Announcing the Inaugural Impact Awards and Call for Entries

CAMBRIDGE, England - New Award Scheme to Recognise and Celebrate the Success of Knowledge Transfer Opens for Entries

- With Photo

Nominations are invited for The Impact Awards, a new award scheme designed to recognise and celebrate the success of knowledge transfer. The Impact Awards are open to all sectors of research that have made an outstanding impact through successful knowledge transfer. The Impact Award categories include:

- Business Impact Award - Environmental Impact Award - Public Policy and Service Impact Award

The Impact Awards will raise awareness of the potential of knowledge transfer activities by demonstrating best practice and impact. Organised by Unico (the UK’s leading knowledge transfer membership association), The Impact Awards will showcase the very best examples of knowledge transfer activity.

Professor David Secher, Unico Chairman, said, “Innovation is the life blood of the economy. Knowledge transfer helps institutions and organisations to identify the commercial applications of innovative research. If you are involved in innovations that have benefited from knowledge transfer activities we would like to hear about them.”

To enter The Impact Awards and to have an opportunity to showcase projects to peers, opinion leaders, potential collaborators or partners, entrants must register their submission online at www.impactawards.org.uk. The deadline for entries is 1 May 2009.

After the closing date, a judging panel will select winners in each category. Winners will be announced at The Impact Awards ceremony, held at the Unico Conference Gala Dinner, Brighton Racecourse, on Thursday evening, 11th June 2009.

Full details of the award categories, entry criteria and process can be found at The Impact Awards web site www.impactawards.org.uk, or email info@impactawards.org.uk, or call +44(0)1223-422085.

Notes to Editors

1. Unico is the UK’s leading Knowledge Transfer membership association. Unico members realise the potential of university and public sector research through commercialisation.

2. Categories are sponsored by:

- Business Impact Award - BDO Stoy Hayward LLP, UK member firm of BDO International, the world’s fifth largest accountancy network - Environmental Impact Award - Praxis Courses Ltd, providers of inspirational training courses for knowledge transfer and commercialisation professionals - Public Policy and Service Impact Award - Research Councils UK, the strategic partnership of the UK’s seven Research Councils

A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be downloaded from www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at www.mediapoint.press.net or www.prnewswire.co.uk.

Source: Unico Commercial Projects

For further information: Unico, Lee Willmott, Communications Officer, Unico, St John’s Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, Tel: +44(0)1223 422085, lee.willmott at unico.org.uk or info at impactawards.org.uk