Higher education-business and community interaction survey (HE-BCI)

The annual HE-BCI survey examines the exchange of knowledge between universities and the wider world, and informs the strategic direction of 'third stream' activity that funding bodies and higher education institutions (HEIs) in the UK undertake.

About the survey

The surveys collect financial and output data per academic year. Results are summarised in the annual survey reports which provide information on a range of activities, from the commercialisation of new knowledge, through the delivery of professional training, consultancy and services, to activities intended to have direct social benefits.

These data provide invaluable intelligence for knowledge exchange practitioners and policy makers. The reports also provide an annual in-depth commentary on the extent of and trends in knowledge exchange activity in the UK.

The process is overseen by the HE-BCI Stakeholders group representing the wide spectrum of interested and involved bodies.

The first survey published in 2001 provided data on academic year 1999-2000. The ninth survey for academic year 2008-09 was published this year.

Data reported under 'capacity' and 'infrastructure' are a snapshot of the position at a set date (for 2008-09, 31 July 2009).

Process

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) has now taken over the annual process of data collection for the survey. This will be collected as part of the Finance Statistics Return (FSR), the main source of financial information on the total activities of all UK HEIs. Returns should be submitted to HESA by 23 December each year. Survey data can now be obtained from HESA.

2008-09 survey

The ninth survey highlighted that UK HEIs received £2.96 billion from business and community interaction in 2008-09. This is approximately a 5.5 per cent rise from the last survey (for 2007-08).

Table of UK key data from the survey

Indicators from the HE-BCI survey (all UK) Academic year
Income from all sources 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
Collaborative research 614 587 645 703 713 732 n/a
Contract research 655 683 705 823 854 937 n/a
Consultancy contracts 239 248 262 303 343 332 n/a
Facilities and equipment related services 91 84 97 98 106 110 n/a
CPD 248 306 310 369 393 383 n/a
CPD and CE 87 112 126 141 157 176 n/a
Regeneration and development programmes 245 230 246 279 244 172 n/a
IP income 43 63 63 61 68 124 n/a
Outputs from UK HEIs 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
Patent applications 1,308 1,648 1,536 1,913 1,898 2,097 n/a
Patents granted 463 711 577 647 590 653 n/a
Formal spin-offs established 167 148 187 226 219 191 n/a
Formal spin-offs still active after three years 688 661 746 844 923 982 n/a
% UK HEIs that provide: 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
Enquiry point for SMEs n/a 89% 90% 91% 91% 93% 91%
Short bespoke courses on client's premises n/a 78% 80% 84% 83% 88% 83%
Distance learning for businesses n/a 66% 66% 68% 68% 68% 74%
Required contracting system for all consultancy n/a 66% 68% 73% 75% 75% 71%

Previous surveys

Further information

HEFCE has also liaised with other parties active in the field of third stream metrics and indicators. These include:

  • AURIL/UNICO/NUBS (commercialisation survey)
  • AUTM, ProTon Europe, ASTP, EC (international)
  • Russell Group/SPRU (conceptual framework study)
  • CI-HE/Salford University (benchmarking work)
  • SFC (knowledge transfer metrics work)
  • RCUK, especially AHRC (social, civic and cultural indicators).

For more information contact Adrian Day, tel 0117 931 7428, e-mail a.day@hefce.ac.uk.

Last updated 14 June 2010