021 will assess the development and delivery of knowledge exchange activity across higher education following the publication of results from the first iteration of KEF. The Forum will explore the outcomes from the first KEF exercise, examine Research England’s plans for knowledge exchange funding across the sector and evaluate how knowledge exchange programmes will adapt following the Covid-19 crisis and Brexit.
What to Expect
- A national update from Research England on the development of the Knowledge Exchange Framework
- Leading best practice insight and assessment of how institutions delivered their submissions for KEF and analysis of how implementation and delivery can be improved
- Assessment of the lessons learnt from the first KEF and how the process can be further enhanced
- Insights and guidance on how institutions can look to develop their long-term knowledge exchange pipeline
- Analysis on what the knowledge exchange landscape looks like after the Covid-19 crisis and Brexit and how institutions may respond
Online Experience: An Interactive, Networking-Led Forum
Key Speakers

Other Speakers




Agenda
Throughout the Conference you will be able to make use of:
- Match making networking and live delegate meet ups
- Replay functions so you never miss a session
- Live chat, questioning and polling tools
- Real time resources and presentations
- A next generation conference engagement platform
Before proceedings get underway, this short explainer session will explore how you can get the most out of our new next generation Conference platform.
Our IG Higher Education Team will run through how to make virtual connections, creating networking meet ups, accessing content on demand and how to use our new Q&A, chat functions and virtual polling tools.

- Outlining the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on timeline and delivery of KEF
- Exploring outcomes on the implementation of the first iteration of KEF and Research England’s criteria on KEF metrics and narrative statements
- Examining the key findings from the submission of narrative statements in October 2020 by higher education providers
- Assessing the overall trends in submissions and analysing the first KEF results
- Analysing how institutions can demonstrate accountability and high impact spending of the £213 million Higher Education Innovation Fund
- Evaluating the key learning points in the delivery of the first KEF and Research England’s next steps in assessing funding for knowledge exchange activity following the first framework

With knowledge exchange programmes, industry partnerships and new research agendas expected to play a major role in the national recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, this panel session will bring together some of the nation’s leading knowledge exchange experts to assess the next steps in developing impactful partnerships.
This panel session will look to explore and provide answers around some of the most critical issues facing the sector at the moment including:
- How will the Covid-19 crisis influence knowledge exchange priorities and partnership working?
- How has the crisis reshaped economic and societal challenges and how will this influence funding programmes and investment?
- What lessons can be learnt from the crisis in developing agile and responsive research and knowledge exchange programmes?





Your opportunity to make the most of the virtual Conference, meet up with fellow delegates, make connections and tour our real-time resources and content.
Don’t forget if you’ve missed a session, you can use our replay functions, so you can watch all the content on demand at a time that suits you.
Following higher education institutions submitting their narrative statements in October 2020 and with many institutions now evaluating their KEF performance in the long term following the first iteration of the programme, this workshop series will allow participants to gain practical insights on some of the core implementation challenges that faced the sector.
In these sessions, you will have the opportunity to engage in discussion with KEF professionals on the frontline of delivery, as we assess how improvements can be made for future assessment of knowledge exchange.



Your opportunity to make the most of the virtual Conference, meet up with fellow delegates, make connections and tour our real-time resources and content.
Don’t forget if you’ve missed a session, you can use our replay functions, so you can watch all the content on demand at a time that suits you.

This session will explore some of the major barriers facing knowledge exchange activity and assess how the sector should go about translating high quality research into viable commercial opportunities.
- Overcoming common barriers to commercialisation from industry including investor risk and absorptive capacity
- Translating knowledge transfer and collaborative research programmes into new product development and innovation
- Matching need and demand: assessing how research leaders can ensure their engagement activities and partnerships reflect the needs of industry following the Covid-19 pandemic


- Examining the principles of the Knowledge Exchange Concordat and how it seeks to support institutions to develop clear missions and build up knowledge exchange capacity
- Assessing how the Concordat will be harnessed to evaluate sector-wide knowledge exchange performance and help support continuous improvement across HE knowledge exchange activity
- Translating the Concordat into practice – assessing the Task and Finish Group’s proposed enablers in driving the advancement of knowledge exchange
- Analysing progress so far and examples of institutions at the forefront of embedding the Concordat into their knowledge exchange activities

Your opportunity to make the most of the virtual Conference, meet up with fellow delegates, make connections and tour our real-time resources and content.
Don’t forget if you’ve missed a session, you can use our replay functions, so you can watch all the content on demand at a time that suits you.
These on demand sessions will be available to watch and replay before, during and after the forum ensuring delegates are able to maximise their learning from all three sessions.
In these on demand sessions institutions at the forefront of outstanding KEF delivery in 2020 will share challenges faced and solutions developed in response. Furthermore, each institution will look to share their thoughts on what changes should be made ahead of the next iteration of the KEF.



In this themed Q&A session delegates will be given the opportunity to quiz leading HEI’s on what they see as the future direction of travel for the KEF and how the sector as a whole can look to improve its Knowledge Exchange activity.
You will still have the opportunity to make the most of the virtual Conference, meet up with fellow delegates, make connections and tour our real-time resources and content.
Don’t forget if you’ve missed a session, you can use our replay functions, so you can watch all the content on demand at a time that suits you.
Audience
This Conference is designed specifically for the higher education sector and industries engaged in knowledge exchange. Those in attendance will include:
- Directors of Knowledge Exchange
- KEF Managers
- KEF Project Leads
- Research Impact Managers
- Deans of Research
- Directors of Research and Development
- Directors of Business Development
- Heads of Research Partnerships
- Pro-Vice Chancellors
- Heads of Faculty
Pricing
- Online Rate (HE and Public Sector)£295 + VAT
- Online Rate (Private)£395 + VAT
- Online Rate (Voluntary)£245 + VAT