The latest Knowledge Exchange Framework rankings from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) gives an insight into the real and meaningful impact that UK universities have.

The seven categories that make up KEF6 cover everything from the way universities work on a local level by interacting and working in their communities, all the way up to collaborations with businesses and research partnerships on the global stage. Not every institution has the same focus, but every one in the rankings makes its own unique footprint that touches far outside the boundaries of its campus.

Cranfield specialises in science, technology, and engineering. It also has one of the most respected business schools in the country. Over its 80-year existence Cranfield has forged a reputation for STEM excellence and, as a result, has long-standing relationships with some industry luminaries like Airbus, Boeing, Rolls-Royce and PepsiCo.

Being sought out for collaboration by companies like these, who all invest their own time and investment into the projects, shows the confidence they have in Cranfield.

That investment has helped build some of the world-class facilities we have on our campus, such as the Aerospace Integration Research Centre, the Digital Aviation Research and Technology Centre, Cranfield Power and Propulsion Laboratories or the soon to be opened Cranfield Future Energy Laboratories building, which is a shared space for academic and industry to research the clean energy technologies that will help to secure the future of our climate, and our planet.

In addition, Cranfield is part of the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor – one of the most important regions in the UK for technological innovation. That was reinforced this year with the announcement of up to £20million in Government funding from the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund to support and drive growth in our area.

Where theory meets practice

The other fantastic aspect of that development and research work is what it means for students here. One thing I’m extremely proud of as Pro-Vice Chancellor of Education and Research at Cranfield University, is the way that we make sure that the two areas referenced in my job title work symbiotically together to enhance the student experience. It’s incredibly rewarding to see students involved in research that makes a real-world difference, and it gives them a level of practical experience that is close to unique.

In just the last year we have had a student pioneer groundbreaking gene editing techniques on raspberries that were featured on ITV; a PhD student travel to Indonesia to see the floating solar farm he help design be deployed into the ocean and affect real change for the local community; multiple students work on the MARIO project, designing and programming a robot to construct large-scale structures in space; someone else working on a system to detect adulterated – or fake – honey, and that’s just scratching the surface of what we have going on here, but shows the diverse opportunities that make Cranfield unique.

Spin-out companies

While for many students their Cranfield education offers multiple options of where they want to work, for some their time here has provided the inspiration to create their own paths directly into business. With our world-class STEM teaching and our top ranked School of Management, Cranfield has the capability to help businesses at both ends: by encouraging the innovation needed to make ideas come to life, and also teaching the practical skills for creating a sustainable business.

This year, a spin-out called Blast Ecoshield won two awards at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It’s a company that is developing living plant barriers to protect against explosive blasts. We have also had Pazul, Frontier Space and Voxshell as spin-outs , the latter of which has just closed an £800,000 round of funding to power its future.

Education that works for you

I firmly believe the role of higher education has never been more vital. Institutions like Cranfield are far more than ‘degree factories’, we’re places that incubate and encourage innovation, working directly on the most pressing problems facing society today with some of the most prominent industrial partners in their fields. This isn’t an easy path to take, the whole point is that we challenge our students – but it is hugely rewarding and builds resilience and cross-disciplinary thinking into our graduates.

A Cranfield education is so highly respected precisely because of that – we equip people to contribute straight away. By equipping them with theory, practical skills and creative opportunity, I firmly believe Cranfield graduates will be front and centre as innovators for the next generation.