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
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. If you can’t see a project when you register, you will need to select a different project. 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.
All projects are delivered face-to-face on campus unless otherwise stated, please check project descriptions for details.
If you have any questions about a specific intensive project please email the relevant project supervisor, for any other questions please contact pvceducation.enquiries@sydney.edu.au.
February intensives take place over 4 weeks from 23 January to 17 February 2023. Timetable is shown below.
July intensives take place over 4 weeks from 19 June to 14 July 2023. Timetable is shown below.
August intensives take place over 6 weeks from 24 July – 1 September 2023 Timetable is shown below.
October intensives take place over 6 weeks from 18 September to Friday 27 October. Timetable details to be released in August 2023.
Find out how to enrol in an ICPU.
Timetable
February intensive projects take place over 4 weeks from 23 January till 17 February 2023.
There will only be one class per project. Please consider the project timetable before registering for a project and make sure that you are available for the allocated class times.
Projects will be delivered face-to-face on campus. For some projects, online learning options will be available to offshore students enrolling in ‘Remote – Online’ units only.
It will take 7-9 days for your personal timetable to reflect your project registration. If you are an offshore student attending online, you will be emailed the zoom link by your Project Supervisor when the project starts via Canvas.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 10 am - 1 pm 2 pm - 4 pm |
10 am - 1 pm | 10 am - 1 pm | Australia Day | 10 am - 1 pm 2 pm - 4 pm |
| Week 2 | 10 am - 1 pm | 10 am - 1 pm | 10 am - 1 pm | 10 am - 1 pm 2 pm - 4 pm |
|
| Week 3 | 10 am - 1 pm | 10 am - 1 pm | 10 am - 2 pm | 10 am - 1 pm | |
| Week 4 | 10 am - 12 pm | 10 am - 12 pm |
Students are expected to contribute a total of 120 – 150 hours of effort towards the intensive unit which includes 47 hours of scheduled classes plus an additional 73 – 103 hours (18 - 26 hours per week) outside of class times.
Adobe – Big Data Big Insights
As we enter an era where digital and physical technologies are integrated across all industries and business areas, companies of all sizes are amassing more data than ever before. With such importance, value, and often reliance now placed on data insights it is imperative to be equipped with the right digital literacy skills; ensuring capability to comprehend, interpret, and communicate the ‘story’, data insights reveal to various audience and stakeholders. What is the future of data and how can businesses best ensure they are equipped with the right tools, resources, and capability to utilise data in a meaningful way. In this project you will investigate the art of data storytelling to formulate strategies and frameworks for how businesses can use their data to make informed business decisions, improve business services, enhance user experiences, and focused talent recruitment.
Delivery mode: In -person (CC) & Remote (RE for offshore students only)
Project Supervisor: Sonia Khosa, sonia.khosa@sydney.edu.au
Mission Australia - Reducing the Impacts of Climate Change on People Experiencing Disadvantage
The effects of climate change impact disproportionately the most vulnerable people in our society. Impacts being experienced include increasing extreme weather and natural disasters, rising energy and utilities bills and food affordability and availability, as well as resultant health impacts. People on low incomes are less likely to be able to mitigate or remediate the impacts experienced as the climate changes. Climate change needs urgent action and a meaningful climate change response requires actions from all citizens. Climate change mitigation strategies can also improve food security and financial security for people experiencing disadvantage. In this project you will explore ways to support people experiencing disadvantage to build resilience to the effects of climate change, reduce their vulnerability to climate change and respond to natural disasters.
Delivery mode: In -person (CC) & Remote (RE for offshore students only)
Project Supervisor: Abe Bakar, abe.bakar@sydney.edu.au
Argyle Food Group and Meat and Livestock Australia - Carbon Neutrality and Consumer Perception in the Meat and Livestock Industry
Australian agricultural products, particularly red meat, is increasingly coming under pressure from consumers and government to deliver more sustainable products. Argyle Food Group takes their commitment to the land and the environment seriously and are investing in every aspect to make thier livestock production more sustainable, including undertaking carbon and biodiversity projects to support existing regenerative agricultural practices. Argyle Food Group works closely with the Meat and Livestock Australia who have set out to establish Australia as a world leader in environmental sustainability and set the ambitious target to be Carbon Neutral by 2030. By 2030, Australian beef, lamb and goat production, including grazing, lot feeding and meat processing, will be making significant progress toward zero net release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. However, for Argyle Food Group as a red meat company, it is unclear exactly what this means to consumers and what they need to do to demonstrate thier sustainability credentials and create a trusted product. In this project students will work in interdisciplinary groups to understand current consumer perceptions and come up with solutions for how Meat and Livestock Australia and Argyle Food Group can position themselves to consumers as trusted world leaders in sustainability.
Delivery mode: In -person (CC)
Project Supervisor: Bruce Chapman, bruce.chapman@sydney.edu.au
Globals
Applications for our 2023 Global ICPUs have now closed. Information about our 2024 Global ICPUs will be available from November 2023.
Global Intensives are run during the July Intensive session. If you take part in a global intensive, you will spend two weeks overseas. There will be an additional merit-based application process for these units that includes an application submission and a group interview. You will need to be successful in this application before you are accepted into the project. Application details and further information on the global ICPU projects can be found on the Globality Mobility Database Terradotta.
Please note that if we do not receive enough applications for our global ICPU projects, then the projects will not proceed.
Global timetable
Global July intensive projects take place over 4 weeks from 19 June - 14 July 2023. You will spend the first week based on campus In Sydney, then the following 2 weeks 'In-country' based at a collaborative learning space.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 (Sydney) | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | |
| Week 2 (In-country) | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm |
| Week 3 (In-country) | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm |
| Week 4 (Independent study) | Independent study | Independent study | Independent study | Independent study | Independent study |
Students are expected to contribute a total of 120 - 150 hours of effort towards the intensive unit which includes 41 hours of scheduled classes plus an additional 79 - 109 hours (20 - 27 hours per week) outside of class times. This will include group meetings scheduled outside class hours and independent research.
The unit consists of approximately 41 hours teaching and group work in week one. Weeks two and three are in-country. There are no timetabled classes in week four. Students will finalise and submit their final assessments.
Singapore
KrisShop, Singapore Airlines - Excelling in the Australian Market
KrisShop, Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) flagship retailer, started as an inflight duty-free shop on board Singapore Airlines in 1974 but has since established itself as a valued retailer in the domestic Singapore market. Today, KrisShop is a multi-channel retailer with both inflight and online presence. It offers a selection of global brands, and supports homegrown brands with its dedicated With Love, SG concept store, which showcases Singapore's unique culture and heritage. KrisShop allows customers to purchase goods to be delivered on their flight as well as to their homes globally. The purchases allow customers to earn and redeem KrisFlyer Miles.
In this project, you are invited to explore the opportunities that KrisShop could seize in Australia, understanding the needs of local audiences and how KrisShop can create value for its customers through its unique position. Students participating in this project will have the opportunity to investigate current trends in Australian consumer market, travel physiology, digital accessibility, communication technologies, as well as local competition, and propose new ideas as to how KrisShop can innovate and best serve its Australian customers.
Delivery mode: In -person (CC)
Project Supervisor: Fabian Held, fabian.held@sydney.edu.au
Domestic
Domestic timetable
July intensive projects take place over 4 weeks from 19 June till 14 July 2023.
There will only be one class per project. Please consider the project timetable before registering for a project and make sure that you are available for the allocated class times.
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 - 4 pm* | 10 am - 4 pm* | 10 am - 4 pm* | 10 am - 4 pm* | 10 am - 4 pm* |
| Week 2 | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | Independent study* | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm |
| Week 3 | 10 am - 1 pm | 10 am - 4 pm | Independent study* | 10 am - 4 pm | 10 am - 4 pm |
| Week 4 | Independent study | Independent study | Independent study | Independent study | Independent study |
Students are expected to contribute a total of 120 - 150 hours of effort towards the intensive unit which includes 47 hours of scheduled classes plus an additional 73 - 103 hours (18 - 26 hours per week) outside of class times.
*For students undertaking the Rethinking Food Systems for Better Health and Sustainability the first week of class this project will take place entirely online from 4 - 7 pm, this is to accommodate the time difference for the Padova University students who will be joining from Italy. For weeks 2 - 3, the project will take place in-person, on campus Monday - Friday 10 am - 3 pm.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Sunny Queen Eggs - Rethinking Food Systems for Better Health and Sustainability
Food is central to family, cultural and community identity. It is essential to sustain life and food-related activities, provide income and livelihoods for billions of people on earth. With the continuing rise in global food production and manufacturing to meet increasing demand and the additional impact on ecosystems and climate, there is a pressing need to rethink our food systems. In this project, student teams representing unique mixes of disciplines will explore questions such as: How can we transform food systems so it can meet the changing needs of consumers in a more sustainable way? What role can consumers, producers, manufacturers, industry leaders and government play to achieve ambitious targets? How can we rewrite the narrative of food production and supply to reflect a progressive industry that will engage a diverse future workforce and facilitate a more comprehensive approach to solving complex issues within the sector? Through collaborative research into these areas, students will provide solutions on how we can rethink food systems for better health and sustainability.
This project will be run in conjunction with Padova University (Italy) and the class will be made up of half University of Sydney students and half Padova University students. For the first week of class this project will take place entirely online Monday - Friday from 4 - 7 pm, this is to accommodate the time difference for the Padova University students who will be joining from Italy. In weeks 2 - 3 of the project, students from Padova University will be in Sydney so the project will take place in-person, on campus Monday - Friday from 10 am - 3 pm.
Project Supervisor: Rosalind Deaker, rosalind.deaker@sydney.edu.au
JLL Australia - Creating Sustainable Cities and Communities
The past few years have seen the biggest disruptors to the way we live, work, and socialise in the city. The COVID pandemic proved that remote work was not only possible but is here to stay. Alongside these changes to the way we live, climate change is having a growing impact on the way we design, build, and use the built form. Science tells us that we are at an ecological tipping point and, to deliver a net zero economy, city governments need to lead the way in creating more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive places for their citizens. This project invites students to explore how we can shape our future to make cities more sustainable - both environmentally and socially. Students will develop their ideas based on JLL Australia’s perspectives on these issues and JLL case studies. Students are encouraged to explore clever repurposing of buildings and precincts and provide examples of feasible socially and environmentally sustainable ventures.
Project Supervisor: Laura Kotevska, laura.kotevska@sydney.edu.au
Elizabeth Broderick & Co - Putting Intersectionality at the Heart of Gender Equality Policies
Gender equality strategies have typically treated women and girls as one monolithic group, often making the diverse experiences amongst women and girls invisible. There has also been the assumption that strategies targeted to women and girls will automatically benefit all women and girls. However, by assuming that all women and girls have the same experience, gender equality policies end up inadvertently benefitting more privileged women and girls and reinforcing intersectional inequalities. Too often ‘intersectionality’ becomes a last minute 'add-on' rather than integrated from the start. How can we design gender equality policies to be more responsive to intersectionality? How can we ensure they reach and benefit all women? The UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls is examining effective approaches to embed intersectionality in policies to advance gender equality. Against this background, this project will involve exploring ‘what works’ to integrate an intersectional approach within gender equality policies across three domains: violence against women, women’s political participation and women’s economic empowerment. The project will draw on insights from research and case studies of promising practices from across the globe and highlight leading practice examples. Projects will make recommendations on actions that governments and other actors can take.
Project Supervisor: Maria Amigo, maria.amigo@sydney.edu.au
Business Western Sydney - Reimagining Western Sydney as an International Tourist Destination
Western Sydney has long been one of the State’s most colourful regions of food, arts, culture and people, increasingly luring visitors from around metropolitan Sydney for work, play and stay. Parramatta as an example, is a Western Sydney suburb which has quickly become Sydney’s second CBD, however it remains to have low recognition as a bucket list destination for international visitors and tourism. What is currently attractive about Western Sydney’s suburbs as a tourist’s destination? What must be reimagined for Western Sydney’s suburbs, such as Blacktown, Parramatta, and Bankstown, to experience the same elevated marketing and social benefits, and considered as trendy as the suburbs around Sydney CBD akin to Newtown, Paddington, and Surry Hills? How do you improve the city’s attractiveness to all demographics? In this project, you should highlight the existing successes and roadblocks attributed to Western Sydney’s suburbs from being an attractive international tourist destination, provide ideas and recommendations on further actions for government, and you are encouraged to compare with promising global case studies as to successful implementation of such recommendations.
Please note this project will be taking place in-person at our Westmead campus.
Project Supervisor: Sonia Khosa, sonia.khosa@sydney.edu.au
ARE Media - Digital Transformation to Build Impact
Are Media, Australia’s leading content company for women, is home to a broad range of entertainment and lifestyle, fashion and beauty, homes, health, food, and parenting brands, which cater to a growing and diverse readership. Are Media has a 5-year strategy to transform from a print media company to an omnichannel media company with strong content commerce capabilities. This transition will bring about a lot of exciting change for Are Media and provide an opportunity for the organisation and its staff to reskill and adapt to consumers changing habits. In this project students are tasked to explore how other media organisations both domestically and internationally have managed to adapt in the face of global change including changes in consumer habits. How can Are Media retain and upskill it's print staff in new digital tools. How can Are Media ensure their products, content and offerings are appealing to current content consumers, but also attract the next generation of content consumers? How can Are Media prepare for the next big disruption to the media industry to ensure its relevance in the future?
Project Supervisor: Jinqi Xu, jinqi.xu@sydney .edu.au
Timetable
August intensive projects take place over 6 weeks from 24 July till 1 September 2023.
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.
Projects will be delivered face-to-face on campus. For some projects, online learning options will be available to offshore students enrolling in ‘Remote – Online’ units only.
It will take 7-9 days for your personal timetable to reflect your project registration. If you are an offshore student attending online, you will be emailed the zoom link by your Project Supervisor when the project starts via Canvas.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm | ||
| Week 2 | 2 – 5 pm | 9 am – 12 pm | |||
| Week 3 | 2 – 5 pm | 9 am – 12 pm | |||
| Week 4 | 2 – 5 pm | 9 am – 12 pm | |||
| Week 5 | 2 – 5 pm | 9 am – 12 pm | |||
| Week 6 | 2 – 5 pm | 9 am – 12 pm |
Students are expected to contribute a total of 120 – 150 hours of effort towards the intensive unit which includes 47 hours of scheduled classes plus an additional 73 – 103 hours (18 - 26 hours per week) outside of class times.
Powerhouse Museum – A Commitment to Positive Climate Action
Taking a leadership position on sustainability and positive climate action is central to the Powerhouse renewal. The Powerhouse Climate Action Plan (2022-2025) focuses on Powerhouse infrastructure, programs and operations outlining the important immediate actions that will embed sustainability across the organisation. In consultation with the First Nations peoples of the country of which the Powerhouse sites are situated, Caring for Country principles form the foundation of the Climate Action Plan as an Acknowledgment to Country in practice. With greenwashing a current focus of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and media attention, how can museums successfully communicate the achievements of sustainability initiatives in a meaningful way? How do museums express these commitments in a way that facilitates relationships between audiences and positive climate action? In this project, students will work in groups to develop ideas, strategies and recommendations on communicating climate action and sustainability commitments for the Powerhouse, providing an opportunity to establish a new paradigm for museums more broadly. Students are encouraged to conduct their research on other international cultural institutions and their commitment to and expression of climate action and sustainability, from which the Powerhouse Museum could potentially learn and deliberate.
Ventia - Coordinating resilient communities in response to the effects of climate change
The impacts of climate change are increasing in intensity, severity, frequency and duration. The natural and stealth disasters associated with climate change place significant stress on communities and infrastructure including transportation, telecommunications, healthcare, education and basic services. Communities will adapt and evolve in response to their natural, social, financial and institutional environment and the changes associated with climate change. Building a resilient community, able to adapt and respond to climate change effects, will involve coordinated efforts and partnerships between governments, industry and individuals within the community. The global movement of human capital is already a feature of climate change. The movement of human capital, coupled with an aging population, effects workforce capacity, health and well being and community resilience. In this project students will explore the role of operational and infrastructure resilience and human capital in better coordinating community resilience responses to climate change events.
Details on our October intensives projects will be available here in August 2023.
Semester-long projects
Semester 1 projects will commence 20 February 2023. Semester 2 projects will commence 31 July 2023.
Students are expected to attend scheduled class times for 3 hours per week.
2023 semester-long projects will be delivered in-person on campus.
If you have any questions about a specific project please email the relevant project supervisor. For all other questions please contact pvceducation.enquiries@sydney.edu.au.
Find out how to enrol in an ICPU.
Timetable
| Industry partner and project | Timetable | Delivery mode* |
|---|---|---|
| Allianz Australia Insurance Reducing our digital and carbon emissions |
Monday 12 pm - 3 pm | CC |
| Bridge Housing Community engagement of social and affordable housing residents |
Monday 2 pm - 5 pm | CC RE |
| DIPEx International Creating the future of individual experiences for maximising health |
Thursday 9 am - 12 pm | CC |
| Ernst and Young Australia and The University of Sydney Student success at the heart of the University |
Wednesday 9 am - 12 pm | CC |
| Elizabeth Broderick and Co Putting intersectionality at the heart of gender equality policies |
Tuesday 9 am - 12 pm | CC RE |
| Gilbert and Tobin Towards a sustainable energy transition |
Tuesday 9 am - 12 pm | CC |
| nandin Innovation Centre Supporting startups to generate valuable opportunities in sustainability |
Friday 9 am - 12 pm | CC |
| nandin Innovation Centre Supporting startups to generate valuable opportunities with technology in a post COVID world |
Friday 9 am - 12 pm | CC |
| North Coast Aboriginal Development Alliance Supporting responsive flood recovery with aboriginal communities |
Monday 4 - 6 pm Wednesday 5 - 6 pm | CC |
| PTW Architects Building for a sustainable future |
Monday 9 am - 12 pm | CC |
| Rotary International The next generation of service |
Tuesday 11 am - 2 pm | CC |
| Solve-TAD Enhancing services for children living with disability |
Friday 1 - 4 pm | CC RE |
| Tata India The future of automotive and mobility |
Wednesday 3 - 6 pm | CC RE |
| TerraCycle Reengaging schools with advanced recycling programs |
Tuesday 12 pm - 3 pm | CC RE |
| The University of Sydney Ethical and Sustainable Impact through Supply Chains |
Wednesday 10 am - 1 pm | CC |
| Universities Admission Centre Reimagining university admissions for wider access to higher education |
Wednesday 9 am - 12 pm | CC |
| Westpac Banking Corporation Using digital technologies to improve user experience |
Friday 9 am - 12 pm | CC |
| Youth Justice NSW Multicultural practice and outcomes in the Youth Justice System |
Wednesday 12 - 3 pm | CC |
* CC is Camperdown/Darlington campus, the project will be delivered in-person. RE is remote for offshore students only.
Allianz – Reducing our digital and carbon emissions
Stakeholders across industry, government, arts, sciences, designers, and engineering (to name a few) are employing their disciplinary expertise and creativity to innovate for global reduction in CO2 emissions. For Allianz, limiting global warming and countering climate change to secure a healthy planet is a crucial priority. Allianz has been carbon-neutral since 2012. We collaborate with external organisations such as the Science-based Targets initiative (SBTi), which compels members to set long-term emissions reduction targets to lead the way to a zero-carbon economy. We identify and manage climate-related risks and opportunities within our business operations, products and services. We systematically assess our insurance business and our propriety investments against ESG criteria, considering matters such as carbon emissions, energy efficiency and biodiversity. At the core of every business is its people: we want to further engage Allianz employees on issues of climate change, greenhouse gas reduction and carbon emissions. In this project students will work in interdisciplinary groups to produce creative solutions aimed at educating and raising awareness to motivate Allianz employees to reduce their carbon and digital emissions.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Monday 12 – 3 pm
Project Supervisor: Elisabeth Valiente-Riedl, elisabeth.valiente-riedl@sydney.edu.au
Bridge Housing - Community Engagement of Social and Affordable Housing Residents
Social housing residents are some of the most vulnerable people in our community. Bridge Housing currently manages a portfolio of 3,500 properties providing a safe, secure and affordable home for over 5,500 residents. Our residents are particularly vulnerable to social isolation as they are predominantly single, ageing and/or have a disability. Many have entered Bridge Housing from homelessness, with past histories of domestic violence, trauma, addiction or mental health crisis. Bridge Housing is more than a landlord, we also focus on supporting residents to sustain their tenancies, to have a say in our service delivery and to access opportunities in the broader community. Our Sustainable Communities Team focuses on community development activities of benefit to our resident communities and our Building Bridges Strategy provides a framework for our work. Our questions relate to deepening our community engagement approach with residents. What are some of the best practice approaches to engagement for vulnerable social housing residents? How can we best leverage technology to support our community engagement work? What is some of the latest innovations in relation to reducing social isolation and giving tenants a say in our services? Are different approaches needed for different cohorts?
Delivery mode: In-person (CC) & Remote (RE for offshore students only)
Timetable: Mondays 2 pm – 5 pm
Project Supervisor: Monica Marzouk, monica.marzouk@sydney.edu.au
DIPEx International - Creating the Future of Individual Experiences for Maximising Health
DIPEx International is an association of academic and non-profit groups, committed to improving understanding of health and illness experiences globally. Our model of conducting rigorous qualitative research, disseminated through publicly available websites, thrived for 20 years. However, across 14 country members we are increasingly aware that we need to evolve to maintain our currency and reputation with researchers and the public. We rely on using video clips accompanied by audio clips and transcriptions to illustrate the key findings of our research. Recently, some member countries, including Australia, have started to innovate methods of dissemination, emphasising visual over textual content. That’s the front end...from the back end, funding support for projects is increasingly challenging. Some of our member countries are also adapting their approaches to fundraising, and we are looking for innovative ideas to strengthen our financial model. Ultimately, we are seeking a new way forward to remain contemporary and relevant and to extend the reach and impact of our work. An interdisciplinary group of students could bring expertise and interest in communications, digital/web/UX design, health (health psychology; medical sociology), business etc. to propose new courses of action to help re-vitalise and re-energise front and back facing activities.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Thursdays 9am – 12pm
Project Supervisor: Jennifer Fletcher, Jennifer.fletcher@sydney.edu.au
Elizabeth Broderick & Co – Putting Intersectionality at the Heart of Gender Equality Policies
Gender equality strategies have typically treated women and girls as one monolithic group, often making the diverse experiences amongst women and girls invisible. There has also been the assumption that strategies targeted to women and girls will automatically benefit all women and girls. However, by assuming that all women and girls have the same experience, gender equality policies end up inadvertently benefitting more privileged women and girls and reinforcing intersectional inequalities. Too often ‘intersectionality’ becomes a last minute ‘add-on’ rather than integrated from the start. How can we design gender equality policies to be more responsive to intersectionality? How can we ensure they reach and benefit all women? The UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls is examining effective approaches to embed intersectionality in policies to advance gender equality. Against this background, this project will involve exploring ‘what works’ to integrate an intersectional approach within gender equality policies across three domains: violence against women, women’s political participation and women’s economic empowerment. The project will draw on insights from research and case studies of promising practices from across the globe and highlight leading practice examples. Projects will make recommendations on actions that governments and other actors can take.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC) & Remote (RE for offshore students only)
Timetable: Tuesdays 9 am – 12 pm
Project Supervisor: Jinqi Xu, jinqi.xu@sydney.edu.au
Ernst and Young and University of Sydney - Student success at the heart of the University
The University of Sydney released its 10-year strategy in August 2022, with an ambitious goal to become one of the world’s truly great universities. A key aspiration of the strategy is that every Sydney student – from recent school leavers preparing for their first professional job to those seeking targeted development opportunities throughout their lives – to know the whole University community is invested in their success. To progress towards this goal, we need to form a richer understanding of what our diverse community of learners understands to be ‘success’, what their current experiences look like, and how we can better support them to achieve their goals. Among many other directions, this project could address questions of equity and support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Or, it could look at the development of learning experiences and assessments that prepare students authentically for who they want to become. Or, it could interrogate the ways in which we come together (physical and digital) to foster community in the broadest sense. In this project, in collaboration with the USyd VP-Strategy team and experts from EY, we ask you to develop recommendations for what we might do over the next three years to address these questions. Many perspectives may be instructive to informing this question, including education or anthropology, market research and management, ethics and data science, software development and engineering, law and political studies, or architecture and design.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Wednesdays 9 am – 12 pm
Project Supervisor: Fabian Held, fabian.held@sydney.edu.au
Gilbert & Tobin – Towards a sustainable energy transition
The energy transition is one of the great endeavours of our age, both as decisive action to combat climate change and as a key step towards a new way of doing business. The uptake of renewable generation has, however, created new challenges that must be overcome to achieve a properly sustainable solution. Such challenges (and opportunities) might include for example: How do we keep the lights on after coal? Does renewable generation have a social licence at the scale required to decarbonise the economy? What technology mix can balance peaks and troughs of generation across days, weeks and seasons? Can hydrogen be both a cost effective and a sustainable means of energy storage in the Australian context? Is there a place for nuclear energy in solving these challenges? How can we utilise undispatched generation? What legislative scheme would best manage the recycling of solar and wind farm components and who should pay? In this project, students will examine the challenges and opportunities posed by the energy transition and will work in interdisciplinary teams to propose sustainable ways of achieving it.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Tuesdays 9 am – 12 pm
Project Supervisor: Laura Kotevska, laura.kotevska@sydney.edu.au
nandin Innovation Centre - Supporting Startups to Generate Valuable Opportunities in Sustainability
At nandin, imaginative and inventive minds come together to challenge, design, create and innovate. As ANSTO’s platform for design, innovation, and commercialisation, nandin is at the heart of deep technology innovation, supporting entrepreneurs and SMEs to start, scale and grow their business. The University of Sydney has partnered with 8 nandin businesses to provide students the opportunity to collaborate directly with founders on real challenges they face in their businesses. In this project students will work in interdisciplinary groups on one of the four topics with nandin startup founders focusing on the theme of sustainability. Areas to explore within this project include air quality and green building design with bioair, making sustainability accessible and affordable for all with EoT, sustainable long-term decision-making for councils with SVSR and water sustainability in healthcare structures with Enware.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Fridays 9 am – 12 pm
Project Supervisor: Fabian Held, fabian.held@sydney.edu.au
nandin Innovation Centre - Supporting Startups to Generate Valuable Opportunities with Technology in a Post COVID World
At nandin, imaginative and inventive minds come together to challenge, design, create and innovate. As ANSTO’s platform for design, innovation, and commercialisation, nandin is at the heart of deep technology innovation, supporting entrepreneurs and SMEs to start, scale and grow their business. The University of Sydney has partnered with 8 nandin businesses to provide students the opportunity to collaborate directly with founders on real challenges they face in their businesses. In this project students will work in interdisciplinary groups on one of the four topics with nandin startup founders focusing on the themes of technology and a post-COVID world. Areas to explore within this project include workspaces of the future in a post-covid world with CoUspace, building trust around cleanliness in high traffic environments with elavo, improving online learning and training environments with MAS Management Systems and creating a smarter care approach for the future of ageing with Crypses.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Fridays 9 am – 12 pm
Project Supervisor: Bruce Chapman, bruce.chapman@sydney.edu.au
North Coast Aboriginal Development Alliance - Supporting Responsive Flood Recovery with Aboriginal Communities
This ICPU project will be delivered in partnership with SLIC (Service Learning in Indigenous Communities). For this project students will be working directly with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Therefore, students are required to complete an interview process to partake in this ICPU. Please read the information carefully on the SLIC website to ensure you understand what is required from participants of this project.
The project builds upon a 2021 SLIC/NCADA project in which 23 SLIC students conducted interviews with Aboriginal service providers and NCADA partners working across housing, youth and women’s wellbeing and services to small communities on the NSW north coast. The students documented many complex challenges for NCADA. In 2022, the north coast was hit multiple times with excessive rainfall and extensive flooding, propelling a housing shortage that was already extreme for Aboriginal residents into a shelter and housing crisis. Planning for recovery out of this crisis is difficult without a clear indication of the state of housing and the kinds of reparations most needed to make housing safe and healthy for occupants and without clear understanding of the most pressing wellbeing support needs. Students will produce group reports that detail what they learn from speaking to community partners and householders about the state of their housing and its impacts on wellbeing across the community. This information will be provided back to NCADA to enhance their strategic planning, resource allocation and decision making to provide the best possible support for effective recovery and resilience-building against future disasters for Aboriginal people.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Mondays 4 – 6 pm and Wednesdays 5 – 6 pm
For any questions regarding the SLIC ICPU please contact slic.info@sydney.edu.au.
PTW Architects – Building for a Sustainable Future
Our world is changing. Much of our built environment was created to suit other times and is now in need of renewal. We have an opportunity to adapt existing, underutilised environments to suit current needs. How do we make the most of the opportunity to reinvent the places and spaces in which we live, work, transact and socialise, in ways that respond to contemporary human needs, but are also sustainable? This project invites students to find areas ripe for change - empty car parks, abandoned office buildings, redundant industrial areas, disused land and propose how these environments can be transformed to contribute to sustainable cities of the future. Working in groups to leverage your diverse perspectives, you may choose to explore local, regional, or global shifts in urban living, working to understand the different needs of the stakeholders (community groups, governments, businesses, etc.) that shape the evolving needs of the city. Collaborating in interdisciplinary groups
students can identify the most pressing environmental challenges in an urban context or consider technological advancements that bring us closer to harmonious solutions for a sustainable future.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Monday 9 am – 12 pm
Project Supervisor: Laura Kotevska, laura.kotevska@sydney.edu.au
Rotary International - The Next Generation of Service
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 is a global organisation with members from a diverse range of backgrounds and demographics. However, the majority of its members are typically middle-aged or older professionals, such as business owners, executives, and managers. This is partly due to the fact that Rotary has a long history and was originally established as a networking and service organisation for business leaders. However, Rotary is now working to attract a more diverse range of members, including younger people, women, and individuals from different cultures and backgrounds. In recent years, Rotary has made efforts to expand its reach and increase the diversity of its membership by implementing programs and initiatives designed to engage younger generations and promote inclusiveness. Despite these efforts, the demographic makeup of Rotary International's membership is still largely determined by its historical roots. Rotary is looking for solutions to broaden its demographics and include more young people. These solutions would need to focus on youth-led initiatives and leverage the power of social media in order to develop projects that engage and empower young people to become involved and to make change.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Tuesdays 11am – 2pm
Project Supervisor: Chris Ellis, chris.ellis@sydney.edu.au
Solve-TAD - Enhancing Services for Children Living with Disability
Solve-TAD’s unique value proposition as a disability service provider is the after-market customisation it offers its clients. In a competitive marketplace and in a context of multiple drivers of disruption, it is an opportune time to deep dive into how Solve-TAD can grow its relevance and quality of service for clients. The transition in 2016 to a ‘National Disability Insurance Scheme’ (NDIS) in Australia, significantly reshaped the operating environment within which Solve-TAD delivers its services. In turn, new technologies such as microcontrollers, 3D printing, and the internet have the potential to more radically transform the lives of people with disabilities. However, most of the Solve-TAD volunteer workforce falls within an older demographic, and many volunteers are inexperienced when it comes to developing cutting-edge technical solutions. In this project, you will explore how Solve-TAD can navigate an increasingly complex operating environment – including changing technology, production processes, market landscape and volunteering industry – to help broaden its reach and impact. Specifically, you will focus on how the organisation can enhance its services for children living with disability. Interdisciplinary groups are encouraged to focus on a specific aspect of this complex problem to deliver core insights, recommendations and possibly even solutions for the organisation.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC) & Remote (RE for offshore students only)
Timetable: Fridays 1 – 4 pm
Project Supervisor: Bruce Chapman, bruce.chapman@sydney.edu.au
TATA India - The Future of Automotive and Mobility
Tata Autocomp Systems is a leading supplier of automobile components and engineering services. Tata AutoComp has a presence in 7 countries with 51 manufacturing facilities spread across India and 8 facilities spread across North America, Latin America, Europe, and China. Some of its leading clients include Jaguar Land Rover, Tata Motors, Mercedes Benz, Ford, Audi and Volkswagen. Tata AutoComp Systems business requires it to be future ready to meet the ever-changing technology landscape and demands of the growing automotive industry. While the organization has ventured into Electric Vehicles, as well as Automotive Power Electronic components, it is imperative for us to constantly innovate, learn and adopt new technology and products to stay ahead of the curve in the future of automotive and mobility. In this project, students will evaluate and research the latest technology and product requirements in the automotive industry and provide recommendations on new technology and products TATA AutoComp can adopt, as well as potential expansion into new geographic markets.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC) & Remote (RE for offshore students only)
Timetable: Wednesdays 3 – 6 pm
Project Supervisor: Sonia Khosa, sonia.khosa@sydney.edu.au
TerraCycle - Reengaging Schools with Advanced Recycling Programs
TerraCycle is on a mission to Eliminate the Idea of waste. Thousands of products pass through everyone’s hands each day, usually ending up in landfill, without a recycling solution available. TerraCycle engages thousands of schools and local communities around Australia to collect and recycle used products and turn them into new products, materials, or even art. Through our free recycling programs, we are able to educate students about the end of life of their products, teach them about recycling and offer fundraising opportunities for schools. Throughout COVID, however, our ability to engage and interact with school communities has diminished. How would you re-engage schools and students to revive their education programs around recycling and embed mindful consumption and sustainable practices into the hearts of the emerging generation? Through this project you'll have the opportunity to analyse how schools in Australia are currently recycling and determine if there are opportunities to improve recycling processes, facilities and student education, with available programs in Australia or even to adopt more advanced processes that may exist around the world.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC) & Remote (RE for offshore students only)
Timetable: Tuesdays 12 – 3 pm
Project Supervisor: Maria Amigo, maria.amigo@sydney.edu.au
The University of Sydney - Ethical and Sustainable Impact through Supply Chains
What we buy makes a difference. From reducing modern slavery and plastic waste to supporting Indigenous enterprises, the goods and services we purchase, and how we chose to do so, have an important role to reduce human rights and environmental harms. Our buying behaviours and decisions can promote economic participation and employment in local communities and under-represented areas of the economy. In response to the world’s challenges and increasing community expectations, organisations are beginning to prioritise people, planet and purpose in their supply chains. The University is no different. Every year, the University spends hundreds of millions of dollars in purchasing a myriad of goods and services, and partners with thousands of suppliers to support our teaching, research and operations. The University’s Procurement team has an important opportunity to continue to transform our purchasing power for good – across modern slavery, Indigenous procurement and sustainability. Your project is to create a strategy to drive behavioural change amongst out students, staff and suppliers. How do organisations translate values into actual impact? How do we inspire staff and students to buy ethically, sustainably and support Indigenous enterprises? How do we partner with our suppliers to educate them about Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) expectations?
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Wednesday 10 am – 1 pm
Project Supervisor: Abe Bakar, abe.bakar@sydney.edu.au
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 part of admissions. However, there is now a strong push for universities to admit students on broader criteria, while still ensuring that students are well prepared academically for university study. In this project, students may wish to consider how the current ATAR-based admission system works and how the key characteristics and attributes can be improved. Exploration of alternative models and frameworks used in other countries may be useful in determining the aspects of the current system that are worth retaining. Students are encouraged to propose new models including whether any new technologies can be leveraged to improve outcomes. Students must consider the implications of any recommended changes to the equitable allocation of university places, ensuring no group is significantly advantaged or disadvantaged.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Wednesdays 9 am – 12 pm
Project Supervisor: Jinqi Xu, jinqi.xu@sydney.edu.au
Westpac - Using Digital Technologies to Improve User Experiences
Westpac is Australia’s oldest bank and company; they provide a broad range of banking and financial services. Westpac is focused on helping Australians succeed, ensuring customers can save and invest with confidence. Helping with the financial needs of small businesses, multi-national corporates, institutional and government clients, Westpac puts customers at the centre of everything they do. Westpac want to ensure the experiences for their customers and staff are quick and effortless, using technology to improve productivity, whilst focussing on user experience. In this project you will work in mixed disciplinary groups to explore solutions that take advantage of ways in which digital technologies can be used to deliver superior personalised services for customers or staff, to help put customers in control of their finances and to better understand and anticipate customer or staff needs. At the end of the project, you will pitch an innovative idea to help Westpac improve productivity or the experience of customers or staff in their branches, contact centres, corporate offices or in digital channels.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Fridays 9 am – 12 pm
Project Supervisor: Sonia Khosa, sonia.khosa@sydney.edu.au
Youth Justice NSW - Multicultural Practice and Outcomes in the Youth Justice System
The cohort of young people in contact with the youth justice system in NSW is multiculturally diverse, with some groups disproportionally overrepresented. The overrepresentation of Aboriginal young people in the youth justice system and the poorer outcomes achieved from public services for Aboriginal people more broadly is well documented. However, little is known about the efficacy and experiences that young people from other cultural backgrounds have when involved in mandated services. Youth Justice NSW seeks to further understand the unique culture background of youth from Pacific Islander, Arab, New Zealand and African origins. Importantly, to understand how insights into culture and culturally appropriate practices might be leveraged for effective intervention and to improve outcomes for all in the Youth Justice System. In this project, interdisciplinary teams are asked to produce actionable insights on the experiences and possible interventions for young people from diverse backgrounds across Youth NSW services. Students will explore the ways in which services and thereby outcomes could be enhanced for specific young people of Pacific Communities (including Māori) backgrounds, young people from African countries (and refugee or refugee-like) and young people from Arabic-speaking backgrounds.
Delivery mode: In-person (CC)
Timetable: Wednesdays 12 – 3 pm
Project Supervisor: Maria Amigo, maria.amigo@sydney.edu.au
Details on our Semester 2 projects will be available here in June 2023.
Last updated: 02 June 2023
