PhD students have:

• Worked individually, or collaboratively with industry, to apply design thinking and identify and solve real industry problems with recommendations to improve or develop solutions.
• Reviewed literature & critically assessed new findings, challenged assumptions, conducted evidence-based research and development, tested prototypes, developed or improved product or service design, collected prototype data, developed prototype protocols, test to market.
• Constructed and operated a pilot plant  to test and improve.
• Implemented Phase I to III of clinical trials.
• Built logarithms , new programming languages and operating systems.
• Developed new policies and frameworks.
• Developed creative works, delivered live performance  of creative works, recorded or rendered works and curated exhibitions or events.
• Developed creative & systematic work to increase the stock of knowledge of humankind, culture and society and devise new applications of available knowledge.

Internship start dates are flexible and can be negotiated between the student and the Partner Organisation, taking into account the student’s research load and study requirements. They do not need to align with the University’s semester dates. Internships should be at least 60 FTE days over a minimum of 3 months.

Partner Organisations providing an internship with UWA’s partner programs, APR Intern and iPREP, make payment as defined by the program and can be negotiated by scale.

Payment for bespoke internships can be negotiated with the student by the Partner Organisation and reflected in the Internship Agreement.

Research internships are normally for 3 calendar months (equivalent to 60 FTE working days) in duration and can be extended with negotiation and approval from UWA.

Research internships are developed in collaboration between the Partner Organisation, and UWA student and academic supervisor.

Partner Organisations can access UWA’s internship programs APR Intern and iPREP or develop a bespoke internship to suit the needs of your organisation.

If you are interested in establishing a bespoke research internship, please contact the UWA Graduate School of Research at [email protected] or submit an EOI.

One or more members of the Partner Organisation will be a co-supervisor to the student. This role will help develop meaningful project outcomes and key tasks for the student to complete during the internship.

The Internship Agreement set out the roles and responsibilities of the Partner Organisation, students and UWA. This includes students undertaking to comply with the Partner Organisation’s policies and procedures, agreeing to maintain confidentiality of information, and outlining the project tasks and time commitments and agreed arrangements.

Prior to the internship, an agreement including intellectual property (IP) will be executed by all parties. Typically, the internship IP is held by the Partner Organisation, while any background research IP is retained by the relevant party.

PhD students are protected by UWA’s insurance whilst engaged in course-related activities such as an internship which is recognised and approved the UWA Graduate Research School. Where an employer is offering a research internship under an employment contract, the employer provides insurance coverage. Please note: Recognition of such an arrangement as a research internship will require some criteria to be met, particularly as UWA PhD students may not suspend to take up employment.