Industry Doctorate Program

The UTS Industry Doctorate Program (IDP) prepares you to create change as a leader in your field. The IDP is a collaborative research project between an industry partner, an employee or student, and UTS. The industry partner defines the research problem and the professional or student is the primary researcher, supported by the academic rigor of UTS’s world-class experts.

IDP-trained researchers learn to scan horizons for future disruptions, create evidence-driven solutions, and build competitive advantage in their sector. From robotics to data to social change, the IDP prepares organisations and professionals for the future by delivering new solutions to challenging problems.

The IDP model

Timeframe: The IDP is a 3–4 year PhD program, with agreed project deliverables back to the organisation.

Deliverables: An IDP isn’t limited to a traditional thesis: it could include a variety of tangible deliverables like a patent, algorithm, policy proposal, or business model.

Cohorts: The IDP can be done as an individual learner, but a cohort allows the organisation to develop a team
approach to the problem space, deepen in-house expertise, and ensure innovations have sustainable internal support.

Eligibility: There’s no limit on the kinds of organisations that need expert skills, innovation and evidence-driven change. The IDP is open to:

IDP partners have included the construction, conservation, finance, natural resources, pharmaceutical, shipping and transport, professional sports, technology, and government sectors.

• international corporations
• SMEs
• government
• NGOs
• non-profits
• startups
• Indigenous community organisations
• cultural or community-sector partners

Learners need to meet UTS’s admissions requirements (which can take professional experience into account).

This is a unique action-research PhD program that’s about creating career expertise among future leaders and innovators. We know collaboration is key to solving the increasingly complex and wicked problems we face.

Distinguished Professor Martin Loosemore, UTS

Benefits to the IDP partner

Developing your staff through the IDP helps future-proof your organisation as a leader in your field:

• define the research problem and project on your terms, with milestones and deliverables that propel business success
• access UTS facilities and resources
• increase ability to create evidence-driven innovation
• retain your talent with an improved employee value proposition
• strengthen relationships with a major knowledge

We wanted an institution that was recognised for both its quality of research and appreciation of innovation—UTS really fit the bill.

Dr. Claire Treadgold, Starlight Foundation

Benefits to the IDP professional

Undertaking research training through the IDP helps you future-proof yourself as a leader in your field:

• deep expertise and specialised knowledge, built on your existing experience
• world-class research skills and leading-edge innovation capabilities
• opportunity to address a real-world problem that’s meaningful to your industry
• mentoring from global experts
• full access to all UTS graduate research facilities and resources
• internationally-recognised prestigious qualification
• keep your salary

I loved the PhD. It's the best thing I've done with my career.

Louise O'Flynn, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 

Read more about how Louise's research is improving sustainability for 10% of land in NSW.

Contributions

Industry partner contribution

• In-kind time contribution: The learner must be allowed sufficient time in their workload to engage in the research project
• Financial support: A research support fee of $5,000/year (for non-lab-based research) or $10,000/year (for lab-based research)

UTS contribution

• World-class expertise: IDP-trained researchers are mentored by experts in their field and have access to global research networks 
• Time: on average, a PhD supervisor invests 100 hours/year in mentoring and advising a research student
• Facilities: UTS offers a range of advanced research facilities including Tech Lab, the Biomanufacturing Immersion Facility, Protospace, and the Data Arena, as well as over 40 research centres 
• Professional development: UTS researchers have access to extensive development and training opportunities, from publishing to entrepreneurship to project management
• Financial support: 
  • Up to $5,000 per learner to attend conferences through the IDP Student Conference Fund
  • Up to $1,500 per learner to attend external development activities through the Industry Researcher Development Program

National Industry PhD Program

Potential UTS PhD students, current first-year PhD students, academic staff, and industry partners are also eligible to apply for the National Industry PhD Program (opens external website). This program connects talented first-year PhD candidates and universities with highly capable industry professionals to undertake a co-designed research project.

The National Industry PhD Program has two streams:

• Industry Linked PhD (Stream 1): This stream is for outstanding PhD Candidates to undertake research projects co-designed by university and industry, with opportunities to be embedded in industry settings. For this stream the student:
  • will spend 20%-50% of their time with the Industry Partner
  • will receive a minimum RTP $46k stipend
  • will undertake a training program totalling 12 weeks
  • can be a new or early PhD candidate (within the first 12 months) and can be international or domestic. The candidate is not expected to pay any fees.
• Industry Researcher PhD (Stream 2): This stream is for highly capable industry professionals who are supported by their employers to undertake PhD projects in partnership with a university. For this stream the student:
  • will spend 20%-50% of their time at UTS
  • the government will pay a $41K subsidy to the employer
  • the employer will keep the student as a full-time employee and support them for the duration of their candidature by maintaining their salary and benefits

Applying to the National Industry PhD Program: Applications are submitted by UTS on behalf of the student and industry partner. Please contact the Graduate Research School to start the application process, or with any other questions about this program. 

The application assesses the project rather than the candidate; it's possible to apply without an identified candidate. There will be multiple intakes for this program in 2023. To apply for this program you must submit an application form and a letter of intent to GRS. For more information on this program please contact the Graduate Research School.

Ready to future-proof? Contact the Graduate Research School when you want to talk about solving the grand challenge facing your field. 

How to apply