NOTE This is the second iteration of the KEF website.
The Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) provides a range of information on the knowledge exchange activities of Higher Education Providers (HEPs) in England. ‘Knowledge exchange’ is what we call the wide range of activities HEPs undertake with partners. You can use the KEF to explore data and explanations of the different ways they work with their external partners, from businesses to community groups, for the benefit of the economy and society.
The KEF aims to allow universities to better understand and improve their own performance in knowledge exchange, as well as provide businesses and other users with more information to help them access the world-class knowledge and expertise within English providers of higher education.
If you’re new to the KEF, take a look at the ‘About the KEF’ page for further background information and guidance on how to make the most of the data dashboards. Otherwise, head to the dashboards to start exploring.
It was developed by Research England - part of UK Research & Innovation - a public body who fund Higher Education Providers to undertake research and knowledge exchange. You can find out more about Research England’s work on our main website.
The development of KEF2 was shaped through a review of the first iteration of the KEF where feedback from the sector was sought through a variety of channels including sector-wide surveys and a number of deep dive focus groups. Full information about the changes made for the second iteration of the KEF are detailed in the 2022 KEF2 decisions report.