University recognised at ‘KTP Best of the Best awards’

The University celebrated two successes at the prestigious Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)  Awards held virtually on Thursday 23 September. The awards celebrate the best of KTP’s three-way partnerships between business, academic/research teams, and qualified graduates, designed to drive innovation for UK businesses and organisations. 

Best Knowledge Transfer Partnership was won for a collaboration between the University and local business Red Whale. This award celebrates the most outstanding overall partnership, and which best exemplifies innovation through collaboration. 

The project saw Dr Blessing Mbipom, a KTP Associate at the University, support Red Whale, who develop professional training for half of the UK’s GPs, to transition their face-to-face courses to delivery across their digital platforms. Red Whale responded to the pandemic by providing free online resources to clinicians which delivered vital information and up-to-date procedural advice from the government on COVID-19, enabling GPs to provide patients with the best care. 

Dr Blessing Mbipom said: “I am grateful and honoured to win this award with the brilliant teams from the company, Red Whale and the knowledge base, University of Reading, as well as for the mentorship and guidance provided through the Knowledge Transfer Network in supporting us to deliver an outstanding project.” 

Professor Rachel McCrindle together with Professor Richard Mitchell and Dr Yota Dimitriadi formed the academic team advising Red Whale.  

The Future Leader Award was won by Reading graduate Dr Louis Williams. This award recognises those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills above and beyond expectations. 

Dr Williams, a behavioural economist, won for his work understanding the link between resilience and investment decision making whilst working alongside a Reading-based fintech company to help financial advisors better understand their clients. 

Dr Susan Matos, Director of the Knowledge Transfer Centre (KTC) at the University of Reading said, “We are delighted to see that our work supporting local firms to thrive and make a positive difference has been rewarded in this year’s KTP awards. It’s more important than ever to be helping businesses to access and engage with academic innovation, and our recipients of the awards showcase how broad the scope for that work can be.” 

If you are interested in learning more about KTPs, or the work of the KTC please contact frontdoor@reading.ac.uk.