Impact of Leeds Beckett University's partnership work celebrated in the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF)

This year, Leeds Beckett opened the new Interdisciplinary Centre for Implant Research (IRIS), which is the only research centre of its kind, that aims to map, interrogate and illuminate the field of medical implants.

The Leeds School of Arts launched the new Creative Arts and Health Laboratory (CAHREL) this month, bringing together culture, arts and healthcare organisations globally, to improve people's health and wellbeing, particularly children and their families, using arts.

This year, the Centre for Health Promotion at Leeds Beckett published major research in collaboration with the NHS Confederation, revealing how integrated care systems nationwide are making use of funding targeted to address health inequalities. Working with third sector organisations, Locality and Social Life, the centre made recommendations that national health and arts strategies should include the important roles of community anchor organisations in tackling health inequalities in their areas.

Research led by the Obesity Institute helped improve an NHS programme to support people living with Type 2 Diabetes and obesity or overweight to achieve remission.

Leeds Beckett University is in the top 10% of universities in the UK for the size of its Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme and is currently delivering 20 KTP projects. Recently completed KTPs with Aggregate Industries and Riverside Greetings have been graded Outstanding by Innovate UK, the highest possible rating. New KTPs with Yorkshire businesses Mercury3 Consult and Freight Agency were announced this summer, and this year also saw the university's first KTP with a public sector business, YORHub, get underway.

Leeds Beckett University has a strong business support portfolio, including the government-supported Help to Grow: Management course, the Business Productivity Service and West Yorkshire Business Boost programmes in collaboration with West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and Exemplas, Innovative Entrepreneurs (funded by WYCA and delivered in partnership with 12 universities and businesses), and #WECAN (Women Empowered through Coaching and Networking), supported by Lloyds Bank.

Leeds Beckett University opened The Knowledge Exchange two years ago. The Knowledge Exchange is a professional city centre space for collaboration, co-creation and innovation, and an open door to access university knowledge, expertise and talent, and build a long-term relationship with the University.

Events and workshops taking place within The Knowledge Exchange this year have included Leeds Beckett’s Policy Week, Help to Grow and #WECAN sessions, Living Lab Business Support Masterclasses in collaboration with Leeds City Council, and knowledge exchange sessions with academics ranging from the future of retail to artificial intelligence.

Earlier this year, Leeds Business School launched the new Centre for Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Exchange which combines research, business support and engagement with student enterprise and learning.

KEF aims to improve the status of knowledge exchange and provide the public with information on the rich and diverse ways English universities continue to engage with society and the economy, locally, national and internationally. The Framework compares institutions on a like-for-like basis, with similar institutions being grouped together with their peers in 'KE clusters'. Leeds Beckett University is in Cluster E, described as large universities generating excellent research across all disciplines.

The full dashboards are available on the KEF's interactive website (from 12:00 on Wednesday 18 October).