KT News

Celebrating Volunteers’ Week: The Heart of ASTP

At ASTP, Volunteers’ Week is a time to shine a light on the remarkable individuals who power our association. It’s a moment to recognise that behind every successful activity, training, event, and initiative stands a dedicated community of volunteers. ASTP exists for and by Europe’s knowledge transfer professionals — volunteers are our core and our driving force.

Built by Volunteers, Sustained by Commitment

Associations like ASTP thrive because of the passion, expertise, and generosity of our members. Our volunteer community doesn’t just support what we do — it defines it. Every committee member, every board representative, every Special Interest Group (SIG) coordinator, and every mentor plays a vital role in making ASTP a dynamic and impactful network.

From shaping strategic direction to delivering high-quality training, our volunteers elevate ASTP’s work and ensure it remains relevant, practical, and valuable to knowledge transfer professionals across Europe.

A Community of Leaders

We are proud to be led by a Board composed entirely of committed volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to guide ASTP’s strategic direction. A heartfelt thank you to our 2025 Board!

Celebrating Our Committees

ASTP's committees are the backbone of our association, each focusing on specific areas to advance knowledge transfer across Europe. We extend our deepest gratitude to the dedicated volunteers serving on these committees:

• Conference Programme Committee – This group of volunteers develops the programme content for ASTP's annual conferences, sharing insights into professional development needs and trends.

• Europe Committee – This group of volunteers works to drive the conversation with the European Commission and other public bodies involved in knowledge transfer issues and opportunities.

• Professional Development Committee – This team of top professionals manages ASTP's professional development activities, including training courses, masterclasses, and site visits.

• Survey Committee – The committee’s main activities revolve around the ASTP annual survey on knowledge transfer, setting up indicators, preparing questionnaires, and analysing data.

Special Interest Groups: Connecting Communities

ASTP's Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are vibrant communities within our association, bringing together members with shared interests in specific areas of knowledge and technology transfer. These groups foster collaboration, networking, and the exchange of best practices among professionals across Europe.

• Agrifood – A forum for knowledge transfer professionals to navigate and overcome key challenges in commercialising research-based innovation across the global food supply chain.

• BioMedical – Supports researchers in the human life sciences, sharing strategies and best practices.

• Connect and Communicate with Impact (CCI) – Brings together KT professionals to enhance communication excellence in knowledge transfer.

• Digital Innovations – Launched as the Software SIG in 2016, its scope now encompasses the full range of digital innovations and their impact on knowledge transfer and start-up activities.

• Directors’ Forum – Aims to exchange experiences between directors of Knowledge Transfer Offices (KTOs), focusing on leadership and management.

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) – Promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion within the knowledge transfer sector.

• Legal – Addresses legal questions and dilemmas in knowledge transfer, with monthly discussions on diverse legal topics.

• New Professionals – Serves as a community for those new to the field of knowledge transfer, supporting their growth and development.

• SHAPE – Focuses on knowledge transfer and valorisation within the social sciences, humanities, and arts.

• Spin-off – Offers a platform for in-depth discussions on supporting and nurturing spin-offs from universities and research centres.

These SIGs are instrumental in fostering specialised discussions, organising events, and developing resources tailored to their focus areas. They exemplify the collaborative spirit of ASTP, enabling members to delve deeper into topics of mutual interest and drive innovation within their fields.

Honouring Excellence: Michael Karle, Volunteer of the Year

This year, we are proud to honour Michael Karle as ASTP’s Volunteer of the Year. Michael has been instrumental in shaping ASTP’s strategic output through his key role in the creation of the White Paper on boosting spin-off creation in Europe and the comprehensive NAAC Report, which expands on that work with robust data and practical recommendations.

Reflecting on the experience, Michael shared:

“It was a very long journey to prepare these two papers. The spin-off development process in research institutions is often too long — it’s a rollercoaster. I found this task from NAAC to improve the spin-off process a really great idea. There’s a huge need to speed it up, and I was thankful to make a contribution and an impact there.”

Michael also highlighted the power of the ASTP community:

“The highlight for me is being in contact with people from different cultures, countries, and regions. We often work in silos and assume we have the best solution, but hearing other perspectives helps you think differently — one step to the left or right — and find better answers. That’s one of the key values of being part of ASTP.”

And his advice for anyone considering volunteering?

“Yeah, do it — just do it! It’s fun. It’s a lot of work, and you really need to find common ground with others, but it’s worth it. It was a long journey, but a fun journey.”

Michael’s thoughtful contributions and commitment embody the very best of ASTP’s spirit: collaborative, cross-cultural, and always striving for impact.

Join Us

Whether you have an hour a week or a few days a year to offer, your time and skills can make a meaningful impact. Join a committee, support an event, mentor a peer, or offer your expertise — ASTP is stronger when you’re part of it. Contact us at hq@astp4kt.eu.

ASTP is your association – built by its members, for its members. Let’s continue building it together.