A new Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) has been launched, designed to stimulate innovation in the Information and Communications Technology sector in the UK. One of its first actions is to publish a report on the Future of the Internet.
The new Information and Communications Technology KTN (ICT KTN) will seek to deliver improved industrial performance through innovation and collaboration, helping to stimulate economic growth, while providing an independent business voice in the sector. It will address key aspects of Information and Communications Technology, including the latter’s transformational role as an enabler in many business sectors.
The new organisation merges the activities of the previous Digital Communications and Digital Systems KTNs and is hosted by the not-for profit ICT KTN Company Ltd, working in association with Intellect, NPL and QinetiQ. These four organisations had worked together to deliver the previously separate KTNs. “I am delighted that we are hosting the new KTN” said Richard Nicol, Chair of the ICT KTN Company. “I look forward to working with the new directors who have joined the Company Board”.
The ICT KTN will work across the entire UK, in partnership with regional networks and bodies, and the devolved administrations. It will accelerate innovation through interactions between members of the stakeholder community at meetings, workshops, master classes and other events, both physical and online, and through the publication of position papers, roadmaps, thought leadership articles and case studies. The KTN will also seek to encourage increased inward investment and support the growth of UK based ICT companies.
As one of its first activities the ICT KTN has published a report detailing the findings of a major survey of leading representatives from UK industry and academia, into how the UK can establish a lead position in the roll out of the Future Internet - tinyurl.com/FutureInternetReport.
The strategy of the KTN will be established by a Programme Steering Board chaired by Dr Mike Short, Vice President of Public Affairs at Telefónica Europe. “The UK has world leading expertise in ICT, but this is distributed widely across many organisations ” says Dr Mike Short, ”The new KTN will strive to bring these communities together to strengthen knowledge transfer and maximise the economic and social benefits for the UK through advances in ICT. Future Internet developments is just one key example of our work areas”
Dr Philip Hargrave has been appointed as CEO and Network Director of the ICT KTN, roles he previously performed on behalf of the Digital Communications KTN. “My vision for KTN is that it should be the focal point in the UK for innovation in ICT systems”, says Dr Hargrave. “We will seek to accelerate such innovation and identify and address technological and business issues that would otherwise delay or even prevent its take up in the UK.”
Knowledge Transfer Networks, overseen by the Technology Strategy Board, operate in specific fields of technology or business application and bring together people from businesses, universities, research, finance and technology organisations to stimulate innovation through knowledge transfer, helping to stimulate economic growth.
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