Consultancy and Technical Services

Consultancy is the provision or transfer of existing knowledge and expertise to help an organisation solve a particular issue, or to provide them with longer term strategic advice relevant to the nature of their organisation through a contract for payment.  It is one of the principle mechanisms by which universities transfer knowledge and provide access to leading-edge facilities. 

Consultancy includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• A specific agreed programme of work with known outcomes and no planned research element
• The design, testing or evaluation of a product, service or system or assisting with these processes
• Advice on using knowledge gained or processes/systems developed at the University
• Use of the University’s research facilities and expertise for routine testing and analysis of materials and compounds
• Analysis and reporting (including statistical advice) on relevant issues
• Presentation at a seminar or business conference
• Advisory role
• Provision of specialist advice and training
• Expert witness

Before committing to a consultancy project, a number of considerations need to be made in advance, such as relevant expertise, confidentiality, management of intellectual property, deliverables, timescales and fee. A consultancy contract will need to be put in place in advance.

Interested businesses should get in touch with the KTC through frontdoor@reading.ac.uk to discuss your requirements.

Staff at the University of Reading will manage the process, to get started please refer to Research Services.