FAQs from Knowledge Exchange
Key takeaways and questions to inform you about CSF’s knowledge exchange work.
Question:
What is Knowledge Exchange?
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Answer:
The UK Universities Knowledge Exchange Concordat defines Knowledge Exchange (KE) as a collaborative, creative endeavor that translates knowledge and research into impact in society and the economy. KE includes a set of activities, processes, and skills that enable close collaboration between universities and partner organisations to deliver commercial, environmental, cultural, and place-based benefits, opportunities for students, and increased prosperity.
Knowledge Exchange (KE) is one of the three fields that make up CSF, alongside Research and Education. It is a collaboration between universities and non-academic partners such as brands, communities, policy makers, and other partner organisations to develop ideas, experiment, and create opportunities for wider impact. This is a mutually beneficial process. Industry partners learn from cutting-edge research and next-generation voices, while academic partners gain unique insights into operational and strategic practice. The resulting partnership creates space for experimentation, innovation, and transformational ideas and outputs.
Question:
What are our areas of specialism?
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Answer:
CSF’s Knowledge Exchange (KE) work with brands covers four key areas in fashion and sustainability: design; education; strategy and innovation; and measuring sustainability. Design for Sustainability seeks to address the design and product development process, reframing decision-making to prioritise planet and people.
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We draw from the Centre’s educational expertise in our KE work, utilising CSF’s education for sustainability strategy and pedagogy for industry learners. Strategy and innovation seek to define new business practices and transformational ideas in which we foster sustainable prosperity, across environmental, social, cultural, and economic agendas.
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Measuring sustainability seeks to standardise language, terminology and design through developing frameworks and common definitions for use across the entire industry. We also work in Knowledge Exchange in other areas and with diverse communities. See Projects for examples.
Question:
In what way does working with CSF's KE team differ from a consultancy?
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Answer:
Knowledge Exchange is a field in which academic and non-academic partners come together to create new knowledge, share or transfer knowledge to different areas. Rather than offering services or consultancy, CSF KE works with partners on a shared ambition to drive change in a given area of fashion and sustainability. The Centre seeks projects that will have a notable impact on the fashion industry, and provide mutual learning
opportunities for all those involved – students, educators, researchers and industry professionals.