Consultancy
Consultancy that directly impacts people and planet
Our professional consultancy services deliver high-quality, client-focused, insightful solutions. We bring our research capabilities and world-class knowledge to leading organisations to drive change. We can tap into our networks to help organisations find a consultant and work with researchers who have already been approached by a consultancy client.
WHAT IS CONSULTANCY?
Consultancy at St Andrews Innovation means applying academic expertise to help solve external challenges through defined projects. It often involves:
- Routine or specialist testing using University equipment
- Expert advisory services
- Training and professional development
- Representation on advisory boards
This work is distinguished from research by its focus on applying existing knowledge to client problems, not generating new findings or intellectual property.
GETTING INVOLVED
Staff
Staff from any discipline can engage in consultancy if they are employed by the University of St Andrews. Whether you’re approached by an external organisation or notice a potential opportunity through your network, consultancy allows you to apply your skills for real-world impact.
Undertaking consultancy work can raise your profile, develop your network and can often lead to further opportunities for consultancy, research, studentships and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. Alongside this, there is direct financial benefit to you and your school from the income generated. Please find further explanation in the Consultancy Policy.
We handle all background tasks including pricing, compliance, contracts and invoicing so you can focus on delivery, all while being covered by the University’s insurance policies and benefiting from University affiliation. We can support as much or as little as you need, providing full flexibility to support your work.
How it works:
- Identify an opportunity
2. Contact us to discuss its suitability
3. We manage contracts, pricing, invoicing and setup
4. You carry out the work
5. You receive your share of the income
External Clients
Organisations benefit from fast, responsive access to University expertise. Whether you’re a government agency, business or third-sector organisation, we connect you to academics who offer tailored, insightful support.
Our consultancy model covers everything from technical analysis and training to policy development and public engagement. We aim to reduce the friction of working with academia by managing all administrative processes.
How it works:
- Outline your problem or requirement
2. We help identify the right academic expert and provide an introduction
3. We set up contracts, timelines and terms
4. The expert delivers the work
5. We close out the project and follow up as required
EXPERT BANK
We are developing an Expert Bank – a searchable network of academic staff and researchers who are open to undertaking consultancy work. This initiative will make it easier to match external requests with the right expertise across the University.
This is not limited to senior staff and we encourage any staff who are interested to engage with us, particularly Early Career Researchers as a means to gain valuable experience, build professional networks and apply academic skills in external settings.
By joining the Expert Bank, you can:
- Highlight your skills and areas of expertise
- Be considered for future consultancy opportunities
- Support the University’s goal of engaging more proactively with industry and the public sector
If you’re interested in being included, please do follow the link below to fill out our interest form.
Expert Bank Interest Form Contact usSpeak to me to see how we can help
Hello, I’m Joe Richards and I am the Finance Director at St Andrews Innovation. I lead the finance team in providing full compliance services along with commercial support and problem-solving to our portfolio of subsidiary companies. We offer consultancy services to both internal and external organisations, aiming to cultivate a supportive community that nurtures innovation and helps new ventures succeed.
Joe Richards
Finance Director