Napier win is easy as KTP after partnership

A PARTNERSHIP between Napier University and a firm from the Isle of Skye has won a national award for its research and development work for the third year running.

The university and its partner Cnan were the only Scottish winners in the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) annual awards in London earlier this week.

The partnership was one of eight in the UK to win an award for having one of the best KTP programmes of the year. The judges were impressed by the research and development work undertaken by the two organisations in the field of multimedia development and online language training.

Lead academic Dr Bill Buchanan said: "Napier has shown an ongoing commitment to knowledge transfer and proved it is one of the best academic partners within KTP programmes in the UK."

The KTP scheme is a Department of Trade and Industry initiative aimed at supporting research and development within companies.

The scheme also aims to improve the competitiveness of the companies, enhance the careers of graduates, and increase the business relevance of the knowledge base.

Donella Beaton, chief executive of Cnan, said: "Through the KTP, Cnan gained access to new technologies and skills which not only met the needs of the KTP project, but also helped generate a new service area, raised Cnan’s profile and embedded a practice of research and development."