Creating Sustainable Cities Through Knowledge Exchange: A Case Study of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership as a means for universities to generate and exchange knowledge to foster sustainable cities and societies. This paper reports on a series of separate yet interrelated Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) between a university and Local authority in the North East of England designed to enhance the environmental, social and economic performance of a large scale urban housing procurement project. Results from the partnerships indicate that KTPs may play a crucial role in developing capacity within local authorities tasked with creating sustainable cities and societies, whilst at the same time enhancing skills and knowledge within the communities whom they represent and their industry partners. The paper contributes an understanding as to how universities can act as a conduit for the generation and exchange of knowledge for sustainability. It presents a case study which examines how a series of KTPs can provide a useful mechanism for enhancing environmental, social and economic sustainability.