Professors Liam Smith and Felix Mavondo have teamed up to embed a Graduate Research Industry Partnership (GRIP) program within BehaviourWorks Australia (BWA). BWA is a long established and deeply industry-embedded research unit at Monash University. GRIP is cohort-based doctoral program designed to bring PhD candidates together with government and industry professionals to solve real-world problems. 18 candidates were admitted into the first cohort of the Behaviour Change GRIP in 2017 working with 8 different industry partners, who set the broad topic focus areas.
This cohort has benefited from a range of support initiatives including:
• a front-loaded program of skills training
• an intense 7-week period of embedding in partner organisations at the beginning of the program
• meetings with industry leaders who share their desires for graduate skills to fill known gaps in industry
• half day of training on the policy process
• guided and self-directed cohort building and networking support
• visits to all industry partner sites
• two mini-conferences and open confirmation presentations
• key industry liaison contacts who ensure wider exposure of the student’s research to the partner organisation and provide formal (in some cases) and informal supervision.
• participation in partner-run forums and training on topics relevant to the student.
The success to date has been astounding. Students and industry partners each identifying a range of benefits of this unique initiative. Appreciative industry partners report:
“The research undertaken by the students thus far has contributed to our 4-year strategic plan and strengthened our work … I can highly recommend the involvement of BC- GRIP PhD students to other industry partners as they have provided a technical and innovative edge to the work that we do.”
“The program is unique, beneficial and rewarding, both for the students and the organisation. I highly recommend the involvement of BC-GRIP PhD students to other industry partners.”
More generally BWA has undertaken several hundred research projects in collaboration with over 100 industry partners. Many of BWA’s 30 current staff supervise HDR students both within and separate to the Behaviour Change GRIP and most of their students are undertaking research in collaboration with industry partners, and are embracing a similar philosophical approach to their research.
Special Commendation was awarded to Professor Jason Stokes, The University of Queensland