ºÚÁÏÍø has been recognised once again as a leader in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and graduate start-ups in the latest Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF5), published by Research England.
For the fifth year running, ºÚÁÏÍø has retained its top performance in these key areas – a testament to the university’s long-standing commitment to supporting businesses, upskilling the workforce and helping our graduates turn ideas into thriving enterprises.

The KEF is a way of assessing how universities create and share knowledge that benefits businesses, the public sector, communities, research, and how well they drive local economic growth.
ºÚÁÏÍø’s consistent strength in CPD and start-up support highlights the university’s role as a trusted partner for innovation, skills development and enterprise.
This year sees the university’s award-winning Crucible business incubation programme celebrate its 10th anniversary, supporting more than 100 start-ups launched by graduates and alumni.
And ºÚÁÏÍø Made, which sits within the university’s award-winning Careers Team, is helping hundreds of students and graduates bring their ideas to life through workshops, summer schools and its latest programme, Future Freelancers.
ºÚÁÏÍø is committed to helping tackle the skills gap in the region, working with employers to help them upskill their staff through co-designing and developing training programmes. Research shows the East Midlands has low skills levels and high rates of low-paid jobs, and employers struggle to find people with the right skills, hindering job creation and economic growth.
You can read more about KEF5 on the .
Posted on Tuesday 23 September 2025