What is the Industry Connection Programme ?                   

The X-CITED Industry Connection Programme (ICP) is an innovative approach by GW4 to bridging gaps between academia and industry, by enabling Research Technical Professionals (RTPs) across the institutes to connect directly with industry partners for the benefit of all. 

The overarching aim of the Industry Connection Programme is to reduce the engagement barriers between RTPs and colleagues in industry. 

We support RTPs at different stages of their industry engagement by offering tailored opportunities to build confidence, connections, and visibility.

What does the Industry Connection Programme do?   

For more experienced RTPs:

• We deliver bespoke, in-person events designed to help you expand your professional networks, strengthen industry partnerships, and showcase your facilities and expertise. Register to the ‘Confidence in Industry Conversations’ event in Sept 2026 today!

For those new to industry engagement:

• Our bite-sized, online, ‘Focus Fortnight’ sessions provide practical guidance and support to help you confidently begin connecting and collaborating with industry partners. Coming in October 2026 – watch this space and join our mailing list for registration details coming soon.

For further information, please contact the X-CITED team at x-cited@gw4.ac.uk.

Industry Connection Programme – list of events

Scroll down to see what’s coming up within the ICP:

Industry Connection Programme: ‘Confidence in Industry Conversations’ Event 

All travel, meals and accommodation will be funded by X-CITED  

We are excited to launch our FREE two-day residential ‘Confidence in Industry Conversations’:

The two days will include a day of bespoke training for our RTPs from world renowned facilitator – Sawan Khuri – known for providing bespoke, expert training in industry conversations and professional skills development – followed by a second day when industry partners are invited into the conversations. 

Open to RTPs across GW4 (Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff & Exeter), it’s a great opportunity to grow your skills, make new connections and learn more about connecting with business outside of higher education.  

This ICP is aimed at GW4 RTPs who have some experience engaging with industrial colleagues and those with plenty of industrial experience but would like to build their networks, but is open to all GW4 RTPs with engineering and physical sciences links. 

The Agenda includes: 

Day 1: 

• Learn the purpose of advertising and promoting your facility to industry 

• Discover how to become more visible and gain new contracts 

• Interactive work on case studies defining customer needs, idea generation and facility solutions 

• Build your knowledge on cross-sector collaboration 

Day 2: 

• Understand the power of networks 

• Interactive work on scenarios between RTPs and industry clients 

• Industry partner Business show 

• Wrap up and prize giving 

What will you get out of this? 

• Increase confidence to engage with industry – Further develop the skills and self-assurance to initiate, lead and sustain meaningful conversations with industry partners. 

• Gain practical communication tools – Learn how to articulate technical expertise, translate academic capability into industry‑relevant language, and navigate different professional expectations. 

• Understand industry perspectives – Gain increased insight into industry drivers, priorities, and decision making—helping RTPs position themselves as valuable collaborators rather than support functions. 

• Practise in a supported space – Build the skills you already have during a dedicated training day before putting them into practice with invited industry partners on day two. 

• Grow professional networks – Form new connections with RTP peers across GW4 institutions and establish direct relationships with industry contacts. 

• Enhance career development – Strengthen transferable skills that support career progression, visibility, and impact—both within academia and beyond. 

If you are a GW4 RTP who hasn’t undertaken any industry work in the past, or feel a bit rusty, you might benefit from our bitesize series coming up in October. 

Industry Connection Programme: ‘Focus Fortnight’

All travel, meals and accommodation will be funded by X-CITED  

We are excited to launch our FREE Industry Connection Programme: ‘Focus Fortnight’

Offering a variety of bitesize, online, introductory sessions for RTPs who have never engaged with industrial colleagues – or feel unsure about how to go about this.

Join us for these FREE sessions, organised over a fortnight of dates, covering topics which include:

• Why is industry contact important? What’s in it for them & you?
• Defining customer needs & Demystifying industry expectations and constraints
• Teamwork across sectors
• Industry partner Project lifecycles
• Operational side of industrial work