KTU – Knowledge Transfer Unit

With the support of the EU partners from Austria, Hungary, Spain and Sweden, the PCUs established Knowledge Transfer Units and developed their capacities. This allowed them to attract enterprises by offering them specific services and technologies (e.g. rapid prototyping or eye-tracking technology). By working jointly on pilot projects, universities and enterprises developed direct and sustainable relationships that considerably contributed to the development of both universities and the national economy.

In second line, this project aimed at curriculum modernization using the inputs gained from the activities of the Knowledge Transfer Units and developing of new and modernized practice oriented interdisciplinary modules which were implemented during the project.

This project’s consortium gathered all relevant stakeholders from the partner countries (universities, companies, research bodies, ministry, student union) as well as a group of EU partners carrying considerable experience in the area of applied research, technology transfer and curricula modernization.

Although being heavily impacted by the political crisis which evolved during project lifetime in the Ukraine, all project outcomes have been delivered and target numbers (over-)fulfilled with the dedication, commitment and cooperation of Ukrainian and European partners.

Project partners

• P1 (Coordinator)- FH JOANNEUM, University of Applied Sciences Graz, Austria
• P2 - World University Service – Austrian Committee, Austria
• P3 - Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary
• P4 - Universitat de Girona, Spain
• P5 - Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
• P6 - International Scientific and Technical University, Ukraine, Kiev
• P7 - National Aerospace University, Ukraine, Kharkov
• P8 - SIBUABNBU / UBDNBU Sevastopol Inst. of Banking of the National Bank of Ukraine, University of Banking of the National Bank of Ukraine, Ukraine; Sevastopol / Kiev
• P9 - Khmelnitskiy National University, Ukraine
• P10 - Kyiv State Maritime Academy, Ukraine
• P11 - Dniprodzerzhinsk state technical university, Ukraine
• P12 - Ukrainian Students' Association, Ukraine, Kiev
• P13 - Center of Innovative Engineering Technologies Ltd., Ukraine, Kharkov
• P14 - Association of Small Enterprises of Ukraine, Ukraine, Kiev
• P15 - Transcarpathian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ukraine, Uzhgorod
• P16 - Ukrainian Institute for Scientific, Technical & Economic Info, Ukraine, Kiev
• P17 - Dnipropetrovsk Aggregate Plant, Ukraine
• P18 - Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Ukraine

Project’s content and methodology

The project focused on all three areas of the university’s action portfolio – research, technology transfer and teaching, with an overall objective of developing the cooperation between the enterprises and the HEI and consequently improving the employability of the graduates in Ukraine. The project created interdisciplinarity between the areas of engineering and business administration, based on the installation and functioning of Knowledge Transfer Unites (KTUs) at each of the six PCUs which now serve as meeting point for companies, entrepreneurs and students.

The main milestones / main deliveries are:

• 6 KTU ESTABLISHED, STAFF AND EQUIPPED
• KTU CAPACITIES DEVELOPED
• SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PORTFOLIO AND PLANS DEVELOPED FOR ALL KTUs
• PILOT PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED AT 6 KTUs
• INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULA DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED AT 6 UNIVERSITIES
• QUALITY ASSURANCE CARRIED OUT

• All 6 KTUs established and staffed according to individual strategies and terms of reference

• Staff trained at study visits & workshops in Graz, Girona, Stockholm and Budapest, multiplied with 15 local training replications and twinning consulting in partner country universities

• All 6 KTUs equipped according to individual strategies and service specifications

• 6 individual business and activity plans for all KTUs developed

• 6 individual service portfolios for all KTUs developed

• 11 pilot projects with industry partners implemented during project lifetime

• 6 financial sustainability plans for KTUs elaborated

• Curricula modules finalized and implemented at 6 partner country universities incl. working programs and course books

• Guest lecturing carried out by all 6 partner country universities
• Tools and processes for further curriculum adaptation developed
• Project disseminated at 82 events, in 23 articles/newsletters, 7 meetings with business representatives, 10 conference participations, 5 international events and 1 national TV broadcast etc. with 6,000 brochures, 5,600 service portfolios, 7 promotional videos for KTUs, website/social media, 1 interim and 1 final conference etc.

• 5 consortium meetings held, monitoring visits to 6 PCUs conducted, EACEA monitoring visit conducted, monthly online meetings held
• 7 Memoranda of Understanding with companies signed, KTU database established
• Quality assurance plan set up and implemented including regular internal and external monitoring conducted (online, 6 internal and 1 external monitoring visits, 3 internal QA reports, 2 external evaluation reports

Awards

Awarded as „Success Story“ by the European Commission, DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture for its impact, policy contribution, innovative results and creative approach.

Awarded as “good practice” by the European Commission for being particularly well-managed.
https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects/eplus-project-details/#project/544031-TEMPUS-1-2013-1-AT-TEMPUS-JPHES