A new partnership between one of Australia’s leading university and an award-winning edtech startup aims to close the digital skills gap and help more students to obtain university-level academic credit as they upskill in innovation and entrepreneurship.
The five-year agreement between The University of Sydney and HEX establishes Australia's first School of Record partnership. The ‘School of Record’ allows students to apply for credit at universities around the world that recognise the University of Sydney’s academic credit.
Since being launched in 2017, HEX has supplied innovative learning subjects as an extension pack to high schools and universities around the world to help close the skill gaps in the workplace and create more future leaders via innovation, entrepreneurship and ‘exponential skills’ programs.
The company’s online and ‘innovation gap year’ programs are designed alongside industry leaders like Atlassian, in response to increasing demand for short skills-based learning.
“We’re delighted the University of Sydney recognises the academic relevance of experiential learning that’s co-designed with industry and the next generation,” HEX co-founder, Chris Hoffmann said.
“A HEX program could be the difference between a student that goes on to have quite a traditional career path, and a student who embraces the exponential future and all its possibilities. HEX gives students a credit-bearing opportunity to explore the world of innovation and entrepreneurship – regardless of whether they’re enrolled in uni.”
Under the new partnership, The University of Sydney will serve as a School of Record for HEX Ed Pro’s Tech, Money, You, Future and Innovation programs which are delivered online, as well as their intensive Innovation program delivered in-person in Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne, with more international locations to launch in late 2024.
The five programs have been assessed by the University of Sydney’s Business School and verified to deliver equivalent learning outcomes as specific elective units worth 6 credit points each.
HEX will align marking of these selected programs to the University’s marking scale and a University of Sydney academic has been appointed to the HEX academic board to support consistency and integrity of the curriculum and student outcomes. The agreement also provides for a joint management committee.
The University of Sydney’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), Professor Joanne Wright, welcomed the growing partnership with HEX – and the potential new pathway into the University’s Business School, with students able to apply a maximum total of 12 credit points for successful completion of any combination of the HEX programs to a Bachelor of Commerce course.
“HEX’s efforts to engage with students who have typically been underrepresented in post-school study aligns directly with our 10-year strategy to increase participation in higher education,” Professor Joanne Wright, University of Sydney Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) said.
“We’ve collaborated with HEX since 2018, supporting our students to undertake their international programs as part of our study abroad offer and granting credit for those educational experiences where appropriate.”
Professor Wright also noted that students who complete HEX programs and enrol at the University of Sydney will be able to continue their entrepreneurship journey through the University’s INCUBATE or Start-up Year programs, Industry and Community Project units, or through enrolling in one of the many innovation and entrepreneurship themed units of study on offer.
“We expect that many successful HEX alumni will direct their achievements towards further study at Sydney and other universities around the world.”