Developing Business-Aware Academics is a UK-based initiative empowering doctoral and early-career researchers to engage with industry, policy, and non-profits through evidence-led training and networking.

Developing Business-Aware Academics is a four-year (2023-2027) £5m Research England project, based at the University of Exeter Business School and working in collaboration with the Chartered Association of Business Schools and a network of academic, business, policy and non-profit partners.  

Universities, industry and government have long identified a need for greater collaboration between academia and business to realise the full potential of the UK’s research and innovation talent. Although there are some excellent initiatives in place, significant barriers remain. 

We offer an evidence-led programme of training and networking to empower academic researchers, in the early stages of their careers, with the knowledge, skills and opportunities to engage beyond academia to address societal, economic and environmental challenges.    

Our approach is built around the following four complementary areas of activity:  

1. Building an evidence base through research into existing provision and good practice across higher education and industry, and continually evaluating the impact and effectiveness of new initiatives. 

2. Developing training in business skills, competencies and mindsets for doctoral and early-career researchers.  

3. Delivering multi-disciplinary networking opportunities for researchers and industrial partners to break down barriers to effective collaborations.  

4. Building a campaign to champion the advantages of enhanced research collaboration and mobility across academia, industry and beyond.

For more information email DBAA@exeter.ac.uk.

Developing Business-Aware Academics

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