University of Ulster 

The University of Ulster has four campuses across Northern Ireland. Two of these are located in the greater Belfast area. The UniversityÕs largest campus is in Jordanstown, which is situated on the northern shore of Belfast Lough a few miles 
from the City Centre. 

The Belfast Campus is located in downtown Belfast and is half way through a £30 million redevelopment that will greatly enhance BelfastÕs Cathedral Quarter and contribute to the cultural revitalization of the inner city. 
Other campuses are located at Coleraine on the north coast and at Magee in Derry, Northern IrelandÕs second city. 
The University of Ulster helps business and industry in Northern Ireland and beyond - offering a range of contract and collaborative research, consultancy and technology and knowledge transfer services to enable businesses to become more competitive. 
The UniversityÕs Office of Innovation has a base at all four campuses and provides a focus for enterprise innovation, networking, research, training and development projects, consultancy and funded programmes. 
The team facilitates business and industry access to a wide range of services. Eddie Friel, Manager of the OfficeÕs Business Liaison team explains: ÒWe will work with you in partnership to identify the right contacts within the University to help you to deliver innovative solutions to match your needs.Ó 

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) and FUSION 
The University has been a leader in the delivery of two prominent knowledge transfer initiatives Ð Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) and FUSION Ð the latter a cross border partnership with businesses in the Republic of Ireland. Both have been implemented successfully across the University with a number of innovative programmes contributing to the success of regional business. Eddie Friel, said: ÒBoth focus on the transfer of knowledge from the University to a business. A graduate is jointly supervised by the company and the University and they work to solve a particular problem or introduce a new process. The KTP programme is designed for Northern Irish companies, whereas FUSION concentrates on cross-border collaboration.Ó 
ÒAn additional benefit is that current business interests are fed back into University teaching and research. Hence the schemes are truly partnerships with knowledge flowing in both directions.Ó 
The University of Ulster is committed to supporting business growth within social enterprises right across Northern Ireland through a number of opportunities including consultancy expertise. 



The University of Ulster helps business and industry in Northern Ireland and beyond. 


Among those social enterprises that have benefited from consultancy support using UlsterÕs academic expertise is Belfast based Avec Solutions. Chief Executive Maurice Kinkead sought help and advice from Ulster University on several aspects of employment law. Commenting on the UniversityÕs expertise, Maurice said: 
ÒI gladly acknowledge that the help we have received from the University of Ulster by way of advice on an urgent employment law matter and a very clear, comprehensive and helpful report on a much more complex range of issues was exactly what we needed. The support we received was simply excellent and offered in a very professional yet user-friendly manner.Ó 
The University of UlsterÕs track record in consultancy is grounded in both its excellent reputation in the arts, science, engineering, social sciences and business sectors as well as its ability to mobilise multidisciplinary teams from these disciplines. Its policy on the provision of consultancy by its academic staff is unique amongst higher education establishments in Ireland. 
The University is modern and progressive with an established track record in supporting the Northern Ireland economy and in creating opportunities for individual personal development, for developing the skills force and in ensuring that local businesses have the research and development skills that they require to compete. 
The University provides skills and knowledge in key sectors including health, business, IT, biosciences, the creative and media industries, environmental sciences and real estate. Working with a variety of partners in the business, educational and not-for-profit spheres, the university delivers training, consultancy, research and development services, and knowledge transfer throughout Ireland and further afield. 
Each campus houses internationally recognised centres of excellence. Some examples illustrate the breadth of the University's work. At Jordanstown, NIBEC - the Nanotechnology and Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre - is a purpose-built research complex. NIBEC has developed a series of innovations that have lead to cutting edge medical devices that in turn have stimulated the creation of spin-out companies. The most successful of these being HeartSine Technology, Sensors Technology and Devices Ltd.  ³