Our Knowledge Exchange Framework results

The University achieved the highest performance band nationally in the latest Knowledge Exchange Framework results (KEF6) for Research Partnerships, Working with Public and Third-sector organisations, and Intellectual Property and Commercialisation, recognising the strength of its collaborations and its success in working with partners beyond academia to share knowledge, expertise and innovation.

Alongside these highest-performing areas, the University demonstrated strong engagement with businesses, communities and regional partners through activities that support innovation, local growth and regeneration, and public engagement. The results also highlight progress in CPD and Graduate Start-ups, where the University improved its position from the previous assessment.

Our full KEF6 results can be found here.

The examples below highlight recent examples of partnership, innovation and commercialisation activity that demonstrate how the University enables knowledge exchange with external organisations and communities.

Research partnerships

Our continued success reflects our long-term commitment to partnerships and collaborative research. Last year’s Vice-Chancellor’s Conference, themed ‘University–Industry Collaboration for Growth’, brought together leaders from government, industry and higher education and saw the launch of our first Research Partnerships Report. Watch the video to see our partnerships in action.

This summer, we launched a report at Westminster celebrating our partnership with Unilever, spanning more than 100 years. Between 2015 and 2024, the collaboration contributed to 350 Unilever patent filings and innovations across 18 of its 30 Power Brands, including Dove and Persil. This includes a ground-breaking Knowledge Transfer Partnership linking skin bacteria to psychological wellbeing – a world first in this emerging field.

We also strengthened newer partnerships, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Mirion Technologies in nuclear science and related technologies, and co-hosting Baker Hughes’ first UK ‘From Concept to Reality’ event to co-develop solutions for the energy transition.

Local growth and regeneration

Our performance in this area reflects the University's role as an anchor institution and catalyst for innovation, business growth and regeneration across the Liverpool City Region.

The University is also leading two major projects selected by Liverpool City Region for the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Local Innovation Partnership Fund (LIPF). The AI Materials Hub for Innovation (AIM-HI) and National Biofilms Innovation Centre: Liverpool Engine for Antimicrobial Surface Technologies (NBIC-LIVE) have secured more than £23.7 million to build high-growth clusters in AI-enabled materials chemistry and antimicrobial technologies, connecting world-leading research with industry to drive business growth, skills and high-value jobs across the region.

Led by the University’s VEC, Novel is helping ambitious SMEs turn innovation into growth. The wider Horizons initiative has supported businesses to create 257 jobs, with 82% seeing productivity improvements and £42.9 million in GVA on track across the region.

IP and commercialisation

The Enterprise Team supported the foundation of four new spin-out companies, and the portfolio received record levels of external investment, as our network of investor partners continues to grow. Our expanding spin-out portfolio was strengthened by new companies in cleantech and materials discovery, including Apoello, using artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate materials discovery for clean energy and electronics, and CO2Volt, developing next-generation carbon dioxide electrolysers for sustainable chemicals.

We continue to support the development of a university-wide entrepreneurial culture: In 2025/26, over 300 researchers and PhD students were trained or participated in internal and external entrepreneurial programmes.

We also strengthened routes to scale start-up companies through a new MoU with the University of Oxford, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Oxfordshire County Council, connecting our innovation ecosystems and creating new opportunities for investment and growth.

Public and community engagement

Public and community engagement remains central to our mission, helping us extend the reach and impact of our research.

Last year, the University co-hosted the British Science Festival, engaging 17,441 people through 114 events across 16 venues, showcasing our research frontiers and connecting communities with cutting-edge research and world-leading experts. More than half of the audience were from Liverpool City Region, with 74% inspired to get more involved in science and 85% reporting greater awareness of current research. Read the British Science Festival 2025 evaluation summary.

Through our Public Engagement for Research Champions (PERC) programme, PhD researcher Viktoriia Olishevska created Your Home, Your Team, a public exhibition combining football, photography and personal stories to explore war, displacement and belonging. Connecting Liverpool’s football culture with the experiences of displaced Ukrainians, the project brought research to new audiences and created space for conversation around the human impact of conflict.