The KEF6, published by Research England, provides a national assessment of how universities across England share expertise, collaborate with external partners, and translate research into economic and societal benefits. The data shows Birkbeck has achieved a strong and improved positioning.
The framework assesses higher education providers' knowledge exchange activities across seven core areas: research partnerships, working with business, working with the public and third sector, continuing professional development and graduate start-ups, local growth and regeneration, intellectual property and commercialisation, and public and community engagement. These perspectives collectively offer a broad picture of universities' contributions to society and the economy.
For Birkbeck, an institution with a long-standing commitment to widening access to higher education and connecting academic knowledge with real-world challenges, knowledge exchange is a crucial part of its mission. Professor Sally Wheeler, Vice-Chancellor, stated, “I am pleased to see the recent results of the KEF6 which are a strong reflection of the way in which Birkbeck continues to extend the benefits of its research beyond academia. Our focus remains on strengthening our partnerships with businesses, public bodies, voluntary organisations and communities, recognising that academic expertise can help address practical challenges, inform policy and support innovation.”
Birkbeck's KEF6 results indicated stable and improved outcomes in several key areas. The university maintained a strong position in intellectual property (IP) and commercialisation, reflecting continued success in commercialising its research and IP. It also showed continued strength in working with public and third sectors, with consultancy and facilities income improving to the highest engagement category. Furthermore, there was an improvement in research partnerships, indicating positive engagement with external organisations through collaborative research.
The KEF6 is designed to compare institutions with similar characteristics, assigning each a quintile score relative to its peer cluster. Birkbeck belongs to Cluster X, comprising large, high-research-intensive, broad-discipline universities. The framework was first published in March 2021, with the latest version providing ongoing annual tracking and metric comparisons.
