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Enterprising Research Degrees

Harness innovation and embed specialist expertise

At UniSA, we partner with organisations from startups to multinationals to spark new ideas and bring a positive impact to your business. We’re invested in developing research projects that are designed to address current and future challenges relevant to business, industry and the wider community.

You can play an active role in co-designing a project-based Masters by Research or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) that tackles a problem in your sector. You can also partner with us to provide a current UniSA student with an internship within your organisation, embedding the right knowledge into your ecosystem to help it thrive.

Research degrees at UniSA
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Embed knowledge into
your organisation

Work with us and bring benefit to your organisation through a bespoke project-based research degree or research internship

Develop your workforce capabilities,
now and in the future

Identify internal talent to complete a research degree, or invest in new talent by working with a UniSA student

Co-design a research project

Cooperative research centresGreat businesses are built on ideas, solutions, and connections. When you’re busy solving the challenges of day-to-day, it’s not easy finding the time to invest in these foundations. Has your organisation identified a particular problem that requires investigation through research? Engage with us to co-design a bespoke project-based research degree that will deliver real outcomes to your business or industry more broadly.

Together with our expert researchers, we’ll work with you to develop a specific topic and then recruit the best student or team for the project. Alternatively, you may identify someone within your organisation who would benefit from completing a research degree, further enhancing the capabilities within your own workforce.

Access the brightest minds

The research student or team will:

  • Explore your specific problem through a dedicated project-based research degree (Masters by Research or PhD)
  • Be mentored by world-class research supervisors, whose expertise will inform the direction of the project
  • Have access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources, along with world-class networks
  • Bring applied, impactful knowledge to your organisation.

Organisational benefits

By co-designing a research project, your organisation will:

  • Gain knowledge that can be applied to your specific organisational issue or future challenges
  • Connect with talent from outside of your organisation
  • Help to develop research capabilities and expertise within your existing workforce
  • Build a culture of innovation into the DNA of your organisation
  • Extend your professional networks to include our world-class researchers and other industry partners.

Host an internship

Colourful imageAre you interested in helping to develop future leaders by embedding a UniSA research degree student as an intern in your organisation?

No two workplaces are the same, and neither is our approach to student placements. At UniSA, we’ll match you with a student who is focused on making a lasting impact in your industry. They’ll add innovation to your workplace and support the future of your business by sharing new ideas and insights.

By hosting a UniSA student intern, you can also build a recruitment pipeline and nurture tomorrow’s professionals, preparing them for a seamless transition into a role within your organisation or the wider workforce.

Develop future leaders

A UniSA research intern will:

  • Complete a minimum three-month internship within your organisation
  • Focus on your organisational issue, either as part of their research degree or an additional related project
  • Be supported by world-class UniSA research supervisors.

Organisational benefits

By hosting a research intern from UniSA, your organisation will:

  • Gain access to new knowledge and bring innovation into your workplace
  • Connect with UniSA’s world-class researchers and experts
  • Develop cutting-edge insights that can be applied immediately to your industry.

Requirements

  • microscope-science-investigate Co-designed research projects minus-thin plus-thin

    A co-designed research project requires a shared commitment from your organisation and UniSA to ensure a mutually beneficial outcome.

    Your commitment

    • For new talent (a UniSA student), you’ll pay a three-year stipend (living allowance) scholarship program at A$35,000 per annum
    • Nominate an expert from within your organisation to be part of a supervisory team and provide the student with local insight and end-user expertise
    • Consider a co-location arrangement, where the student can be embedded within your organisation
    • Consider a three-month placement or internship to further enhance the project and research outcomes.

    What UniSA provides

    • Support to co-create your project proposal
    • A fee waiver up to the value of A$39,700 per annum (based on 2023 entry)
    • Access to a supervisory panel of world-leading research experts
    • Management and development of candidates with transferable skills
    • Access to purpose-built facilities that encourage collaboration in an entrepreneurial environment.

    To learn more about the requirements or co-designing a research project, get in touch.

    Contact us

  • checklist-complete Hosting research interns minus-thin plus-thin

    Hosting a research intern requires a commitment from your organisation to ensure a positive outcome for both the student and your organisation.

    Your commitment

    • You’ll pay a stipend to cover the student’s living costs (at a minimum of A$2,500 per month) for the internship’s three-month duration
    • Nominate an industry expert from within your organisation to help inform the intern’s area of focus.

    Contact us to discuss the requirements or learn more about hosting a UniSA research intern.

    Contact us

Case studies

Discover how UniSA research students are collaborating with industry to solve problems and create impact.

Improving mental health in aged care

UniSA has partnered with Helping Hand to address widespread apathy and improve mental health in aged care using virtual reality (VR) technology. Apathy in aged care homes hastens cognitive decline and can affect up to 84 per cent of older populations.  

The innovative tool enables seniors to relive happy memories from their past through a 360-degree experience. Residents with the highest levels of apathy showed the most improvement suggesting using VR may help improve the lives of older adults in residential aged care. 

Read more

“Working with Helping Hand allowed me to understand aged care systems and procedures so I could ensure we were engaging with both residents and their families in the right way while providing person-centred care.”

Dimitrios Saredakis, PhD Candidate at UniSA

Keeping Aboriginal women’s hearts strong

Despite our nation’s commitment to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal Peoples, a significant life expectancy gap remains, with heart disease the leading cause of death in women. UniSA PhD candidate Katharine McBride is working with Aboriginal women and health providers such as Watto Purrunna Aboriginal Primary Health Care Service to encourage governments to approach health from an Aboriginal perspective. 

Read more

“As an Aboriginal man, it has given me confidence that the research is meeting community priorities and delivering benefits on the ground for Aboriginal women. Being a partner in the design and process, has taught us we can do so much better.”

Kurt Towers, Executive Director Aboriginal Health, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

Contact the Enterprise Hub

Get in touch with us to find out how we can support your business needs.

Make an enquiry online or call us to discuss your idea

Contact us

Australian students

Phone: +61 8 8302 2376
Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

International students

Phone: +61 8 9627 4854
Enquiry: unisa.edu.au/enquiry

For further information please visit unisa.edu.au/study
Information correct at the time of publication. CRICOS provider number 00121B.
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