Closing the gap between
education and employment
IFD's challenge platform, The Lab, connects universities and industry through real-world challenges, creating better student experiences, stronger course outcomes, and bold solutions to problems that matter.
Why IFD exists
Every year in the UK, nearly a million graduates and postgraduates enter the workforce. They are capable, curious, and ready to contribute. Yet employers consistently highlight a gap. Not in academic knowledge, but in the skills that are crucial to modern work, communication, collaboration, adaptability, and resilience.
These aren’t learned in theory. They are developed through experience.
The platform at the
heart of IFD
Our digital platform The Lab enables businesses, universities and students to work together on real-world challenges to build skills, create opportunity and deliver measurable impact.
01
For Universities
Enrich your curriculum
Embed real industry challenges into existing modules without redesigning your courses.
02
For Industry
Harness student ingenuity
Submit your toughest challenges and access a pool of motivated, academically-rigorous student teams.
03
For Students
Build real credentials
Work on genuine industry problems, develop professional skills, and graduate with a portfolio that stands out.
News & Insights
Why businesses gain a commercial edge by collaborating with university students
In an increasingly competitive economy, one strategy consistently overlooked is collaboration with university students. Far from a purely educational exercise, these partnerships offer tangible commercial advantages and as industries evolve, their value will only grow.
Action Learning Your P's and Q's
Professor Bob Garratt. May 2026 IFD exists to bridge higher education students' learning with the identification and resolution of live community issues. Currently much discussed, but with few good examples.
Bridging Academia and Industry Through Real-World Learning
It may seem odd to begin an article on Higher Education (HE) with English football, but the parallels are instructive.
Ready to begin?
Talk to us to bring The Lab into your organisation
Whether you're a university looking to enrich your curriculum, an industry partner with challenges to solve, or a student ready to make an impact, The Lab is your connection point.