KESS 2 for Academics

KESS 2 involves all universities in Wales and is suitable for academics who wish to promote collaborative higher level research projects within active business sectors.

A range of companies and organisations can participate in KESS 2, including Micro companies, SMEs, Large Companies, Third Sector and Social Enterprises if they have an operational presence in the Convergence Area of Wales.

Appointed KESS 2 students must also be resident in the Convergence Area on registration and have the right to work within the region on qualification.

The Convergence Area covers West Wales and the Valleys, and is made up of the following 15 local authorities:  

Isle of Anglesey; Gwynedd; Conwy; Denbighshire; Ceredigion; Pembrokeshire; Carmarthenshire; Swansea; Neath Port Talbot; Bridgend; Rhondda Cynon Taf; Merthyr Tydfil; Caerphilly; Blaenau Gwent; Torfaen.

Click here to view the Convergence Area Map (opens in a new tab)

KESS 2 is a valuable opportunity to have a Research Masters or PhD student work on an area specific to an active business. It is also a chance to establish and maintain valuable links between universities and locally based businesses, bridging the gap between an academic environment and the industrial needs of the real world.

Yes. Projects are defined in partnership between the company and the supervising academic. The company also has an input on the selection of the research student for the project. Research undertaken through a KESS 2 project must fit within one of the Welsh Government’s four Grand Challenge Areas which are:

• Life Sciences & Health
• Advanced Engineering & Materials
• Low Carbon, Energy & Environment
• ICT & The Digital Economy

The Approval Panel will consider other projects if they can demonstrate fit with spatial plan, cross cutting technologies, demand from local employers or significant potential impact.

• That you are able to supervise participants (including weekly meetings)
• That you attend quarterly meetings with the company partner and the student
• That you manage the budget responsibility for the project
• That you contribute to the formulation of quarterly progress reports
• That you complete monthly timesheets to record time input into the project

Yes, this is an important element of the KESS 2 model. The research student will spend a minimum of 30 days per year at the company, subject to agreement between the company and academic supervisors. This can be flexible depending on the project.

In order to demonstrate compliance with State Aid rules, project IPR results and any Intellectual Property arising from a KESS 2 project will be owned by the relevant university. Background IP used in connection with the KESS 2 project will remain the property of the party introducing it and will be subject to confidentiality obligations. The relevant university will grant the company partner the first option for either an exclusive or non-exclusive licence to use the Intellectual Property or other IPR generated through the project as negotiated between the parties involved.

The company cash contributions for KESS 2 projects are noted on the chart below. All Cash Contributions are subject to VAT (Partners should seek advice from their Finance Department).

KESS 2 Company Cash Contributions (click here to enlarge the chart)

Feedback from previous participants shows that companies really value the link with the universities and this has often led to other collaborations.

For business owners and managers one of the greatest benefits is being able to focus skills towards a research area related to their business – something that is often not possible without costly additional resource.

The positive publicity and associations around these projects has often meant that businesses have had an excellent return on their investment long before the research results are published or their impact felt.

All KESS 2 scholarships have an embedded integrated higher-level skills training programme for the participating student, leading to a Postgraduate Skills Development Award, which addresses any knowledge or skills gaps identified.