The growing importance of business engagement to both the universities and business is demonstrated by this graph from the recent Higher Education - Business and Community Interaction Survey 2010-11 published in July:
Spending by large business increased overall by 7
per cent from £587 million to £629 million, while small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) maintained their total spending on engagement with UK HEIs
in cash terms; non-commercial partners in the public and third sectors,
charities and social enterprises increased their spending by 5 per cent from
£1,166 million to £1,221 million (see Figure 1).
Figure 1 Total income by
partner 2003-04 to 2010-11 (real terms)
Source:
HE‑BCI Part B Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4c
