Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Leeds Beckett University’s business and community partnerships celebrated in national Knowledge Exchange Framework
LBU is also ranked highly for its research partnerships and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Graduate start-ups.
Professor Silke Machold, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, said: "We are immensely proud of this important recognition. To be placed so highly in the national KEF really reflects and celebrates our commitment at LBU to deliver positive change and impact through research and knowledge exchange as an anchor institution in our region. We are dedicated to turning academic insight into practical innovation, sharing our knowledge and cutting-edge research to help businesses and communities grow and thrive. As always, we are open to developing new and exciting partnerships and collaborations with businesses and public and third sectors.”
LBU's approach to research and knowledge exchange is focused on co-producing research with communities, businesses and policymakers to make sure it works in the real world, and addresses three core global challenges where this approach can effect meaningful change: Greener Sustainable Communities, Sport and Healthy Communities, and Inclusive, Prosperous Communities.
Putting people and purpose at the forefront: Working with business
LBU is dedicated to supporting its community of businesses, working in genuine partnership to achieve growth, maximise productivity, and create long-term sustainability.
The Knowledge Exchange city-centre hub hosts regular networking events and masterclasses; whilst businesses have access to expert support from Leeds Business School through initiatives including Help to Grow: Management, #WECAN (Women Empowered through Coaching and Networking), and the new Peer Productivity Network. LBU’s partnership with Exemplas has resulted in a productivity podcast series and set of insight papers for businesses and policymakers.
LBU’s partnership approach has seen many businesses connect with the university through programmes such as Help to Grow, and go on to develop Knowledge Exchange Partnerships (KTPs), student and graduate projects, and research consultancy work.
Building on this success, in 2026, LBU launched Carnegie Innovation, a new sport health tech incubator, using cutting-edge research and facilities to help tackle health inequalities and drive business growth. LBU also leads the Innovation Pathways (In-Path) programme, in partnership with three other West Yorkshire Universities, to connect businesses across the region to expertise to accelerate business growth in health and digital technologies.
Effecting meaningful change, working with and for communities: Working with public and third sectors
LBU's public and third sector work includes:
LBU’s School of Health offers a range of specialist skills and development courses for NHS, nursing and allied health professionals, from clinical and acute care to mental health and wellbeing and public and environmental health.
The Centre for Outcome Measure Development and Psychometrics (CODA) is working across health and care settings, including NHS trusts and charities, to measure the impact of health conditions and their treatment on people’s lives, focusing on measuring how people think, feel and behave.
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)-funded ENHANCE research study, of which LBU is a partner, is providing important evaluation feedback on the NHS’s Complications of Excess Weight (CEW) specialist services.
LBU experts are helping shape a new Women’s Whole System Approach, in collaboration with regional policing, probation, health, councils, and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, to help women get support earlier and more easily, before problems lead to offending. Earlier this year, LBU was awarded a Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education for its pioneering prison learning partnership with HMP Full Sutton.
Co-producing research to make sure it works in the real world: Research partnerships
LBU is now sixth in the UK for the size of its Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme – with a current portfolio of 20 live projects. Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through Innovate UK, KTPs are unique partnerships between a business and a university, using academic research and expertise to deliver positive impact and drive innovation.
Most recently, LBU has launched a second KTP with Ardent Limited, and new partnerships with Specialised Covers, Zenergy Solar and Dent Steel. The LBU KTP team won Best Knowledge Base Support Team in the Innovate UK KTP Awards 2024, and was a finalist for Best KTP in 2025.
This academic year, LBU’s completed KTPs with Sniffers Pet Care, Ardent and Aquatrust achieved the highest possible grading of Outstanding from Innovate UK.
About KEF
KEF measures how universities collaborate with external partners and drive social and economic impact. LBU is in KEF's Cluster E - large universities with strong research across disciplines.
The full dashboards are available on the KEF's interactive website.
Discover more about research and knowledge exchange at Leeds Beckett University.
In this article
Professor Silke Machold
Silke Machold, PhD, is the Pro-Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation at Leeds Beckett University.
