Bridging the academic‐practitioner divide ‐ a problem of perception?

In 1995 the Universities of Plymouth and Exeter (with backing from the local Training Enterprise Council) took the decision to collaborate on an extensive piece of market research, designed to bring them closer to their local business community. Reviews the findings of that study which relate to businesses’ perceptions of the two institutions. Concludes that university services are perceived as being of the highest quality, but there is little awareness of the full range of services currently on offer. There is also evidence that both institutions need to improve their marketing activities, both in terms of providing an appropriate range of services and by ensuring that these are adequately promoted to the target market.