20th November 2009

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Dr Alison Porter-Armstrong, Senior Lecturer in Rehabilitation Sciences, Noel McQuaid of James Leckey Design and Jackie Casey, Lecturer in Occupational Therapy


A sales boosting partnership between the University of Ulster and healthcare firm James Leckey Design is in the running for a prestigious national prize for excellence.

Industry experts nominated it last night as Northern Ireland’s standard-bearer in the UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) awards in London next March. 

The nomination means it is seen as a model collaboration between academia and industry, which the Government is actively encouraging.

Eighteen small firms and universities and colleges that have worked with them in innovative link-ups were rewarded with prizes at the annual Northern Ireland KTP Awards, held at the University of Ulster’s Magee campus in Londonderry. 

The University of Ulster’s Clare Wright and James Leckey Design Ltd scooped the ceremony’s top accolade as the national award nominee for a partnership that blended Ulster’s occupational therapy skills with the firm’s expertise in designing mobility aids for children with disabilities.

Carol Keery, Invest Northern Ireland’s Director of  Innovation, Research and Technology, said; “Clare’s project with the University of Ulster enabled clinical input to be included into product development and testing phases of Leckey’s ‘Early Activity System’, which since launch in Autumn 2007 has been the fastest selling product in the history of the company, trebling predicted sales volumes within the first year.” 

Clare, an experienced occupational therapist who gained a Masters in Clinical Research while working as a student Associate on the project, now works for the company as Clinical Research Manager. She was in England on business last night and Dr Alison Porter-Armstrong, who was the academic lead on the project, accepted the accolade on her behalf. Noel McQuaid of James Leckey Design accepted it for the company.

KTP is funded by the Technology Strategy Board along with other government organisations, including Invest NI. 

The 120 guests at the gala ceremony represented a wide range of technology and innovation collaborations between firms and the University of Ulster, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast Metropolitan College and education colleges.

Runner-up for the national award nomination were Grace McGroggan and TG Eakin Ltd. Working in partnership with QUB, Grace developed a stoma adhesive for in-house manufacture and, among other attributes, gained in-house adhesive knowledge for TG Eakin.  She is now employed by the firm in an R&D role. 

Carol Keery, who presented the awards, said: “These candidates have achieved personal success and brought success to their business and their research partners. Both are exceptional KTP projects and it was a tough decision to choose the winner because each exemplifies the best of what Northern Ireland has to offer.”

Professor Norman Black, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at Ulster praised KTPs, saying they met the University’s vision and core objectives. 

“Knowledge Transfer Partnerships have a wonderful track record and the evidence of success is all around us here tonight,” he said. “They focus on the transfer of knowledge from the third level sector into the business world bringing together academic skills and expertise through high calibre graduates.”

Dr Porter-Armstrong, a Senior Lecturer in Rehabilitation Sciences, said: “We are absolutely thrilled. Clare is an extraordinary woman and a dedicated clinician and we were very fortunate that she joined our team. We all gained so much from working with the firm on refining the product for optimum use by children and their carers.” 

Jackie Casey, a Lecturer in Occupational Therapy who was Clare’s ‘knowledge supervisor ‘on the project, said: “KTPs are a tremendous challenge but very satisfying, and we want to do more.”

In KTPs, graduate Associates are supervised by specialist academics while they work with firms on industrial and commercial projects. Businesses improve their competitiveness and productivity by harnessing knowledge, technology and other skills that the universities and colleges have. Students and academic advisers gain fresh business skills by working closely with companies. 

The following companies received awards:

For Knowledge Transfer Partnerships with the University of Ulster --- CDE Ireland Ltd; CM Machinery; Creagh Concrete Products Ltd; Global Armour Ltd; James Mackle Ltd; Moy Park Ltd; and Rapid International Ltd. 

For KTPs with QUB --- Alta Systems Ltd; Clarehill Plastics Ltd; Macrete Ireland Ltd; Masters Choice Ltd; Northstone (NI) Ltd; Rototek Ltd; Seagoe Technologies Ltd; Smiley Monroe Ltd; and StreamOn.net Ltd.

For KTPs with Belfast Metropolitan College --- Red Sky Group Ltd and SAICA Packaging UK Ltd. 

For further information, please contact:

Press Office, Department of Communication and Development
Tel: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk