Higher Education Innovation Fund - round 2: Funding proposals

This document invites comments on proposals for a second round of funding under the Higher Education Innovation Fund. The fund aims to help institutions increase their ability to respond to the needs of business and the wider community, where this leads to identifiable economic benefits.

Outcomes of consultation (December 2003)

To:	Heads of HEFCE-funded higher education institutions
Of interest to those responsible for:	Relations between HE and business and the wider community, Contract and collaborative research, Continuing vocational education, Strategic planning
Reference:	2003/34
Publication date:	July 2003
Enquiries to:	Tony Jacobs tel 0117 931 7041 e-mail t.jacobs@hefce.ac.uk Adrian Hill tel 0117 931 7351 e-mail a.hill@hefce.ac.uk Or HEFCE regional consultants

Executive summary (read on-line)

Download

Report
[ MS Word 160K | Zipped Word 68K | Adobe PDF 91K | Zipped PDF 79K ]

Executive summary

Purpose

1. This document asks for comments on proposals for a second round of funding under the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF 2). HEIF 2 will provide special funding to higher education institutions (HEIs) in England, for activities that increase their capability to respond to the needs of business (including companies of all sizes and sectors and a range of bodies within the wider community), where this will lead to identifiable economic benefits.

Key points

2. HEIF is to be consolidated as a permanent third stream of funding for HEIs, with investment rising to £90 million per year by 2005-06. A total of £187 million is available to fund activities outlined in this document over the period 2004-05 and 2005-06. The maximum award will be £2.4 million per HEI, to include any share of a collaborative award.

3. Incorporated in this total, funding through HEIF 2 will initiate a network of around 20 Knowledge Exchanges. These will be exemplars of good practice in interactions between less research-intensive HEIs and business. Each Knowledge Exchange will be funded for five years. A total of £16 million has been allocated for this purpose over the two years 2004-05 and 2005-06.

4. As Knowledge Exchange funding is a separate stream within HEIF 2, it will be possible for Knowledge Exchange funding to take an institution's total award to over £2.4 million.

5. We welcome comments on the strategic aims and objectives for HEIF 2, and on the proposed criteria for allocations and distribution arrangements. These are set out in the draft guidelines (Annex A).

Action required

6. Please send responses to this consultation to Tony Jacobs at HEFCE, to arrive by Friday 24 October 2003. Responses via e-mail would be preferred, to HEIF_2@hefce.ac.uk

July 2003/34 Special initiative Consultation

Comments should be sent to HEFCE by Friday 24 October 2003