What is the Merseyside Centre for Knowledge Exchange Activity?

In 2004 the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) made funding available for 22 Centres for Knowledge Exchange Activity across the country. The 22 centres are diverse in nature ranging from sector specific to generic. However, all have the primary aim of increasing collaboration between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and business in accordance with several important reports.

On Merseyside the funding has been used to continue and expand upon the fantastically successful Business Bridge scheme under the banner of “Graduates for Merseyside”. The main aims are fourfold:

• provide talent from the participating HEIs to assist northwest businesses by either supporting them e.g. an extra pair of skilled hands or by developing the business further e.g. freeing up time for Managing Directors to get on with their priorities.
• Increase the skills and experience that students have to make them more employable after they graduate.
• Increase graduate retention i.e. keep the talents that have been developed here in Merseyside and preventing a regional “brain drain”. Increasing skill levels within business also plays a part in improving regional productivity.
• Establish great working relationships between universities and business.
  • Increase business feedback into the universities so that the universities have a better understanding of business needs and the types of skills you wish to see students graduating with.
  • Many companies find the Business Bridge students fit in so well that they offer them a position within their organisations beyond the original brief.

Business Bridge has been supporting and developing local businesses since April 1995. This is done by defining business needs into (usually) short, flexible projects, which a skilled student(s) undertakes.

Business Bridge is a successful collaboration between Liverpool John Moores University, The University of Liverpool and Liverpool Hope University. The brokerage service offered is free. There is no catch. Companies decide which students they would like to meet and, ultimately, who they think is capable of carrying out the work. Companies take on students as employees as they would with any other member of staff.

Companies have found the scheme to be flexible, cost effective and a great way to assess the skills base of potential future employees. Students have been given an excellent insight into the world of work via quality, predominantly vocational, projects and gained the experience to set them apart from other graduates. Work has been a mix of extra-curricular activity and work based learning as part of students' courses.