This 3 day course is a great opportunity to work on the practical elements of supporting academic consultancy, with a collaborative group of experts who have accumulated decades of specialist knowledge and insights.
Why Join This Course?
We expect that by the end of these 3 days you will have developed your understanding of how academic consultancy fits into the wider university context; how to raise its profile as a worthwhile activity for research institutions to support and how it adds value.
Who Should Attend?
People engaged in commercialisation, knowledge transfer, business development roles in commercialisation, or in other university administrative offices:
- Currently not providing any support to researchers carrying out consultancy
- Wishing to start a formalised consultancy support function
- In the early stages of formally supporting consultancy
Learning Objectives
- Gain awareness of different models of support for consultancy
- Understand the benefits and challenges
- Understand how various approaches can impact on policy development and operational set up
Course Topics
- What is consultancy and why should we support it?
- Consultancy policy and its implications
- Risks and mitigation
- Exploring the legal issues and key contractual terms
- Different operational models discussion
- Programme
- Speakers
- Venue
Programme
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Wed 08 October 2025
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12:00 - 13:00 Registration
Please collect your badge at the ASTP Hospitality Desk
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13:00 - 13:30 Lunch
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13:30 - 14:00 Welcome and introductions
Introduction to Course Directors, course programme and objectives.
Trainers Elizabeth Nolan and Amanda Zeffman -
14:00 - 15:00 What is consultancy and why should we support it?
This session offers a general introduction to what is meant by consultancy in the University/Research Institute context and the numerous benefits that can arise from it as well as the benefits that can be derived from University support of this activity. We will look at the difference between consultancy and research activity and hear some examples of demonstrable impact from consultancy for society, the economy, the university and the researcher.
Trainer Amanda Zeffman -
15:00 - 15:30 Break
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15:30 - 16:30 Real life experience of developing a consultancy service from scratch
Starting a brand-new consultancy service is akin to starting your own business and as any entrepreneur will tell you – it’s a rollercoaster ride. Hear first-hand of the ups and downs, the fun and the fear experienced in University College Dublin, the first Irish university to establish a consultancy service.
Trainer Elizabeth Nolan -
16:30 - 17:30 Introduction to consultancy policy and its implications
Having a policy that structures how researchers engage with the consultancy service is an important part of establishing a functioning, professional service. We will look at two scenarios: designing a policy from scratch and updating an existing policy. We will draw on real life experiences to consider what makes a good policy and how to get buy-in.
This session will include a group discussion and you will need to have reviewed either your own university’s consultancy policy or a consultancy policy from another university that you found online.
Trainer Elizabeth Nolan -
17:30 - 17:45 Wrap up day 1
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19:00 - 22:00 Networking dinner
Join participants from all courses, esteemed speakers, and the ASTP staff team for an unforgettable gathering over a shared meal at one of Faro' finest local restaurants. This is a unique opportunity to connect, engage, and enjoy an evening of conversation and networking in a vibrant setting.
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Thu 09 October 2025
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09:30 - 10:00 Recap day 1, intro day 2
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10:00 - 11:00 Risks and Mitigation
With consultancy activity comes a number of risks for the researcher and the University. We will discuss what these may be and some approaches to manage or mitigate them.
Trainers Elizabeth Nolan and Amanda Zeffman -
11:00 - 11:30 Break
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11:30 - 13:00 Exploring the Legal issues and key contractual terms
This session will highlight why consultancy contracts are so important for managing risk and aligning expectations of all parties. It will also cover some of the key clauses to be particularly aware of.
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13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
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14:00 - 15:30 Different operational models
There are many different ways of setting up your operations which will depend on a number of factors such as local and country regulations, university policies and governance as well as organisational culture.
Here we will hear about two different operational models one from Cambridge Enterprise Consultancy Services and one from the UCD Consult and will discuss the pros and cons of different approaches.
Trainers Elizabeth Nolan and Amanda Zeffman -
15:30 - 16:00 Coffee break
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16:00 - 16:30 Different operational models discussion
Participants will have an opportunity to contemplate their own institutional set up for supporting consultancy and sharing their experiences and thoughts about the models their institutions have or would like to develop.
Trainer Elizabeth Nolan -
16:30 - 17:30 Marketing your offering
This session will consider channels of internal communication which can be used as important marketing tools to develop stakeholder relationships and raise the profile of the consultancy support offered and the benefits of engaging with you. We will also briefly explore approaches to external marketing to assist with increasing business development.
Trainers Elizabeth Nolan and Amanda Zeffman
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17:30 - 17:45 Wrap up of day 2
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Fri 10 October 2025
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09:00 - 10:30 Negotiation Tactics
In this session we discuss the theory behind negotiations and some basic tools for planning and carrying out negotiations in order to make negotiations less daunting and more effective. This session will build on the some of the legal and contractual issues discussed earlier in the day and will include a group exercise drawn from a real consultancy contract negotiation.
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10:30 - 11:00 Coffee break
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11:00 - 12:00 Evaluation, efficiency and sustainability
How do you ensure your operation is efficient and sustainable especially as the business grows? Here we look at ways of evaluating your performance to inform improvement, ways of improving efficiency and handling high deal flow on limited resources.
Trainer Amanda Zeffman -
12:00 - 12:30 Course summary and wrap-up
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12:30 - 13:30 Lunch and farewell
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Speakers
Venue
Venue - AP Eva Senses
Av. da República 1, 8000-078 Faro, Portugal, Faro 8000-078, Portugal
Room Rates at AP Eva Senses Hotel
Standard City View Single Occupancy : €155.00 per night inclusive of breakfast
Standard Marina View Single Occupancy: €170.00 per night inclusive of breakfast
Reservation
To book your stay, please visit www.ap-hotelsresorts.com and enter the promo code ASTP1025 at checkout.
Terms and conditions.
Special rates apply for the nights of October 7th, 8th, and 9th, 2025. If you wish to extend your stay, please contact the hotel directly.
This offer is valid for bookings made until June 7th, 2025. After this date, reservations will be subject to the standard rates available at the time of booking.
City Tax of €2.00 per person, per night applies, up to a maximum of 7 consecutive nights. This tax is mandatory for all guests aged 13 and older and must be paid at the reception upon arrival.
Other hotels
In the event that AP Eva Senses Hotel is fully booked, please find below other hotels in the neighbourhood. Please note ASTP does not have special arrangement with these hotels.
Hotel Faro opposite Eva Senses
Aqua Ria Boutique Hotel 200m from Eva Senses
Casa da Valentina 60m from Eva Senses
The Modernist Apartment 250m from Eva Senses
Solar Mendonca 400m from Eva Senses
