University of Salford achieves continued success in the Knowledge Exchange Framework
The results of the fifth iteration of the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) have been announced today, Tuesday 23 September 2025. The University of Salford has excelled in a number of key areas, highlighting the University's continued strength and leadership in knowledge exchange activities.
Salford has once again secured the highest possible rating for the commercialisation of our research and our collaboration with businesses – demonstrating the University’s role as a trusted and innovative partner for industry, SMEs and spin-out activity.
KEF assesses the collaborative process through which university colleagues, businesses and local communities share research, ideas and expertise for mutual benefit - ensuring that knowledge is effectively exchanged and applied to benefit society and the economy. Run annually by Research England, KEF provides an overview of the performance of higher education providers across seven broad areas of knowledge exchange activity, referred to as ‘perspectives’.
Building on previous KEF results, highlights for the University of Salford this year include:
- Maintaining a very high engagement placing for IP and Commercialisation, which positions Salford in the top quintile based on a normalisation of the results.
- Continuing very high engagement and top quintile placing for Working with Business, with particular strengths in generating income from contract research with SMEs as well as income from Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) and other Innovate UK grants.
- Achieving high engagement in the Continued Professional Development and Graduate Start-Ups, Public and Community Engagement and Research Partnerships perspectives.
Overall, the University exceeds comparator institution benchmarks in four of the seven perspectives, with these results demonstrating our ambition to innovate to enrich lives - driving economic and societal benefit at scale through collaborative partnerships.
Professor Simon Green, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Knowledge Exchange, said: “We are proud to see our continued commitment to knowledge exchange and impact reflected in this year’s KEF results.
The results highlight the strength of our partnerships with industry, community organisations and public bodies, and our collaborative efforts to drive economic and societal benefit through meaningful, measurable impact.”
A landmark achievement this year includes the spin-out of the University’s first asset-locked Community Interest Company (CIC) - the Kidney Information Network (KIN). KIN has grown from a regional patient support platform into a nationally recognised CIC, underpinned by a diverse team and a pioneering leadership model with two female directors.
Professor Mandy Parkinson, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Knowledge Exchange, said: “I’d like to thank all of our academics and professional services colleagues whose dedication, creativity and collaborative spirit have made this success possible.
Knowledge exchange is a vital part of our ambition as a civic university, and we remain dedicated to fostering innovation, supporting economic growth and delivering benefit to society through collaboration.”
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