KEF results highlight the real difference Coventry University Group is making

Coventry University Group has once again been recognised for its impact on businesses and the local community through sharing its academic and research expertise.

The Group has performed strongly in the latest Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF5) which emphasises its efforts to support workforce development, drive regeneration and foster effective collaborations with both commercial and non-commercial partners.

The KEF – developed by Research England – compares the performance of institutions with similar structural characteristics, grouped into individual clusters. KEF5 found Coventry University Group exceeded or maintained the Cluster E benchmark in six categories, with the Group exceeding in:

• IP & Commercialisation - demonstrating strength in generating investment and turnover from spinouts, with particularly strong outcomes in external investment and firm turnover.
• Public & Community Engagement - rated at the highest level of engagement, reflecting Coventry’s deep commitment to social impact and partnerships with local communities.

The Group matched the Cluster E benchmark in four areas - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) & Graduate Start-ups; Local Growth & Regeneration; Working with Business; Working with the Public & Third Sector.

Coventry University runs a number of local and national growth and regeneration programmes, including DigiSpin WM, a highly successful project funded by Research England that created a unique space to test and co-develop practical solutions for more agile, inclusive spin-out creation.

It resulted in the DigiSpinWM Code of Principles – a pioneering guide now actively shaping best practice across the West Midlands – having specifically targeted improvements in the creation and support of spin-out companies, with a sharp focus on advanced manufacturing and digital innovation.

A recent economic report on the impact of Coventry University Group also showed our city centre campus had a Gross Added Value* (GVA) of £320 million in Coventry and £1 billion in GVA in the UK.