Research Facilities Group

The Sensors & Instrumentation KTN is the UK’s sensing network. It was created by the DTI in recognition of the strategic importance of sensing to the UK economy.

The Sensors & Instrumentation KTN team is actively working to broker partnerships and collaborative R&D projects through a range of Research Facilities Group in a range of technology and application areas.

The Research Facilities Group is improving UK industry engagement with scientific research facilities around the world in terms of both supply opportunity and Knowledge Transfer activity.

Until now, the variety and complexity of the research facilities landscape has made it difficult for companies to see this as a single (if complex) market for government-funded projects.

The UK government spends hundreds of million of pounds funding research facilities, with world wide expenditure being more than ten billion pounds per annum. This provides numerous opportunities for engagement with industry.

Research facilities:

• Buy infrastructure, goods, and services. Some of these are technology based, others are infrastructure items required by large institutions such as buildings;
• Are often at the edge of what technology can do. This provides companies with opportunities for collaborative technology development;
• Can provide expensive or unique infrastructure to industry for research and development activity;
• Train people, and generate skills and know-how, which are beneficial to industry and commerce.

The RFSIG:

• Provides industry with a better understanding of business opportunities in supplying research facilities;
• Mobilises supply chains to develop and transfer technology, with a strong emphasis on the international dimension (this means greater business to business and academic to business connectivity);
• Improves rates of spin-outs, licence opportunities, and collaborative R&D, including the use of research facilities by industry under contract (facilities access).

Further information on this special interest group is available in the PDF entitled 'RFSIG' ( 327KB).

If you would like to join the Research Facilities Group or add yourself to our community directory as a potential supplier to research facilities, please complete the online form at: www.qi3.co.uk/sktn/membership.asp. Membership with is free of charge.

For information on:

• Knowledge Transfer from Research Facilities please contact Craig Sawyers
• Supply opportunities in Research Facilities please contact Nathan Hill

We are always available for confidential discussion on Tel: +44 (0)1223 422406