Related links
Industry and community projects
- Overview
- 3000 level - types of project units
- 3000 level - eligibility and how to enrol
- 3000 level - projects and partners
- 4000 level - projects and how to enrol
3000 level - projects and partners
The following projects are 3000 level units. If you’re studying in a Bachelor of Advanced Studies, see information on our 4000 level projects.
Because industry and community projects are run in collaboration with partners outside of the University, project partners and topics are subject to change prior to the start of teaching.
If you have any questions about the projects, you can email pvceducation.enquiries@sydney.edu.au or the project supervisor listed in each project.
Availability of projects
Places in each project are limited so we encourage you to register early in Sydney Student to avoid missing out.
You will only see projects that are available for your enrolled shell unit and still have places available. Projects will not be visible if they are at capacity. If you can’t see a project when you register, you will need to select a different project that meets your major or course requirements.
Project availability is subject to change.
Intensives
Intensives are full-time equivalent offerings, and the exact timing of each day is outlined in the intensive timetable below. Students are expected to attend the scheduled class times for the relevant session.
If you have any questions, please contact pvceducation.enquiries@sydney.edu.au.
- January - February intensives take place over four weeks from 19 January to 15 February 2026.
- June - July intensives take place over four weeks from 29 June to 26 July 2026.
Find out how to enrol in an ICPU.
Timetable
January - February intensive projects take place over 4 weeks from 19 January until 15 February 2026.
There will only be one class per project. Please consider the project timetable before registering for a project in Sydney Student and make sure that you are available for the allocated class times. The project timetable below is an indication of the time you will need to be available for scheduled classes and independent groupwork. The specific class-times will vary and be advertised when the canvas site is published.
Projects will be delivered face-to-face on campus and have a 90% attendance requirement.
It will take 7-9 days for your personal timetable to reflect your project registration.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm |
| Week 2 | No classes | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm |
| Week 3 | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm | Independent study day | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm |
| Week 4 | No classes | ||||
Please note, the above hours include scheduled class times as well as additional hours where students are expected to be available to work independently with their teams.
Students are expected to contribute a total of 120 – 150 hours of effort towards the intensive unit which includes 39 hours of scheduled classes plus an additional 81 – 111 hours (20 - 27 hours per week) outside of class times, including significant independent groupwork as indicated.
Meat and Livestock Australia – Beyond the Chop: Identifying Fifth Quarter Innovations for the Australian Sheep and Goatmeat Industries
In the red meat industry, 20% of carcase cuts deliver 80% of the value. Once processed, 40% of the animal’s liveweight is considered edible. The remaining components, termed the “fifth quarter” comprise parts of the animal that are not conventional meat cuts. This typically includes offal and low-value by-products including hooves, skin, blood and bones. Opportunities exist to leverage the “fifth quarter” to diversify the red meat industry’s market offering and tap into new supply chains, both domestically and internationally. Currently, “fifth quarter” beef products undergo further processing into high-value food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical ingredients. However, limited markets and solutions exist for “fifth quarter” innovations for sheep and goatmeat products. This project invites students from diverse backgrounds to think creatively and collaboratively on how new technologies, sustainable practices, and market-driven solutions can unlock the potential of the “fifth quarter.” Whether your interest lies in developing objective measurement tools, designing new products, or analysing supply chains, you can help shape the future of the red meat industry.
Rotary International District 9675 – Building the Impact of Volunteering for Community
This project is not available for registration by students who have previously completed the project ‘Building the Impact of Volunteering for Community in a Digital World’.
Rotary International is a global humanitarian organisation that was founded in 1905. With over 1.4 million members in over 200 countries, the organisation aims to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, save mothers and children, support education, and grow local economies. Rotary International District 9675 is one of 15 districts within Australia, encompassing over 1050 Rotarians in Sydney, Macarthur, and Illawarra. Rotarians work actively across geographic jurisdictions to make a positive impact on communities locally, nationally, and internationally. In an increasingly digital world, the impact of volunteering is changing, creating challenges and opportunities for the organisation’s traditional volunteer base. While Rotary values diversity, regardless of age, ethnicity, race, colour, abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, it continues to struggle to recruit a more diverse and young membership base. In this project, interdisciplinary teams are invited to build on new developments within Rotary, such as ‘e-clubs’, to explore opportunities for impact on communities through voluntary work and programs. Can Rotary extend the reach of its work geographically and across demographics? Students are invited to be creative and bold, but most importantly, to remain focused on enhancing community impact with their research and recommendations.
Timetable
June - July intensive projects take place over 4 weeks from 29 June till 26 July 2026.
Please consider the project timetable before registering for a project and make sure that you are available for the allocated class times as there is a 90% attendance requirement.
All projects are delivered face-to-face on campus unless otherwise stated; please check project descriptions for details.
It will take 7–9 days for your personal timetable to reflect your project registration.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 10 am – 1 pm | 10 am – 1 pm | 10 am – 1 pm | 10 am – 1 pm | 10 am – 1 pm |
| Week 2 | 10 am – 1 pm | 10 am – 1 pm | No classes | 10 am – 1 pm | 10 am – 1 pm |
| Week 3 | 10 am – 1 pm | 10 am – 1 pm | No classes | 10 am – 1 pm | 10 am – 1 pm |
| Week 4 | No classes | ||||
Students are expected to contribute a total of 120–150 hours of effort towards the intensive unit, which includes 39 hours of scheduled classes plus an additional 81–111 hours (20–27 hours per week) outside of class times. This will include group meetings scheduled outside class hours and independent research.
Belvoir St Theatre – The Next Act: Engaging Young People in Theatre in a Rapidly Changing World
Belvoir St Theatre is one of Australia’s most celebrated theatre companies at the forefront of Australian storytelling for the stage. Each year the company presents an annual season of shows alongside programs aimed to engage its audiences. Young audiences are often deeply engaged with culture, community and social issues, and are actively seeking meaningful, shared experiences. This creates an exciting opportunity for theatre companies to connect with people under 30 in ways that feel accessible, relevant and genuinely valuable – positioning theatre as a vibrant and essential part of their social and cultural lives. However, there are many societal challenges impacting how Belvoir St Theatre engages with young audiences including the cost of living, accessibility, cultural diversity, and an increasingly digitising world. This project invites you to tackle one central question: how can Belvoir St Theatre become a compelling, accessible and meaningful destination for young people under 30? Belvoir St Theatre is seeking fresh, future-focused ideas to better understand and engage young audiences from school students through to young adults who may be encountering theatre for the first time or building lifelong cultural habits. Students can approach this challenge from a range of perspectives such as evolving Belvoir’s education program; marketing or digital strategies; addressing pricing and access; positioning Belvoir as a social and cultural hub; designing innovative audience experiences or partnerships; or improving engagement with diverse communities.
JLL Australia – Shaping Tomorrow for Sustainable Cities
JLL helps clients buy, build, occupy and invest in assets including industrial, commercial, retail, residential and hotel real estate. From tech startups to global firms, our clients span industries including banking, energy, healthcare, law, life sciences, manufacturing and technology. We see the built environment as a powerful medium to change the world for the better. By combining innovative technology and data intelligence with our world-renowned expertise, we’re able to unveil untapped opportunities for success. Recent years have brought significant disruptions to cities in how we live in and use them. Whilst this change can be unsettling, it also presents an opportunity to shape the future. In this project, students are required to explore how we can maximise sustainability across environmental, social, and commercial dimensions, focusing on unlocking under-utilised spaces and reimagining them for greater community and social benefit. We will consider partnerships that deliver both economic value and positive community impact, pooling resources and capability. JLL will present case studies on making cities more environmentally and socially sustainable, including innovative approaches to repurposing underused buildings into vibrant, community-focused spaces and examples of social enterprise where there is money to be made from being sustainable.
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use and Sustainability Strategy at the University of Sydney – From Eco-Anxiety to Action – Building Sustainability Culture on University Campuses
This project involves discussions and sensitive content related to health and wellbeing , which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
In the context of an increasingly urgent global climate action agenda, the University of Sydney has made ambitious goals to embed sustainability within and beyond its campuses. This spans its built and digital environments, education and research, as well as the activities of both students and staff. Increasingly prevalent anxieties around climate change, where individuals experience fear and distress relating to environmental destruction and future uncertainty, underscores the importance of enabling collective action. Pro-environmental behaviour can promote wellbeing by providing a constructive response to environmental concerns, however, sustainability efforts outside of individual actions can be hard to find or organise. Embedding sustainability into a broader campus culture may help to bridge this gap and yield positive impacts on students' sense of belonging at university, which is currently at an all-time low. In this project, the University of Sydney Sustainability team in partnership with The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, invites interdisciplinary teams to explore the critical intersection between health, wellbeing, and sustainability action. How can we build and maintain pro-environmental behaviours that enable sustainability? What role might sustainability initiatives have in tackling eco-anxiety and promoting student wellbeing and belonging? What does it look like to embed sustainability into student life in and beyond the classroom?
Universities Admission Centre – Reimagining University Admissions for Wider Access to Higher Education
Currently, university admission is predominantly a numbers game and the personal attributes of an applicant – critical thinking, digital literacy, problem solving etc. – are generally inferred from academic qualifications rather than specifically assessed as a part of admissions. Admissions processes also fail to consider the access issues and structural obstacles that some student demographics face, which prevent them from embarking on a university education. There is now a strong push for universities to admit students on broader criteria, while still ensuring they are well prepared academically for university study. In this project, students are asked to contend with how we can ensure all Australians, regardless of background, have the opportunity to go to university. This is prompted by the 2024 Australian Universities Accord recommendation, which outlines future admissions targets for underrepresented groups, including First Nations, low SES, regional and rural students, and students with disabilities. This is an opportunity to partner with the Universities Admission Centre and contribute to its role in shaping equity policy around university access and inclusion. Student projects will focus on designing strategies that address barriers for equity groups and engage data-driven insights to propose innovative solutions like skill-based assessments and inclusive metrics.
Details of our 2026 Global projects is available in the Global Campus section.
Global Intensives are run during the July intensive session over a four-week period from 29 June to 24 July 2026.
This year, students have the opportunity to participate in a project run in collaboration between three internationally renowned Universities; the University of Padua (Italy), the University of Sydney (Australia) and the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). This year’s edition will be hosted by the University of Lausanne. The project class will be made up of an interdisciplinary mix of students from each of the three universities and includes 1 week of collaborative online study, 2 weeks of in country study, and 1 week of independent individual and groupwork. The course aims to raise students' awareness of the levers for action that exist within urban context to transform food systems towards resilience and sustainability and will include connection to external industry and community partners.
Rethinking Food Systems for Better Health and Sustainability - In Partnership with Padova University and Lausanne University
Global Campus Destination: Lausanne, Switzerland
The context of urban food systems is characterised by the need to feed population while reducing anthropogenic pressure on natural resources through a shift to healthy and sustainable diets that encourage agroecological practices and ecosystem services. This course will contribute to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 12, which is based on responsible consumption and production. Food and agricultural issues have been thrust into the spotlight by the current health crisis, as well as by commitments to curb climate change and the effects of trade globalisation on food sovereignty. It is in this context that the sustainability of food systems was the subject of a United Nations summit in 2021. Trade globalisation and available technologies are having a profound impact on food systems and pushing the food system to its environmental and social limits. The loss of biodiversity, the depletion of arable land, water pollution, air pollution from greenhouse gas emissions, malnutrition and food insecurity, growing inequalities, food injustice, the desertification of rural areas and rapid urban concentration are causing concern among civil society and ordinary citizens. Beyond the debates, individual commitment is becoming increasingly important: new consumption and production practices are profoundly challenging commercial channels, legal statuses, policies and the multiple social relationships that develop between actors and their food.
Applications opened 2 February and close 29 March 2026. Apply online.
Timetables
Week 1 - online
| Class time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 – 6 pm | Introduction | Lecture | Lecture | Lecture | Travel day |
| 6:30 – 8 pm | Padova presentation | Sydney presentation | Lausanne presentation | Lecture | - |
Week 2 - in country
| Class time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 am – 1 pm | Introduction Group work |
Field visit | Workshop Lecture |
Field visit | Group work |
| 2:30 – 5:30 pm | Lecture Workshop |
Presentation and Q&A of case studies | Discussion with industry partners |
Week 3 - in country
| Class time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 am – 1 pm | Oral presentation Feedback on case studies |
Workshop | Field visit | Workshop | Group work Final workshop |
| 2:30 – 5:30 pm | Lecture Group work |
Group work | Group work | Field visit |
Week 4 - online
Group allocations will be advised before Week 1 of the program and individual groups allocated to a mock presentation and presentation date at that time. Groups are encouraged to attend all group presentations but at minimum must participate in their own group presentations.
| Class time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 – 10 am | Mock group presentation | Mock group presentation | Group presentations | Group presentations | Group presentations |
| 10:30 am – 12 pm | Group work | Group work |
Semester-long projects
Semester 1 projects will commence 23 February 2026. Semester 2 projects will commence 3 August 2026.
Students are expected to attend scheduled class times for 3 hours per week.
2026 semester-long projects will be delivered face-to-face on campus and have a 90% attendance requirement.
It will take 7 to 9 days for your personal timetable to reflect your project registration.
If you have any questions, please contact pvceducation.enquiries@sydney.edu.au.
Find out how to enrol in an ICPU.
Timetable
| Industry partner and project | Timetable |
|---|---|
| Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Core to Community: Expanding Nuclear Medicine Access for All |
Friday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Bridge Housing Belonging Matters: Tackling Loneliness and Social Isolation in Community Housing |
Monday 9 am – 12 pm |
| City of Sydney Designing the 24-Hour City: Sustainability and Equity in Night-Time Economies |
Monday 2 – 5 pm |
| BUPA Personalising Health and Care in the Digital Era |
Friday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Gilbert and Tobin Towards a Sustainable Energy Transition |
Tuesday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Insurance Council of Australia Balancing Technological Innovation with Advocacy to Strengthen Insurance Outcomes for Vulnerable Australians in a Dynamic World |
Wednesday 10 am – 1 pm |
| Jacobs Engineering Group Building Future-Ready Water Infrastructure for a Growing Sydney |
Monday 12 – 3 pm |
| NSW Department of Education Empathy in Action: Destigmatising Pelvic Health in Schools |
Tuesday 12 – 3 pm |
| NSW Statewide Health Literacy Hub Improving Communication Systems for Equitable Patient Experience in NSW Hospitals |
Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Paratus Clinical Rethinking Communication Strategies for Recruitment in Clinical Trials |
Tuesday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Producible Advertising for Impact: Making Screens Matter in the Contemporary Mediascape |
Tuesday 12 – 3 pm |
| Ronald McDonald House Charities Caring Smarter: How Can We Amplify Human Care With AI? |
Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Tata India Accelerating AI Adoption for India’s Largest Online Grocer |
Wednesday 3 – 6 pm |
| The Matilda Centre Adolescent Health: Big Problem, Huge Opportunity |
Friday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Universities Admissions Centre Reimagining University Admissions for Wider Access to Higher Education |
Thursday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Westpac Banking Corporation Reimagining Banking with Responsible, Human-Centred AI |
Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm |
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation – Core to Community: Expanding Nuclear Medicine Access for All
Australia has been a pioneer in nuclear science and technology, with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) at the forefront of producing and distributing nuclear medicines. Approximately 75-80% of the nuclear medicine isotopes used in Australia are sourced from ANSTO’s Lucas Heights campus. These radiopharmaceuticals, including Iodide (I-131) capsules, Technetium (Tc-99m) GenTechs, and Lutetium-177 (Lu-177), play a vital role in imaging, diagnosing and treating serious diseases like cancer (incl. thyroid, neuroendocrine, prostate), and other medical conditions (in bone, heart, kidney). However, access to these life-saving treatments across Australia is uneven, hindered by infrastructure challenges, regulatory complexities, and lack of public awareness. To enhance equitable access to these crucial treatments, this project invites student teams to investigate how Australia can better leverage its nuclear medicine capabilities to improve health outcomes nationwide. Students will analyse systemic, economic, and social factors affecting the adoption and accessibility of radiopharmaceuticals and propose actionable strategies to broaden their availability. Additionally, exploring methods to raise awareness among stakeholders about existing and emerging radiopharmaceuticals will be essential. This initiative aims to foster the adoption of nuclear medicine practices to ensure more Australians benefit from these advanced healthcare solutions.
Timetable: Friday 9 am - 12 pm
Bridge Housing - Belonging Matters – Tackling Loneliness and Social Isolation in Community Housing
This project involves discussions and sensitive content related to loneliness and social isolation in community housing, which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
Bridge Housing is a community housing provider and charity managing 3,600 properties across Sydney, home to 5,700 people. Its diverse tenant base includes First Nations people, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, older adults, children, and individuals living with disability or mental illness. Despite this diversity, many tenants—young and old—report feeling lonely and disconnected. Loneliness and social isolation is a growing issue in social housing, affecting those facing life transitions, economic hardship, or social exclusion. Left unaddressed, it can lead to serious mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, compounding existing challenges and reducing overall wellbeing. This project invites interdisciplinary student teams to explore how Bridge Housing can foster stronger social connections and reduce loneliness. What specific barriers do younger tenants face? How can we co-design initiatives that bridge generations and cultures? What role can digital and physical spaces play in fostering connection? And how can we measure impact meaningfully and ethically? Students will design inclusive, culturally relevant, and age-appropriate interventions grounded in tenant-led approaches. Proposals may involve technology, service design, or community-building strategies, and should align with Bridge Housing’s impact framework: improving wellbeing, strengthening community connection, and helping tenants feel safe, supported, and valued.
Timetable: Monday 9 am – 12pm
BUPA – Personalising Health and Care in the Digital Era
Bupa is a global health organisation committed to helping people live longer, healthier, and happier lives. To achieve this, Bupa provides a wide range of health and care services, including aged care and retirement living, dental and optical services, health insurance, and community wellbeing initiatives. To strengthen its impact, Bupa is undergoing a major transformation aimed at becoming the world’s most customer-centric healthcare organisation. This strategy focuses on: (1) Expanding global reach by significantly increasing customer numbers; (2) Enhancing customer experience through seamless, personalised interactions, and (3) Building tailored models of care powered by data and digital technologies. Central to this vision is the creation of personalised health journeys that go beyond traditional insurance and transactional care. These journeys will support prevention, early intervention, chronic condition management, wellbeing, and long-term health outcomes, which adapts to individual needs, preferences, and life stages. As part of this initiative, interdisciplinary teams are challenged to answer: How might Bupa design and deliver personalised health journeys that improve customer experience, build trust, and deliver better health outcomes? Teams are invited to propose bold, innovative solutions that combine evidence-based insights with creativity, enabling personalisation at every stage of the customer’s health and care journey.
Timetable: Friday 9 am – 12 pm
City of Sydney – Designing the 24-Hour City: Sustainability and Equity in Night-Time Economies
Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) calls for cities that are inclusive, safe, and resilient. Sydney’s Tech Central precinct, spanning Camperdown to Redfern, Haymarket, and Surry Hills, is a state-designated innovation district where research, industry, and community converge to shape this vision. As Tech Central grows, understanding its role as a 24-hour urban environment is critical.
Every night, thousands of people use Tech Central—healthcare professionals, cleaners, first responders, delivery drivers, performers, students, and start-up teams working around the clock. Supporting these diverse users is essential for well-being (SDG 3), decent work (SDG 8), and equity (SDG 10). Initiatives like the University of Sydney’s 24/7 micro markets and self-service kitchenettes show how innovation can improve night-time access to food.
In this project, interdisciplinary teams will design strategies to make Tech Central safe, healthy, and inclusive. How is the precinct working—or not working—for different groups after dark? What priorities should shape a truly 24-hour precinct? How can the City of Sydney support equitable transport, safety, and well-being as the area transforms? Students will apply systems thinking and entrepreneurial approaches to create solutions for a resilient, future-ready Tech Central.
Timetable: Monday 2 – 5 pm
Gilbert and Tobin – Towards a Sustainable Energy Transition
Gilbert and Tobin, an independent law firm in Australia, has a rich history spanning 35 years, during which it has solidified its position as a leader in corporate law, with exceptional prowess in corporate/M&A and banking practices. In the last decade, the firm has expanded its expertise to encompass burgeoning sectors like construction law, energy, and climate change. The contemporary landscape of energy transition presents both a challenge and an opportunity of profound significance. As society pivots towards renewable energy sources to combat climate change, a myriad of intricate questions surfaces. Does renewable energy enjoy widespread social acceptance necessary for comprehensive decarbonisation? How can we effectively manage the intermittency of renewable generation across different timeframes? What is the role of government and public subsidies in delivering energy transition at scale? Moreover, the viability and sustainability of energy storage solutions like hydrogen, and even the contentious role of nuclear energy, beg for further critical consideration. In response, interdisciplinary collaboration becomes important, inviting students to navigate the complexities of delivering a truly sustainable energy transition. Their task is not only to identify key challenges but also to formulate pragmatic recommendations that prioritise societal welfare, environmental preservation, and economic viability. The multifaceted nature of this task demands a holistic approach, considering technological capacities, engineering feasibility, economic implications, environmental impacts, social dynamics, and legal frameworks.
Timetable: Tuesday 9 am – 12 pm
Insurance Council of Australia – Balancing Technological Innovation with Advocacy to Strengthen Insurance Outcomes for Vulnerable Australians in a Dynamic World
The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) is the General Insurance industry of Australia’s representative body. As industry representatives, the Insurance Council leverages its unique position to build partnerships with governments, communities, and regulators to address the protection gap and ensure the strength and sustainability of the insurance sector.
As technology increasingly universalises business processes in a globalised world, the insurance sector is always looking for ways to create sustainable customer outcomes.
With climate change embedding greater uncertainty into the ever-dynamic state of people’s experiences of vulnerability, insurers are constantly adapting their data processes to account for this. Identifying vulnerabilities, and framing them in their context, is a key priority that insurers are adopting modern and emerging technologies to target.
From incorporating climate uncertainty into its underwriting processes, to rigorously training its claims-handling AI chatbots, insurers have long been at the forefront of technologically driven solutions that bridge the gap between the theoretical and the practical.
Yet as systems that rely on universal quantitative datasets are proliferated, it becomes increasingly difficult to capture peoples’ contextual experiences of vulnerability, in data.
How can the General Insurance industry effectively combine learnings from technology, advocacy and expertise, to create optimal, replicable and scalable insurance outcomes for vulnerable Australians?
Timetable: Wednesday 10 am – 1 pm
Jacobs Engineering Group – Building Future-Ready Water Infrastructure for a Growing Sydney
Greater Sydney’s population is projected to reach 8 million within the next 40 years, with nearly half residing in Western Sydney. To support this growth, we must plan and build smart, sustainable infrastructure. Water utilities across NSW are under mounting pressure to provide climate-resilient, sustainable, and equitable services amid challenges such as climate change, rapid population growth, and aging infrastructure. These factors strain water availability and quality, increase demand for expanded water and wastewater networks, and heighten the risk of system failures, inefficiencies, and rising maintenance costs. In this context, how can NSW ensure that its water infrastructure meets growing demand while remaining equitable, decarbonised (net zero by 2050), and sustainable? This project invites student teams to investigate global solutions that could be adapted locally, and explore innovative approaches that could be developed to meet these challenges? This initiative aims to implement future-ready solutions that balance sustainability, policy changes, innovation, decarbonisation and equity within water systems.
Timetable: Monday 12 – 3 pm
NSW Department of Education – Empathy in Action: Destigmatising Pelvic Health in Schools
This project involves discussions and sensitive content related to health and gender, which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
The NSW Department of Education is dedicated to promoting student wellbeing and enhancing pelvic health awareness within and beyond the classroom. According to Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute, 3/10 students assigned female at birth (AFAB) skip class due to painful periods. Australian government estimates show around 1 in 7 (14%) women born 1973–78 were diagnosed with endometriosis by age 44–49—a chronic, often misunderstood condition causing barriers to timely diagnosis and support. This project challenges interdisciplinary student teams to explore how schools can become transformative environments for pelvic health education and destigmatisation. How can schools foster empathy and reduce stigma among students, educators, and parents? What tailored approaches address unique needs of diverse school settings, and how should strategies be adapted for metropolitan, regional, and rural areas? Students will investigate ways to build awareness and empathy through curriculum delivery, making pelvic health education meaningful and inclusive. Could wellbeing days, peer-led programs, lived experiences, or culturally sensitive resources shift perceptions? Teams are encouraged to critically analyse these and develop innovative, evidence-based solutions beyond current resources. The goal is to empower schools and their communities to lead normalising pelvic health discussions, overcoming stigma, and improving understanding for all.
Timetable: Tuesday 12 – 3 pm
NSW Statewide Health Literacy Hub - Improving Communication Systems for Equitable Patient Experience in NSW Hospitals
This project could involve discussions and sensitive content related to patient health and wellbeing in hospital settings, which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
The NSW Statewide Health Literacy Hub works across NSW’s health system to support clear communication between hospitals and patients and to promote equitable access to health information. The Bureau of Health Information (BHI) independently monitors and reports on the performance of public hospitals, including patient experiences and communication outcomes. Together, these agencies provide a rich foundation of insights into hospital encounters, communication pathways, and patient outcomes across diverse demographic groups and hospital contexts. Despite ongoing efforts to improve accessibility, public hospital systems remain complex and can create barriers in emergency departments, surgical admissions, discharge processes, signage, digital platforms, and navigation systems. Patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal communities (including higher populations in Western Sydney), people with disability, older adults, carers, and those from lower-socioeconomic households often face disproportionate communication demands. In this project, interdisciplinary student teams will analyse hospital communication materials, BHI survey findings, forms, signage, and websites to identify system bottlenecks, accessibility gaps, and equity challenges. Rather than expecting patients to increase their health literacy, the project focuses on reimagining hospital communication systems to be clearer, more intuitive, and equitable. Students are encouraged to develop actionable, evidence-informed solutions, including communication audits, redesigns of signage or forms, digital tools, or policy recommendations aimed at improving patient experience.
Timetable: Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm
Paratus Clinical – Rethinking Communication Strategies for Recruitment in Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are essential for developing evidence-based treatments that put safety, effectiveness and patient care at the forefront. They are vital to develop effective medical interventions for a range of global health challenges including cancer, diabetes and obesity. Yet the success of clinical trials is dependent on the successful recruitment of participants. Delays or lack of participation compromise the robustness and success of clinical trials which inform life-saving advances in medical care. In fact, globally, more than 80% of trials fail to enrol on time resulting in an extension of the study and/or addition of new study sites. Paratus Clinical was established to meet this increasing need for efficient, cost effective and quality delivery of clinical trials within Australia. At Paratus, the primary avenues for recruitment to participation in clinical trials are referrals by medical practitioners or direct applications by individuals. In this project, interdisciplinary teams are asked to consider how enrolment in clinical trials can be enhanced. Does recruitment require different approaches for different health issues and demographics? Either directly or indirectly, what strategies can Paratus Clinical employ to achieve measurable improvements in recruitment? Teams can expect to implement their research skills and apply creative and analytical thinking to formulate practical insights for recruitment innovation.
Timetable: Tuesday 9 am – 12 pm
Producible – Advertising for Impact: Making Screens Matter in the Contemporary Mediascape
In the 1960s, media theorist Marshall McLuhan told us that “the medium is the message”. Producible is interested in how we might apply this concept to the contemporary media landscape advertisers work in. Our media environment is more saturated than ever, but the question is whether advertising has sufficiently evolved in its structure to meet these changing demands. This provocation challenges students to consider how advertisers can better match their messages to the unique strengths, contexts and audiences of different mediums – phones, cinemas, wearable tech and AI – to create more meaningful, inclusive and effective communication. For example, what is the persuasive value of the intimacy of the phone versus the event of the cinema? Interdisciplinary teams might focus on what the affordances of a particular medium are; what happens when we think about AI as a medium, as well as a producer of content; and how different demographics are reached using different mediums, and the depth and inclusivity of this messaging. Anticipated outcomes include strategies for reaching undervalued demographics, developing a framework for the use of AI, and contributing empirical research on the impact of different mediums in advertising. This project bridges academia and industry, offering students real-world experience while delivering evidence-based solutions and insights on the contemporary mediascape.
Timetable: Tuesday 12 – 3 pm
Ronald McDonald House Charities – Caring Smarter: How Can We Amplify Human Care With AI?
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) supports thousands of families across Australia during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. With 19 Houses, 19 Family Rooms, 6 Retreats, and a national Learning Program, RMHC’s mission is deeply human: to keep families close, supported, and cared for. As artificial intelligence transforms how organisations operate, RMHC is exploring how it can enhance—not replace—its compassionate work. This interdisciplinary project invites students to consider: How might we use AI to improve the way RMHC welcomes families, empowers its people, and connects with communities—while keeping empathy and human connection at the centre? Students might explore how AI could support families during a time of great disruption to their lives, streamline daily operations for employees and volunteers, or maintain and strengthen relationships with donors. The challenge is to design solutions that are effective, ethical, and enhance human connections. Students will work in teams to evaluate current practices, identify opportunities, and propose AI-enhanced strategies that align with RMHC’s mission and values. How do we ensure technology amplifies—not diminishes—the human touch? How do we build trust with families and communities through innovation? Ultimately, how do we care smarter, together?
Timetable: Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm
Tata India – Accelerating AI Adoption for India’s Largest Online Grocer
Big basket, a TATA enterprise, is India’s largest online food and grocery retailer, serving over 15 million customers across 50+ cities and offering more than 25,000 products. From farm-fresh produce and household essentials to beauty, electronics, and quick-commerce delivery, Big basket operates with a workforce of over 40,000 employees and generates annual revenues exceeding ₹10,000 crore (AUD1.7 billion). As AI transforms global retail and e-commerce, Big basket is keen to embed responsible, high-impact AI across its operations to strengthen efficiency, customer experience and competitiveness. This ICPU invites students to examine how a large, fast-moving organisation can scale AI ethically and in human-centred ways. Working in interdisciplinary teams, students need to analyse global best practices in AI adoption, assess Big basket’s current maturity across tools, systems, and user groups (including ~10,000 G1 employees), and explore opportunities and risks in AI-enabled transformation. Students will identify challenges and design recommendations that balance organisational value with responsible innovation. Deliverables include an AI readiness assessment, a phased strategic roadmap with timelines, resources, measurable KPIs and a self-driving playbook for department heads. Solutions should address workforce capability, change management, and success metrics to position Big basket as a leader in thoughtful, accountable, and Future-ready AI adoption
Timetable: Wednesday 3 – 6 pm
The Matilda Centre – Adolescent Health: Big Problem, Huge Opportunity
This project involves discussions and sensitive content related to adolescent health and wellbeing, which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use is a multidisciplinary research centre at The University of Sydney. It is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of people affected by co-occurring substance use and mental disorders, which are currently the leading global causes of burden and disease in young people. While adolescence is a critical period in the lifespan where lifelong health habits are formed, young people report feeling isolated, lonely and disconnected. Rates of mental health disorders have risen dramatically, and physical activity and nutrition remain suboptimal. New challenges also abound. Today’s adolescents are the first human cohort to live their full lives under the shadow of climate change. Increasing digitalisation and global commercialisation has resulted in un-precedented access and exposure to harmful products (e.g. sugar-sweetened beverages, ultra processed food, tobacco and e-cigarettes), while rapid acceleration of digital technologies has led to excessive screen time and reliance on digital communication. In the face of these complex challenges, there are myriad opportunities to make a difference, not least by engaging young people themselves in the co-design of impactful preventative measures and interventions. In this project, interdisciplinary teams are invited to bring fresh perspectives and deliver innovative solutions to help improve adolescent health and wellbeing.
Timetable: Friday 9 am – 12 pm
Universities Admissions Centre - Reimagining University Admissions for Wider Access to Higher Education
Currently, university admission is predominantly a numbers game and the personal attributes of an applicant – critical thinking, digital literacy, problem solving etc. – are generally inferred from academic qualifications rather than specifically assessed as a part of admissions. Admissions processes also fail to consider the access issues and structural obstacles that some student demographics face, which prevent them from embarking on a university education. There is now a strong push for universities to admit students on broader criteria, while still ensuring they are well prepared academically for university study. In this project, students are asked to contend with how we can ensure all Australians, regardless of background, have the opportunity to go to university. This is prompted by the 2024 Australian Universities Accord recommendation, which outlines future admissions targets for underrepresented groups, including First Nations, low SES, regional and rural students, and students with disabilities. This is an opportunity to partner with the Universities Admission Centre and contribute to its role in shaping equity policy around university access and inclusion. Student projects will focus on designing strategies that address barriers for equity groups, and engage data-driven insights to propose innovative solutions like skill-based assessments and inclusive metrics.
Timetable: Thursday 9 am – 12 pm
Westpac Banking Corporation – Reimagining Banking with Responsible, Human-Centred AI
Artificial Intelligence is transforming financial services, with Gen-AI and agentic systems enabling hyper-personalisation, intelligent automation, and autonomous decision-making. Banks use these technologies to enhance customer engagement, strengthen security, and streamline operations. For Westpac, AI is an opportunity—to take action now for a better future—and reinforce its ambition to be customers’ number one bank and trusted partner. This comes amid rising expectations, regulatory scrutiny, and competition from fintechs/global tech firms, requiring a balance of innovation, trust, and ethics. This ICPU invites students to work in interdisciplinary teams to step into the bank’s shoes and design AI-enabled solutions that delight customers and strengthen Westpac’s reputation as a safe, innovative leader. Solutions should go beyond chatbots or budgeting tools to apply Machine Learning, Gen-AI, or agentic AI in ways that create meaningful experiences or improve operations. Proposals should address customer or business needs, align with Westpac’s priorities, and demonstrate ethical AI, data privacy, and transparency. Feasibility and responsible implementation are essential. Students could also demonstrate how current and emerging technologies enable their idea, outline implementation pathways, and consider workforce and change impacts. Solutions should highlight safe, responsible, human-centred AI that strengthens customer relationships, community trust, and Westpac’s leadership in banking’s future.
Timetable: Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm
Timetable
Timetable and projects for Semester 2, 2026 will be available here when they have been confirmed.
| Industry partner and project | Timetable |
|---|---|
| Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Synroc: Positioning Australia as a Global Leader in Nuclear Waste Stewardship |
Friday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Bridge Housing Enabling Social Housing Within Purpose-Built Mixed Tenure Communities |
Tuesday 2 – 5 pm |
| BUPA Personalising Health and Care in the Digital Era |
Friday 10 am – 1 pm |
| Chau Chak Wing Museum A Museum for All: Rethinking Access and Participation |
Monday 12 – 3 pm |
| City of Sydney Designing Inclusive Innovation Precincts in Tech Central: Urban Mobility and Lived Experience With International Students as a Case Study |
Tuesday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Elizabeth Broderick and Co Shifting the Story: Narratives on Gender Equality in a Contested Moment |
Tuesday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Ernst and Young and The University of Sydney Designing Connected Campuses for Belonging in a Hybrid World |
Wednesday 12 – 3 pm |
| Insurance Council of Australia Quantifying Psychosocial Impacts of Disasters to Strengthen the Case for Climate Resilience in Australia |
Monday 2 – 5 pm |
| Liverpool City Council Towards LIV2050: Building Connected and Vibrant Communities in Western Sydney |
Wednesday 10 am – 1 pm |
| Microsoft and The University of Sydney Reimagining Higher Education for a World with AI |
Thursday 10 am – 1 pm |
| NSW Department of Communities and Justice Decision-Making in Complex Interdisciplinary Human Service Systems |
Friday 9 am – 12 pm |
| NSW Department of Education Reimagining Evaluative Practice in NSW Secondary Education to Strengthen Curriculum Implementation and Improved Student Outcomes |
Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm |
| NSW Statewide Health Literacy Hub Improving Communication Systems for Equitable Patient Experience in NSW Hospitals |
Monday 9 am – 12 pm |
| Paratus Clinical Project details to be announced soon |
Tuesday 2 – 5 pm |
| Randstad Making the Impossible Possible: Digital Transformation for an Innovative Recruitment Process |
Tuesday 12 – 3 pm |
| Rotary International District 9675 Building the Impact of Volunteering for Community |
Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm |
| The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use Adolescent Health: Big Problem, Huge Opportunity |
Friday 9 am – 12 pm |
| UAP The Role of Creativity in Contemporary City-Making |
Thursday 10 am – 1 pm |
| Westpac Banking Corporation Reimagining Banking with Responsible, Human-Centred AI |
Monday 10 am – 1 pm |
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation – Synroc: Positioning Australia as a Global Leader in Nuclear Waste Stewardship
Interest in nuclear waste management has grown as the pursuit for ‘clean energy’ alternatives intensifies in the context of a growing global climate crisis. This debate highlights the criticality of environmental stewardship – emphasising trusted, traceable, and governable lifecycle resource management – to ensure responsible technological innovation. ANSTO Synroc® (Synroc) technology is more than a breakthrough in radioactive waste immobilisation. It is a strategic national asset with the potential to position Australia as a leader in global nuclear stewardship and trust infrastructure. Developed by ANSTO, Synroc offers a durable, nature-inspired solution capable of safely containing intermediate and high-level waste over geological timescales. In this project, interdisciplinary teams are asked to consider how they would take Synroc to market and at what scale. This should include assessment of global drivers and blockers for advanced waste immobilisation, including those relating to community and social license, policy, liability structures, and emerging nuclear programs that shape demand. Lessons from the existing landscape of waste management approaches and providers should also be leveraged. Teams will draw on evidence-based insights to propose a recommended pathway for how ANSTO and Australia should deploy Synroc internationally. A pathway which delivers national benefit, supports responsible nuclear activity, and can be credibly governed and grown over the long term.
Timetable: Friday 9 am – 12 pm
Bridge Housing – Enabling Social Housing Within Purpose-Built Mixed Tenure Communities
This project may involve discussions and sensitive content related to safe housing for vulnerable communities, which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
Bridge Housing is a community housing provider and charity managing close to 3,800 properties across Greater Sydney, supporting more than 5,700 residents across diverse communities. As the organisation enters a period of significant growth, new developments are increasingly designed as mixed tenure communities, bringing together social housing tenants, affordable renters, market renters, and owner occupiers. While this model creates opportunities for more inclusive and diverse neighbourhoods, it also introduces new challenges around how residents are allocated and how communities function over time. This project invites interdisciplinary student teams to explore how allocation strategies can be used more intentionally to support safe, cohesive and thriving mixed tenure communities. The challenge is to think beyond vacancy management and consider how available policy levers, data insights, and partnership approaches can shape long term community outcomes. What does an “optimal” allocation approach look like when balancing regulatory requirements, commercial pressures, and community wellbeing? And how can allocation strategies be used proactively to support positive interactions and integration across different tenure types? Students will develop practical, evidence-based approaches that help Bridge Housing strengthen community cohesion, reduce risk, and support residents across all tenure types to live well together.
Timetable: Tuesday 2 – 5 pm
BUPA – Personalising Health and Care in the Digital Era
Bupa is a global health organisation committed to helping people live longer, healthier, and happier lives. To achieve this, Bupa provides a wide range of health and care services, including aged care and retirement living, dental and optical services, health insurance, and community wellbeing initiatives. To strengthen its impact, Bupa is undergoing a major transformation aimed at becoming the world’s most customer-centric healthcare organisation. This strategy focuses on: (1) Expanding global reach by significantly increasing customer numbers; (2) Enhancing customer experience through seamless, personalised interactions, and (3) Building tailored models of care powered by data and digital technologies. Central to this vision is the creation of personalised health journeys that go beyond traditional insurance and transactional care. These journeys will support prevention, early intervention, chronic condition management, wellbeing, and long-term health outcomes, which adapts to individual needs, preferences, and life stages. As part of this initiative, interdisciplinary teams are challenged to answer: How might Bupa design and deliver personalised health journeys that improve customer experience, build trust, and deliver better health outcomes? Teams are invited to propose bold, innovative solutions that combine evidence-based insights with creativity, enabling personalisation at every stage of the customer’s health and care journey.
Timetable: Friday 10 am – 1pm
Chau Chak Wing Museum – A Museum for All: Rethinking Access and Participation
The Chau Chak Wing Museum (CCWM) is a free public Museum located within the University of Sydney’s Camperdown campus. The Museum brings together galleries, exhibitions and learning spaces, showcasing a large and diverse collection. One of CCWM’s three main pillars is 'access'. Staff across education, public programs, collections, curatorial, memberships and partnerships work to ensure activities are available, relevant and meaningful for all audiences, and showcase multiple perspectives. CCWM’s strengths include award-winning learning programs, ongoing and temporary exhibitions, artist and community partnerships, collection-care, digitisation, podcasts, and pop-up Museum events in Western Sydney. However, genuine access – what this means and how it affects diverse communities – remains an ongoing challenge. Barriers include CCWM’s University and inner-Sydney location, accessibility requirements and appeal to audiences beyond the University. There are strong aspirations for improved reach, digital resources and literacy, and a fuller representation of diverse groups, both local and further afield. Overcoming barriers that are social, cultural and physical – both to the Museum and the University campus – requires new ideas and a rethinking of what genuine access means. CCWM welcomes solutions that support greater access and participation through belonging strategies, digital access, mutually beneficial membership and partnership programs, audience and community-informed activities, University engagement, and fresh perspectives on who the CCWM belongs to and how associated engagement takes place.
Timetable: Monday 12 – 3 pm
City of Sydney – Designing Inclusive Innovation Precincts in Tech Central: Urban Mobility and Lived Experience With International Students as a Case Study
Tech Central is one of Sydney’s key innovation precincts, bringing together universities, startups, cultural organisations, and diverse communities. As the precinct continues to expand, the City of Sydney is seeking to better understand how people experience Tech Central, how they move through it, access services, use public spaces, and engage in its cultural and innovation activities. International students are one of the largest user groups in the precinct and provide a valuable lens for examining broader issues of mobility, access, wellbeing, and inclusion. Their experiences highlight how urban systems, including transport, public space, services, cultural environments, and employment pathways, shape people’s sense of connection and opportunity. In this project, you will explore Tech Central as a complex urban system. Using international students as a key case study, you will analyse how different groups navigate the precinct and identify factors that support or limit inclusion and engagement. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives, policy insights, and evidence based analysis, you will identify key barriers and opportunities shaping inclusion. Your team will apply a human-centred approach to propose practical interventions that support a more inclusive and connected innovation district. Your insights will contribute to policy discussions with the City of Sydney on inclusion and wellbeing.
Timetable: Tuesday 9 am – 12 pm
Elizabeth Broderick and Co – Shifting the Story: Narratives on Gender Equality in a Contested Moment
This project may involve discussions and sensitive content related to gender equality, which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
Elizabeth Broderick & Co is a specialist consultancy focussed on advancing gender equality across workplaces and society. Gender equality has undergone significant shifts in recent years. Movements such as #MeToo, increased visibility of women’s leadership and sport, and greater attention to care, pay equity and inclusion have reshaped conversations. Yet this progress is unfolding alongside growing contestation. Anti-feminist backlash, fragmented evidence, and influencer driven digital cultures are reshaping how narratives about gender are formed and shared, including through online spaces such as the so-called ‘manosphere’. In Australia, research highlights a complex landscape where support for equality coexists with perceptions that it has already been achieved, alongside growing uncertainty, particularly among men and boys, about changing expectations. It also identifies a large group of people who are supportive but passively engaged, and whose views can shift depending on how issues are framed. This project invites interdisciplinary teams to explore how gender equality narratives can be shifted in this contested environment. What are effective ways to engage audiences whose views are still forming? What narratives resonate across different groups, and why? How can backlash, such as the manosphere, be addressed? Students will develop actionable strategies to shift narratives in ways that are responsive to contemporary social dynamics.
Timetable: Tuesday 9 am – 12 pm
Ernst and Young and The University of Sydney – Designing Connected Campuses for Belonging in a Hybrid World
Universities today operate across both physical campuses and digital ecosystems. As learning becomes more hybrid, many students report feeling disconnected—engaging with lectures, peers, services, and support through fragmented platforms that are rarely designed to foster a sense of belonging. While on campus experiences remain critical for forming friendships, networks, and identity, much of students’ university life now unfolds online. When these digital experiences feel transactional or isolating, students may begin to question whether they truly belong, particularly during key transition moments such as commencing university, changing courses, or returning after disruption. This project challenges students to explore how universities can integrate digital and physical environments to create meaningful, inclusive, and cohesive campus experiences. Students will examine how design, technology, pedagogy, and community practices can work together to reinforce connection, wellbeing, and belonging—not as an add on, but as a core part of the university experience. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives, the project invites innovative thinking about how digital platforms can complement physical spaces, strengthen relationships with peers and staff, and support students to feel connected to the institution now and into the future. Outcomes will consider scalable, future focused solutions that enhance student experience, equity, and engagement across the university community.
Timetable: Wednesday 12 – 3 pm
Insurance Council of Australia – Quantifying Psychosocial Impacts of Disasters to Strengthen the Case for Climate Resilience in Australia
This project may involve discussions and sensitive content related to disasters and climate change and associated psychosocial impacts, which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
As disasters driven by climate change become more frequent and severe, their human toll is growing—but remains poorly understood. While damage to buildings and infrastructure is easily measured, the psychosocial costs to individuals and communities are often invisible: disrupted lives, trauma, lost livelihoods, and long-term impacts on health, wellbeing, and opportunity. The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), the peak representative body for the general insurance industry, is calling for new ways to identify, define, and quantify these non-material losses—especially where they are worsened by pre-existing vulnerabilities such as age, disability, language barriers, mental health, family violence, or socioeconomic disadvantage. In this project, interdisciplinary student teams will work with ICA to explore how insurers and policymakers can better capture the real human cost of disaster. By understanding these impacts, the industry can not only improve its disaster response but also strengthen its case for national investment in climate adaptation and resilience. How can these impacts be measured, modelled, or mapped to influence public policy, insurance reform, or future-focused risk education? What metrics or case studies could help integrate social wellbeing into disaster frameworks? This is an opportunity to contribute to a vital national conversation—where climate resilience isn’t just about rebuilding structures but restoring lives.
Timetable: Monday 2 – 5 pm
Liverpool City Council – Towards LIV2050: Building Connected and Vibrant Communities in Western Sydney
Liverpool City Council is one of the largest and most multicultural Local Government Areas (LGAs) in metropolitan Sydney. It encompasses a total land area of 306 square kilometres and 42 suburbs, with a population of approximately 250 000 and a community drawn from over 140 countries. It is also one of the fastest-growing regions in Sydney, with its population projected to grow to over 350 000 residents by 2046. Liverpool City Council is committed to ensuring that Western Sydney's growth-trajectory is maintained alongside creating a connected, vibrant and livable community. To achieve this goal, it is refreshing its 2050 strategic plan - ‘LIV2050’ - to enable an even more ambitious vision for the future. This will include seeking investment in critical infrastructure to better support multicultural communities with facilities that enable connection. It also entails further investment in building a thriving nighttime economy. In this project, interdisciplinary teams are invited to ground themselves in the unique (South) Western Sydney landscape, with attention to local community values and aspirations. Drawing on evidence-based research, local and global case studies, demographic trends and community insights, interdisciplinary teams are invited to identify emerging opportunities, challenges and priority areas which may help Liverpool City Council inform future investment decisions, strengthen funding opportunities, and support long-term strategic planning under LIV2050.
Timetable: Wednesday 10 am – 1 pm
Microsoft and The University of Sydney – Reimagining Higher Education for a World with AI
Higher education was built for a world where knowledge was scarce, and expertise developed slowly. Today, both assumptions are being challenged. As AI accelerates change and reshapes work, graduates need more than foundational knowledge. They also need durable skills, strong habits of thinking, and the dispositions to adapt, judge wisely, and keep learning. This project invites students to explore how higher education might evolve to prepare graduates more effectively for their future. Working in interdisciplinary teams and with our partners, students are invited to develop innovative proposals for future-ready learning in an AI-enabled world. These proposals should consider questions such as: How might curricula, teaching, and assessment be redesigned to emphasise durable skills when AI can generate answers but cannot replace curiosity, ethical reasoning, or purpose? How can universities balance enduring human capabilities with essential AI competencies? And which AI competencies matter most, and how can they be embedded across curricula in ways that help students judge when to use AI and how to use AI well? Teams are encouraged to propose bold, creative, and evidence-informed solutions that reflect their distinctive perspectives on what will best support the next generation of students.
Timetable: Thursday 10 am – 1 pm
NSW Department of Communities and Justice – Decision-Making in Complex Interdisciplinary Human Service Systems
This project involves discussions and sensitive content related to child protection, which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
In this scenario-based learning experience, students will consider how critical decision-making in human services sector is undertaken. Students will have an opportunity to develop and practice critical thinking and problem solving, in the complex work of child protection. This is a context where the responsibility for decision-making often falls on junior practitioners navigating interdisciplinary and inter-agency contexts for the first time (e.g. spanning social work, psychology, education, health, occupational therapy, law enforcement, criminal justice and more). The importance of effective systems of child protection cannot be overstated - children who are abused and neglected face various lifelong challenges including poor schooling outcomes, substance use, mental illness, justice involvement and poor employment outcomes. Numerous reviews highlight the many challenges facing child protection systems and the people who work in the sector, including resource constraints, appropriateness of decision-making, and ensuring outcomes that serve the best interests of the child. Students will learn the language, professional practice, models and concepts employed by different disciplines responding to child protection through exploration of multiple individual scenarios related to child protection. These skills will prepare students for future inter-disciplinary and inter-agency work in diverse human service contexts. The unit culminates in a novel scenario-based simulation delivered at the NSW Police Headquarters in Parramatta – the first of its kind for university students.
Registration for this project is subject to an Expression of Interest (EOI) process, which opens on 1 June and closes on 28 June. Offers will be made to successful applicants by 1 July. Students may also choose to register in a second preference project if they wish. To submit your Expression of Interest, please provide details using our online form.
Timetable: Friday 9 am – 12 pm
NSW Department of Education – Reimagining Evaluative Practice in NSW Secondary Education to Strengthen Curriculum Implementation and Improved Student Outcomes
NSW is embarking on the most ambitious reform of Kindergarten to Year 12 (K-12) curriculum in three decades. This is designed to enable the achievement of key priorities such as decluttering the curriculum to ensure teachers have more time to teach; strengthening post-school pathways for Year 12 students and building new curriculum that targets core knowledge and skills gaps. Yet the success of these reforms relies on teacher understanding of how to implement the curriculum with fidelity, as well as teacher capacity to measure student learning experiences responsively, ensuring that the needs of diverse students are met. Reflective practice – oftentimes seen as compliance driven – is seen as essential to this process. In this project, interdisciplinary teams are invited to explore key systemic, cultural, and practical considerations for reflective practice and evaluation interventions, at the level of tools, practices, or systems. They may focus their thinking on specific learning stages, subject areas, school environments and with consideration of the rich diversity of NSW highschoolers. In this project, students are asked to deliver actionable insights for how the NSW DoE can better resource and support secondary teachers and their leaders to reimagine evaluative practice for impactful curriculum reform and implementation.
Timetable: Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm
NSW Statewide Health Literacy Hub - Improving Communication Systems for Equitable Patient Experience in NSW Hospitals
This project could involve discussions and sensitive content related to patient health and wellbeing in hospital settings, which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
The NSW Statewide Health Literacy Hub works across NSW’s health system to support clear communication between hospitals and patients and to promote equitable access to health information. The Bureau of Health Information (BHI) independently monitors and reports on the performance of public hospitals, including patient experiences and communication outcomes. Together, these agencies provide a rich foundation of insights into hospital encounters, communication pathways, and patient outcomes across diverse demographic groups and hospital contexts. Despite ongoing efforts to improve accessibility, public hospital systems remain complex and can create barriers in emergency departments, surgical admissions, discharge processes, signage, digital platforms, and navigation systems. Patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal communities (including higher populations in Western Sydney), people with disability, older adults, carers, and those from lower-socioeconomic households often face disproportionate communication demands. In this project, interdisciplinary student teams will analyse hospital communication materials, BHI survey findings, forms, signage, and websites to identify system bottlenecks, accessibility gaps, and equity challenges. Rather than expecting patients to increase their health literacy, the project focuses on reimagining hospital communication systems to be clearer, more intuitive, and equitable. Students are encouraged to develop actionable, evidence-informed solutions, including communication audits, redesigns of signage or forms, digital tools, or policy recommendations aimed at improving patient experience.
Timetable: Monday 9 am – 12 pm
Paratus Clinical – Project details to be announced soon
Timetable: Tuesday 2 – 5 pm
Randstad – Making the Impossible Possible: Digital Transformation for an Innovative Recruitment Process
This project is not available for registration by students who have previously completed the project ‘The use and impact of Generative AI in the Recruitment process’.
Randstad Australia is inviting interdisciplinary student teams to explore how AI, digital technologies, and innovative service design can strengthen its Digital Marketplace (DMP) and enhance its position as a trusted partner for both clients and candidates. The project focuses on improving how users experience the platform across key touchpoints, from attraction and onboarding to engagement, matching, and retention. Teams will investigate current customer journeys to identify friction points, drop-off moments, and opportunities to improve satisfaction, efficiency, and platform performance. Depending on the team’s focus, projects may examine either business-to-business or business-to-customer interactions. Students are encouraged to consider how AI-enabled solutions, communication strategies, and process redesign can create more personalised, seamless, and scalable experiences. The DMP plays an important role in Randstad’s digital-first strategy by connecting clients with talent through a flexible, self-service platform. As competition for talent intensifies and user expectations continue to evolve, Randstad seeks practical ideas that combine technology with human-centred service. The outcome of the project will be a set of actionable recommendations, which may include strategic proposals, experience improvements, or prototype concepts that support measurable impact, stronger engagement, and sustainable growth for Randstad Australia’s DMP.
Timetable: Tuesday 12 – 3 pm
Rotary International District 9675 – Building the Impact of Volunteering for Community
This project is not available for registration by students who have previously completed the project ‘Building the Impact of Volunteering for Community in a Digital World’.
Rotary International is a global humanitarian organisation that was founded in 1905. With over 1.4 million members in over 200 countries, the organisation aims to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, save mothers and children, support education, and grow local economies. Rotary International District 9675 is one of 15 districts within Australia, encompassing over 1050 Rotarians in Sydney, Macarthur, and Illawarra. Rotarians work actively across geographic jurisdictions to make a positive impact on communities locally, nationally, and internationally. In an increasingly digital world, the impact of volunteering is changing, creating challenges and opportunities for the organisation’s traditional volunteer base. While Rotary values diversity, regardless of age, ethnicity, race, colour, abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, it continues to struggle to recruit a more diverse and young membership base. In this project, interdisciplinary teams are invited to build on new developments within Rotary, such as ‘e-clubs’, to explore opportunities for impact on communities through voluntary work and programs. Can Rotary extend the reach of its work geographically and across demographics? Students are invited to be creative and bold, but most importantly, to remain focused on enhancing community impact with their research and recommendations.
Timetable: Wednesday 9 am – 12 pm
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use – Adolescent Health: Big Problem, Huge Opportunity
This project involves discussions and sensitive content related to adolescent health and wellbeing, which may be triggering for some participants. If you feel uncomfortable engaging with these themes, we encourage you to consider registering for an alternative project.
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use is a multidisciplinary research centre at The University of Sydney. It is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of people affected by co-occurring substance use and mental disorders, which are currently the leading global causes of burden and disease in young people. While adolescence is a critical period in the lifespan where lifelong health habits are formed, young people report feeling isolated, lonely and disconnected. Rates of mental health disorders have risen dramatically, and physical activity and nutrition remain suboptimal. New challenges also abound. Today’s adolescents are the first human cohort to live their full lives under the shadow of climate change. Increasing digitalisation and global commercialisation has resulted in unprecedented access and exposure to harmful products (e.g. sugar-sweetened beverages, ultra processed food, tobacco and e-cigarettes), while rapid acceleration of digital technologies has led to excessive screen time and reliance on digital communication. In the face of these complex challenges, there are myriad opportunities to make a difference, not least by engaging young people themselves in the co-design of impactful preventative measures and interventions. In this project, interdisciplinary teams are invited to bring fresh perspectives and deliver innovative solutions to help improve adolescent health and wellbeing.
Timetable: Friday 9 am – 12 pm
UAP – The Role of Creativity in Contemporary City-Making
UAP (Urban Art Projects) is a global leader in the curation, design, fabrication, installation, and management of major public art commissions. For more than three decades, their teams have delivered culturally significant projects for governments, local councils, institutions, and private landowners around the world. In recent years, demands on Australia’s built environment have intensified, driven by the need for higher-density and affordable housing, as well as more responsive civic infrastructure. New transport corridors and precincts are producing neighbourhoods at pace, alongside efforts to regenerate existing urban spaces. Public art is increasingly embedded into these developments, championed by a variety of Government and Council placemaking frameworks, masterplans, and cultural protocols guiding First Nations and non-Indigenous commissioning. Yet the role of public art in emerging Australian neighbourhoods, how that role is measured and who holds influence and authority, are questions at the core of its impact and relevance for audiences and stakeholders, both in the short and longer term. What values and futures are being designed into public spaces, and how does governance, funding, cultural authority and partnership inform and shift decision-making? This project invites interdisciplinary student teams to investigate how creative interventions shape, and are shaped by, the places, people and the power structures of changing urban landscapes and propose innovative ideas and recommendations for the future.
Timetable: Thursday 10 am – 1 pm
Westpac Banking Corporation – Reimagining Banking with Responsible, Human-Centred AI
Artificial Intelligence is transforming financial services, with Gen-AI and agentic systems enabling hyper-personalisation, intelligent automation, and autonomous decision-making. Banks use these technologies to enhance customer engagement, strengthen security, and streamline operations. For Westpac, AI is an opportunity—to take action now for a better future—and reinforce its ambition to be customers’ number one bank and trusted partner. This comes amid rising expectations, regulatory scrutiny, and competition from fintechs/global tech firms, requiring a balance of innovation, trust, and ethics. This ICPU invites students to work in interdisciplinary teams to step into the bank’s shoes and design AI-enabled solutions that delight customers and strengthen Westpac’s reputation as a safe, innovative leader. Solutions should go beyond chatbots or budgeting tools to apply Machine Learning, Gen-AI, or agentic AI in ways that create meaningful experiences or improve operations. Proposals should address customer or business needs, align with Westpac’s priorities, and demonstrate ethical AI, data privacy, and transparency. Feasibility and responsible implementation are essential. Students could also demonstrate how current and emerging technologies enable their idea, outline implementation pathways, and consider workforce and change impacts. Solutions should highlight safe, responsible, human-centred AI that strengthens customer relationships, community trust, and Westpac’s leadership in banking’s future.
Timetable: Monday 10 am – 1 pm