Engage with Masters and PhD students for industry innovation

Students bring a fresh perspective, new skills and innovative approaches to your workplace, while giving you the chance to promote your organisation and profile future graduates.

Working with our students will help to:

  • find real-world solutions to your challenges
  • develop future research leaders for industry
  • bring ideas, knowledge networks and innovative thinking to you.

How it works

Work with Master of Philosophy and PhD candidates on a short term, two to six month industry project, which you will develop with the student and an academic mentor. Our research students will then work with you to deliver rapid solutions to your business challenges and develop new product ideas.

Working together with our students you will:

  • explore new ideas and projects
  • build and extend relationships with our academics and students
  • contribute to the quality of professional practice
  • improve the learning outcomes of students, ensuring graduates are ready for the future of your industry or business
  • benefit from the value graduate researchers can offer to industry.

We provide:

  • a post-confirmation research student
  • access to QUT facilities and academic mentoring.

You provide:

  • funding for the internship, e.g., $10,000 for a three month internship

You can access government rebate and tax incentives to minimise cost. Additionally, any intellectual property remains with the industry partner.

What are the benefits?

The benefits for your industry are numerous, including:

  • fast turnaround and accelerated innovation (outputs of the project are outlined in the project plan, and students are monitored with milestones throughout project)
  • academic support from QUT to help identify problems and propose solutions
  • valuable access to new research talent
  • the opportunity to fill skills gaps in your industry
  • flexibility to design standalone projects, or work within bigger projects (including scoping and follow-up work for larger projects and grants).

Students benefit from the experience by:

  • participating with and in industry on real-world problems to improve their education experience
  • developing greater connections with the world of work
  • understanding themselves in relation to their career development, their academic studies and transition to employment
  • building their workforce preparation and adaptability
  • creating industry networks and enhancing their CV
  • increasing their employability
  • developing their soft skills
  • turning their thesis into practice on an industry problem.

Our students come prepared

Our Graduate Research Education and Development framework equips our students with real-world skills and learning outcomes throughout their research journey, helping prepare them for their lives after graduation. To help them prepare for their internships, we offer:

  • transferable skills development through the Graduate Research Education and Development framework
  • a briefing and preparation module
  • career education and support
  • support throughout the program
  • tailored pre-internship training for specific technical skills they may need.

Students are briefed on:

  • the purpose and aims of the internship
  • roles, tasks and expectations for meeting learning outcomes
  • workplace rights and responsibilities.

It's important that you, as an industry partner, also provide an induction to the workplace, including supporting students to work in a healthy and safe work environment.

Do students have insurance during internships?

Yes, enrolled students participating in approved internship activities are insured by QUT. Contact our partnership office by emailing hdr.intern@qut.edu.au if you require an insurance certificate of currency.

Why research at QUT?

See our research strengths

Apply to research with us

Contact us

Get in touch if you've got questions about our graduate research education program.

For enquiries about our Graduate Research Education and Development (GRE+D) program, email gred@qut.edu.au

For enquiries about graduate research industry engagement, email hdr.intern@qut.edu.au

3138 4422