The university sector is the most recent recruit to the IPT Fellowship scheme. Not only do the UK's universities educate and train nearly two million students, they also employ 300,000 of the UK workforce. Universities are substantial businesses in their own right, some of them routinely turning over in excess of £200 million annually. Through their research, technology transfer and consultancy programmes, they contribute massively to the UK's global competitiveness.
The IPT has established a consortium of four universities involved in the University Fellowship. They represent pre- and post-1992 research and teaching intensive universities.
They are:
- Bristol University: a popular, long established city university whose research programmes in computer science and chemistry are of particular note, as well as its enterprise agenda.
- Royal Holloway London University: a leading small research university with particular strengths in the humanities.
- Kingston University: a well-regarded new university with high teaching quality and strong links with the local community.
- Imperial College London: an international player competing in the world league, member of the Russell Group, delivering world-class scholarship, education and research in science, engineering and medicine.
The Fellowship programme involves five days with each university, spread over approximately 18 months, with visits to each university during four terms. Any remaining days will be taken up with issues which are identified as the course progresses. There is an option to study two or three topics in depth during the Fellowship, which follows themes and directions agreed with each university.
