Swinburne partners with NCS and Avanade on digital learning
Swinburne University has signed up two leading technology firms – NCS and Avanade – to support the delivery of content designed to prepare graduates for the evolving digital business landscape.
The Australian branch of NCS has become the latest global technology and services consultancy to partner with a leading local university in a bid to address the deepening industry skills shortage, signing a deal with Swinburne’s School of Business, Law & Entrepreneurship to help deliver specialised learning content for its graduate programs.
The university has also signed up Avanade to support with innovation and entrepreneurship education.
“This collaboration with NCS is incredibly thrilling for us, as it enables us to offer top-tier education tailored for today’s graduates,” stated Alexander Kaiser, the School’s director of industry engagement. “Our programs are meticulously crafted with the future in mind. We are an innovative university that continually evolves to ensure our students receive the finest education and gain access to industry experts, both locally and internationally.”
According to the agreement, NCS will contribute to the development of innovative course materials leveraging the firm’s expertise and industry insights, with guest speakers and a focus on blended, intensive, and immersive learning via student placements, internships and collaborations. The mix of theoretical knowledge and practical experience, the firm says, will equip graduates with the necessary skills to thrive in the evolving digital business landscape.
The two parties also have a strong existing connection, with Tristan Sternson, NCS Next’s global co-lead and managing director of local acquisition ARQ, an alumnus of the university and member of its industry advisory board (alongside Mark Korda of KordaMentha and former Pitcher Partners executive director David Knowles among others). Sternson said it was an honour to now be in a position where he could share his learning and experiences with the coming generation.
“Education is critical, and I’m extremely excited about the possibilities that can come from one of the most innovative universities in the world collaborating with a global innovation leader like NCS.” he stated. “We share the same ambition to develop local talent and help change the narrative about the tech skills shortage. With this partnership, we’re also in a unique position to build close connections between Australia and the rest of the Asia Pacific region.”
Swinburne has also recently signed a deal with Accenture-Microsoft joint venture Avanade, which will focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Like the NCS agreement, the aim is to incorporate practical lessons with experiential learning from real-life company examples to prepare students for future employment, with the firm citing recent research that found that 40 percent of the current skills required for the workforce are likely to change over the next five years.
