Murdoch University has teamed up with tech giant Cisco to create a new digital academy, aimed at boosting the tech industry by offering IoT-focused short courses and microcredentials.
Vice-Chancellor Eeva Leinonen said the Digital Futures Academy will offer students real-world learning experiences and industry-relevant certification.
“Students will have the opportunity to explore how technology impacts across multiple disciplines, from law technology to business analytics, fintech to bioinformatics, from gaming to computational and systems medicine," she said.
“Initial courses will give students first-hand experience in the internet of things, followed by offerings in automation, artificial intelligence, robotics and blockchain technologies. These courses… will ensure our students are ready for our technology-driven world.”
The certifications will be endorsed by Cisco in a bid to lend a globally recognised name to the credentials and help students to use their skills in international markets.
Reg Johnson, General Manager for Education & Industry Development at Cisco Australia and New Zealand, said the Digital Futures Academy is an example of how education institutions are adapting to a changing world.
“Digitisation is happening across every industry, as governments and business find ways of using digital technologies to improve service levels and become more efficient,” he said.
"The pace of digitisation has been accelerated by the pandemic, and the Digital Futures Academy will be well-positioned to prepare young and mature learners for new, tech-intensive jobs.”
Darren McKee, Murdoch CEO, said the partnership with Cisco will also extend beyond learning and education into “developing new, digitally enabled infrastructure projects in Western Australia.”
“We are committed to building sustainable Smart Cities and being a University of the future,” he said.
“Partnering with Cisco will allow us to integrate the Murdoch experience with the digital infrastructure and education needed to ensure Australia’s digital future.”