Business and Partnerships

Showcase of Collaboration Success – Knowledge Transfer Partnership: Kent Business School and Port of Dover

Kathy Kotiadis, Professor in Operational Research (OR), Kent Business School, University of Kent Kathy Kotiadis is a Professor in Operational Research (OR) at the Kent Business School, University of Kent. Her main research interests include quantitative and qualitative modelling applied to a number of contexts including health care, transport. She has collaborated with a number of organisations to help them address current or future operational/strategic issues, meet their targets and make the best use of their resources. She is the cofounder of the PartiSim framework for participative simulation modelling which enables the active involvement of a group of stakeholders through the process of developing simulation models. In 2009 she was awarded the KD Tocher Medal by the UK Operational Research society for her published work in the Journal of Simulation. She is a founding member of Women in OR and Analytics (WORAN) of the Operational Research society (UK), a member of the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research (EPSRC) college and the co-Editor in Chief of Health Systems (journal).

Timothy van Vugt, Strategy Manager, Dover Harbour Board (DHB) Timothy van Vugt works at Dover Harbour Board (DHB) as Strategy Manager and is heads up the strategy team that sits within the Strategy and Corporate planning department. Strategy and Corporate Planning works on high-level, long-term projects and is responsible, among other things, for strategies and strategic insights, business case writing, data analysis & modelling and obtaining external funding. Port of Dover

The Port of Dover is the UK’s busiest international ferry port, handling more lorries than all other UK ports through an unrivalled and fluid operation capable of facilitating 120 ferry movements and 110 miles of freight per day. £144bn worth of UK trade and 33% of all trade with the EU is handled by the Port of Dover.

Dover is also the UK’s second busiest cruise port, has a marina and property business primed to benefit from a new waterfront and a busy cargo business handling fresh produce, containers, project cargo, general cargo and grain operating from a state-of-the-art terminal.

The Port of Dover holds ambitious net zero targets, placing it at the vanguard of decarbonisation within the UK ports industry. The Port strives to work with and to the benefit of the Dover community and has multiple programmes to deliver support. The Port Community Fund recently surpassed £1 million in donations from the Port of Dover.

The Knowledge Exchange partnership with the Kent Business School will embed advanced modelling techniques in the Port of Dover capabilities, which will help grow the business and guide new investment in border and check-in infrastructure and digitalisation. The project is anticipated to have real-world impacts such as enhanced trade, reduced traffic congestion, and local air quality improvements.

Access expertise and innovation for your business

Established in 1975, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) is Europe’s leading programme helping businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge and technology.

A KTP involves the formation of a partnership between your business and the University of Kent, enabling you to access skills and world leading academic research and expertise to help your company develop a strategic business opportunity, idea or innovation. Each partnership employs a recently qualified graduate or postgraduate who is based full time within your company to deliver the project.

How does it work?

With the help of dedicated KTP staff within the University of Kent we will identify an academic team with the appropriate expertise for your business. The team will then work with you to define and agree a project based on your requirements. The project could be for any length between one and three years with the overall aim of helping your business make a step change in an area that you have identified as high priority. Before the project is launched, the company and academic team work together to recruit a suitable graduate or postgraduate, the Associate, to deliver the project. The Associate is employed by the University of Kent but works full time within your business to manage and drive the project. We understand that it is essential to recruit an individual who will be a good fit within your existing team whilst having the right expertise and skills. The Associate is jointly supervised by a senior member or your business and one of the academic specialists.

The University of Kent academics are key to the delivery of the project providing essential expertise whilst jointly supervising the Associate and working in partnership with key members of staff within your business. The academics spend the equivalent of at least half a day a week supporting the project.

Why choose a KTP?

• Over the years the KTP Programme has supported over 13 thousand partnerships that have linked forwardthinking businesses with the UK’s world-class knowledge bases to deliver innovation projects led by talented graduates. This has delivered an 800% return on investment • An average of 328 jobs are created for

Associates per annum • Over 60% of Associates are offered permanent employment at the end of their projects

What will it cost?

Significant funding is available through Innovate UK to support the delivery of KTP projects whether your business is a large corporation or an SME. A typical KTP project is less than the average cost of recruiting a suitable graduate therefore making this a highly competitive option for delivering a strategic project. Small or medium-sized businesses can access funding of up to 67% of the project costs; larger businesses up to 50%.