Consultancy

Defining Consultancy

Consultancy is the provision of expert advice based on existing knowledge. Unlike research, the purpose of undertaking consultancy is not to create new original knowledge, although new information based on the application of expertise to a client’s challenge or problem may result from the work.

Group meeting sat at table

Overview

Consultancy is important for developing relationships with industry and achieving early impact from research. It can also lead to opportunities for longer term research collaboration.

The University encourages and supports consultancy which contributes to its aims of fostering enterprise and innovation and increasing external engagement with business and the wider community.

To ensure practical support is available, 麻豆视频 Consultancy provides advice and guidance and supports pricing, negotiating, contracting and invoicing, enabling you to focus on the delivery of the work. Indemnity insurance is also provided, ensuring that both you and the University are protected.

Benefits for academics

Engaging with real-world challenges helps you identify timely, relevant research questions that are grounded in practical need—enhancing the originality and significance of your academic work.

Industry insight

Consultancy provides current challenges and case studies that can enrich your teaching—making learning more engaging and relevant for students.

Build strategic networks

Working with external partners opens doors to new professional networks across industry, government, and the public sector—broadening your reach and influence.

Impact

Consultancy is a direct route to demonstrating the value of your research when applied to current organisation challenges—strengthening your contribution to institutional impact strategies and REF case studies.

Student opportunities

Strong relationships with external organisations can lead to student placements, internships, and even funded Phd studentships

Future collaborative research

Consultancy often lays the foundation for funded collaborative projects and long-term partnerships that combine academic insight with practical application.

Additional income

Consultancy provides an opportunity to generate additional personal income, as well as financial contributions to your department or research centre—which can enhance your academic career.

A person's hand writing in a notebook

Examples of Consultancy

  • Professional advice or opinion
  • Strategy review or policy guidance
  • Analysis, testing or validation
  • Feasibility or scoping studies
  • Expert witness services
  • Specialist training
Handshake

Why work with Consultancy Services?

"The Consultancy Services Team are consistently helpful, supportive and knowledgeable about all relevant aspects of the process. I have worked with them on numerous consultancy opportunities, and their input has been incredibly useful in bringing consultancy to fruition. Doing small pieces of consultancy has built relationships with local and national organisations, and enabled me to raise my research profile in relevant fields. Using my income as my PRC has supported my attendance at national and international conferences, again raising my research profile, supporting my contribution to relevant conversations, and engaging with current scholarship." Dr Liz Brewster

Consultancy options

Tab Content: Individual Consultancy

Most consultancy is recognised as ‘Individual Consultancy’, an opportunity initiated between a member of staff and an outside organisation that does not make a significant call on University resources. It is normally delivered outside of workload, so does not affect the delivery of teaching, research or other key role-related duties. In most cases the University provides the service without a charge for these opportunities. However, the cost of any University resources used must be recovered before final payments are made.

Tab Content: University Consultancy

The Consultancy Service can also support ‘University Consultancy’. For a number of roles across the University, it is part of the core role description to deliver consultancy and related income-generating opportunities for the University. In such cases the work is considered to be part of normal workload, and the income is returned to the relevant department with estates and indirect costs accounted for in the appropriate way. If there is any doubt surrounding the status of a consultancy opportunity, it is the approver who confirms the designation. Please ensure all ‘University Consultancy’ is marked as such on the application form.

Tab Content: Private Consultancy

Staff may choose to deliver consultancy outside of the University and without support. This is considered 'Private Consultancy' however approval is still required under the ‘Rules Governing Outside Professional Activities’. Should you wish to undertake Private Consultancy, approval may be obtained by completing and submitting the 'Outside Professional Activities Consent Form'.

We aim to make the Consultancy Service as effective as possible, so if it does not currently meet your needs, please do get in touch and let us know why. We will endeavour to take all feedback into account as we develop the service further.

Getting started

If you’re an academic, or member of Lancaster’s professional services staff, and are ready to proceed with a project, complete and submit a proposal form (requires a lancaster.ac.uk email address) 

Submit an Application

The Consultancy process

Proposal - From initial enquiry, pricing and proposal form submission to approval

Most opportunities start with an enquiry from a business or other organisation. Get in touch with the consultancy team early on to inform your discussions around price and outline terms.

Once more of the details are known, complete and submit the form. This is routed via your Head of Department, Deputy Head of School or Director for approval.

Contract - The consultancy team negotiates and agrees a contract with the client.

A deal is always about more than just delivery of a service for a price. The contract determines who carries what risks and responsibilities so is an important part of the agreement.

LU Consultancy will discuss the legal terms with your client and negotiate an agreement that is fair.

Delivery - Once the contract is signed it is over to you to deliver the agreed services.

It is really important not to start any work until the contract is agreed and finalised. Doing so can have big legal implications. The consultancy team will confirm when it is ok to proceed.

During the delivery stage keep the consultancy team informed if there are to be any changes to the agreed scope of services, delays to the agreed delivery timescales, or other changes that may have contractual implications.

The Consultancy Team will arrange invoicing, followed by payment or transfer of the funds to you or the department as indicated in your application form

Payment for individual consultancy can be made to salary (subject to all tax and NI deductions), or to personal research accounts where these are available to you (spending from these is subject to normal University spending rules). You may even choose to arrange a voluntary additional pension contribution to coincide with your payment. This can be a very tax-efficient way to receive the income. Some staff also opt to make a percentage donation to their department. A preferred split between these choices can be indicated on the application form.

Text here

Connect with us

If you have any questions or wish to discuss a potential project, connect with us by email.

Email Us