What is Knowledge Exchange?

Knowledge Exchange (KE) is all about how the university works with business and the wider community to share ideas, research and skills. Innovating new products and services, and helping people and businesses thrive and develop.

Here at Leeds Trinity, we use Research England's definition of Knowledge Exchange:

‘intellectual input from the institution through interaction with external partners, to achieve social and economic impact.’

In other words, KE conveys how knowledge and ideas move between the knowledge source (academics) and the potential users of that knowledge (the local community, businesses and other non-academics).

On this page you can find further information about:

• Working with Leeds Trinity on Knowledge Exchange
• Knowledge Exchange case studies
• Contacting the Knowledge Exchange Team

If you are looking to solve business challenges through innovation, you can also find out more about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.

What kind of projects does Leeds Trinity get involved in?

Our academic researchers have worked on growth, regeneration, and public and community engagement projects, such as:

• Consultancy training with the Supply Chain Academy
• The Schools History Project
• Training courses with BAe Systems
• Research and innovation with Tinnitus sufferers
• And many more...

Our Knowledge Exchange Team are happy to discuss potential new partnerships.

Case studies

Supporting Teacher Development

In response to national changes, experts within the Institute of Childhood and Education at Leeds Trinity University established the Primary Science Development Network.  Ofsted advised that 'school leaders need to ensure that teachers have deep subject knowledge and to consider what curriculum design really involves in science' (Ofsted, 2019), and so staff from the Institute prepared a series of workshops for teachers.  The workshops, which aimed to support and develop effective teachers of primary science across the region, covered key elements of primary science to develop pedagogy and practice. Led by experienced primary science specialists, the series focused on working scientifically and scientific enquiry; assessment and progress in primary science; developing talking and writing in science and individual sessions focused on chemistry, biology and physics.

Digital Skills for Jobs

Leeds Trinity University was a partner in the [re]boot project, funded through European Social Fund (ESF) and led by West Yorkshire Combined Authority from 2019 until 2022. Free training courses were available for adults to help them get into employment, improve their career status, change roles or enter a new role within a key regional growth sector. As a partner, Leeds Trinity University delivered short courses in digital, creative and media areas, with over 170 individuals completing a course. Courses offered participants the opportunity to gain skills required to progress on to a number of roles including Production Assistant, Web Developer and Coder, and to meet recruiters from the local area.

Delivery began with a TV Production Skills course, the idea for which emerged from discussions with businesses and in the context of potential opportunities around Channel 4 moving to Leeds. Despite shifting to online delivery during the pandemic, tutor connections remained strong, as did business links. By early 2021 Leeds Trinity University had involved around 30 individuals from businesses including from SMEs, freelancers and Channel 4 in its provision and the Combined Authority described this course as “the gold standard” with the best example of business engagement. Other digital courses were delivered online, part or full time over the pandemic which helped to widen the reach of this offer to those furloughed, made redundant, or previously freelance, and looking to change direction. The part-time option allowed people to fit their study flexibly around other commitments. Learning from the project has fed into the development of the University’s Computer Science programmes.

The Schools History Project

The Schools History Project has been helping history teachers to teach history better, and teach better history, since 1972. With Hodder Education, SHP has published more than 50 textbooks for students from KS3 to A Level and sells around 50,000 copies a year.

Over the last 12 months, COVID lockdowns have provided the SHP with challenges and opportunities. The annual conference (which is usually in person) was moved online in Summer 2020. Later in the summer, the SHP’s annual conference was moved online but this allowed us to reach new audiences and spread best practice teaching to more of this history-teaching community.

We also ran a very successful New Teachers’ Conference in January featuring expert teachers and Marc Morris, a best-selling historian. SHP is planning to run its annual conference online again this July with a bigger and broader programme to reach as many history teachers as possible to strengthen and deepen the community and bring best practice to as many classrooms as possible.

Tickets are available from the Leeds Trinity University Online Store

Re:Tension case study

Ricardo Barker, Senior Lecturer in Film Production, wrote and produced the film ‘Re:Tension’ in 2019, working with a production team of Leeds Trinity students and staff.

This is now being offered to external institutions as part of a training package which includes the film screening, facilitated discussion and a training toolkit to assist you further. 

The film follows a black male student at university experiencing racism and discrimination. It attempts to provide a real insight into unconscious racial harassment within the higher education system and micro-aggressions that often go unnoticed.

Following the film screening a discussion is facilitated for attendees to take part in. The accompanying ‘Resource Toolkit’, designed by Senior Teaching Fellow Syra Shakir, is used to encourage group discussion around accountability and responsibility. It uses a theoretical model titled ‘The Forced Silence’ and refers to two of the five principles of Critical Race Theory.

The team have delivered the session to Leeds Trinity staff and students, and external institutions. Here are some comments from participants:

“The film and toolkit have taught me that as an institution we need to think about colour and race separately by looking at the individual and what they need. Labelling students and staff is contentious and discussing how it is a wider problem helps with breaking down these labels.”

"I really enjoyed the session. Thanks Syra and Ric for giving me the space to talk safely."

“The session really made me think about how listening to the voices of people of colour is essential for starting this transition and unpicking instances of racism within students and staff.”

Support for academics, researchers and partners

If you are an academic or from a potential partner organisation, please get in touch to discuss your needs at knowledgeexchange@leedstrinity.ac.uk