Industry partnerships

Our focus

We recognise the important contributions made by all of our external partners in developing our local communities, as well as those nationally and internationally. Our partnerships are innovative and create both effective integrated-learning and research and development solutions to real-world challenges. In many cases, it’s our partners that encounter these problems, motivating us to find high-value and unique solutions.

Through a history of successful industry engagement, as well as technology commercialisation, we can offer our partners fit-for-purpose ways to interact. We work to carefully nurture and grow sustainable, multidimensional relationships that we’re constantly evolving, remaining relevant to the needs of our partners regardless of their size and maturity.

How we can work together

Our partners become valued members of the wider Deakin engineering family, not just our school. We see research and training as often indistinguishable elements of the value proposition to you as a partner. Partnership opportunities can include:

student work-integrated learning and industry-based learning placement programs
capstone industry-driven student projects
combined student placement and project programs
industry-based PhD or masters research programs
commercial research projects and services.

We also offer support such as hosting technology workshops or short-course training for industry skills development. Partners can provide invaluable support to our courses through:

direct guest teaching
projects for our students and researchers
project-orientated design-based learning
content and case studies.

Some of our partners also help steer the direction of the school through our Engineering Advisory Board. This all ensures we have contemporary course content with up-to-date technology, relevant for the ever-evolving local, national and global professional needs.

Partnership examples

Analysing the strength limits of an innovative and environmentally friendly construction material

Australian-made Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is being investigated by School of Engineering researchers in conjunction with XLam. This industry research will add to the understanding of the way CLT panels work together as a system and provide engineers and builders with information they need to improve construction methods.

'Supporting the work of the Deakin research team will drive innovation which we believe is a worthwhile investment.'

Dr Paul Kremer, Head of Marketing, Strategy and Sustainability of XLam

Find out more about this partnership

Innovative use of recycled glass to create a new type of concrete

In partnership with Melbourne-based Orca Civil Products, researchers investigated the use of ground recycled or waste glass products in place of sand when making polymer concrete. This type of concrete is often used in industrial flooring.

'The research partnership has produced results that would be useful in taking the concept further to commercialisation. The specific type of waste glass in this project was unsuitable for recycling and the amount that is stockpiling is becoming a community problem.'

Alan Tavers, Director of Orca Civil Products

Find out more about this partnership

AVL AST partnership

The school is partnered with AVL to enable students to use software tools from AVL Advanced Simulation Technologies (AST). AST software tools allow students in mechanical engineering to simulate various exploratory research, system-level analysis and optimisation in engine, powertrain and other vehicle-related components.

Find out more about AVL