Queensland businesses tap into university graduate expertise

Queenslanders are set to benefit from new partnerships between businesses and university graduates developed as part of a Palaszczuk Government innovation program.

Acting Minister for Small Business Kate Jones said the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships funding would connect small and medium sized businesses with university graduates to work on business problems.

“The program brings together Queensland business and universities to exchange ideas, and develop innovative and novel business solutions,” Ms Jones said.

“In these latest rounds of funding, 16 businesses across the state will be supported to employ a university graduate with specific skills to work on projects in the mining, manufacturing, education and training, health care and social assistance and tourism sectors.

“This is a win-win for small and medium sized businesses and university graduates.” 

Each business will receive up to $50,000 towards the cost of collaborating with an Honours, Masters or PhD graduate who will work on a specific project focused on innovation and business growth.

“These projects create job opportunities through helping small and medium sized businesses succeed, leading to long-term economic and community benefits,” she said. 

“By applying the knowledge and innovative thinking of university graduates to solve a business challenge, graduates are employed, businesses can grow and Queenslanders can benefit from the new and improved product or service.

“The latest rounds of funding are being shared across a range of businesses and industries.”

Townsville based Campbell Scientific Australia will work with a James Cook University graduate to develop a low cost sensor for water management.

Campbell Scientific Australia Managing Director Stephen Bailey said, “Queensland is a state in which water dominates aspects of our industry, environment and quality of life. Given the traditional methods of monitoring water levels – expensive instrumentation and manual downloading of data – very little of this vital resource is actually monitored.”

“We expect this project will lead to increased turnover as we market our product both nationally and globally – ultimately resulting in 100–150 full-time employees in our Townsville-based headquarters,” he said.

Brisbane-based Synapse (formerly Brain Injury Association of Queensland), in collaboration with a Griffith University graduate, will continue work on an online screening tool called the ‘Guddi’ for neuro-cognitive assessment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in regional and remote Queensland.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience significantly poorer health and disability outcomes than other Australians,” Synapse National Research and Development Manager Dr Clare Townsend said.

“Through Advance Queensland funding, our project will identify neurocognitive disability in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which in turn will inform more targeted service delivery, specialist intervention and better quality of life.

“We’re a non-government organisation and this partnership will enable us to recruit a psychology graduate with advanced skills in statistical analysis who will deliver a skill set not currently available in-house.”

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships recipients 

• DINGO Software Pty Ltd – Wilston
• BIVACOR Pty Ltd – Wilston
• Campbell Scientific Australia Pty Ltd – Garbutt
• Synapse (formerly Brain Injury Association of Queensland) – West End
• Community Lifestyle Support – Bundaberg
• Central Highlands Science Centre Inc – Emerald
• Queensland Ballet – West End
• Atechnology International Pty Ltd – Norman Park
• Forester’s Community Finance Ltd – Bowen Hills
• Sealink Queensland Pty Ltd – Townsville
• All Energy Pty Ltd – Spring Hill
• Digital Syndicate Studios – Varsity Lakes
• Exploration Drill Rigs Pty Ltd – Redbank
• Community Information Support Services Ltd – Fortitude Valley
• Psychological Solutions (Qld) Pty Ltd – Belmont
• GIS People Pty Ltd – Fortitude Valley

For further information about the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships program, and to see a full list of recipients visit the Advance Queensland website.

ENDS

Media contact: 0437 859 987