Lorraine Marks | Public engagement | Queen's University Belfast

Lorraine Marks

Head of KTP & Business Networks

TEDx Talk Title – ‘Innovation Through Partnership: The KTP Legacy at Queen’s’

The KTP programme has connected over 400 of Northern Ireland’s businesses with academic expertise, sparking innovation, driving growth, and transforming industries. Through the KTP programme, Queen’s academic staff have supported businesses of all sizes and in every sector, sharing academic knowledge and expertise. We have employed and mentored over 500 talented young graduates, all of which, when combined has generated around £300 million of economic impact.

But this story goes beyond the stats. I’ll show how Queen’s University Belfast has used Knowledge Transfer Partnerships to drive economic growth, research excellence, creating graduate employment opportunities in Northern Ireland. Embedding collaborative relationships in our institutional purpose unlocks innovation, and leaves a lasting legacy for Queen’s University Belfast and Northern Ireland.

About the Speaker

Lorraine Marks is the Head of Business Support Programmes in Queen’s University Belfast. She has been involved in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships since 1997, helping businesses access the skills and expertise in the University. Under Lorraine’s leadership, Queen’s University has exceeded all other UK knowledge base partners, securing funding for over 400 KTP projects and achieving 25 National KTP Awards. In addition to managing a portfolio of around 30 live KTP projects, Lorraine supports business partners with Innovation Vouchers, the Innovation Boost programme and engages with the Further Education sector via the Connected programme. Lorraine lives just outside Ballymena with her husband, four grown up children and two dogs.