§ 35. Mrs. Bridget PrenticeTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures he is taking to encourage links between small firms and higher education departments. [32145]
§ Mr. PageMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has responsibility for ensuring adequate links between higher education establishments and all sectors of industry, including small firms. The focus of recent work has included assisting enterprises in recruitment and the use of graduate skills.
For example, the higher education business partnership programme will help build on continuing employer-led partnership between higher education and the small business sector to support a more effective graduate labour market. Using graduate skills will develop strategies and tools to increase graduate recruitment by small businesses, and assist them in making better use of the graduates they recruit.
My Department has links with higher education departments through a number of initiatives aimed at businesses of all sizes, to encourage innovation and expertise.
The focus technology programme run in association with business links, aims to help research and technology organisations and higher education institutions improve the contact they have with small firms and the technological services they provide to them.
In March 1996, my Department's innovation unit published a survey of university-industry research links. This is primarily aimed at encouraging universities to benchmark their own performance in the area. However, it records the presence of services relevant to small and medium enterprises—SMEs—and whether databases of expertise are available.
The unit has also facilitated the production of a guide to issues for companies to consider when undertaking collaborative projects with universities. This was drafted by the Association for University Research and Industry Links, AURIL, and the Intercompany Academic Research Group, ICARG. It is a useful guide for SMEs considering entering such projects.