Master the skills of innovation, enterprise and advocacy with UQ’s Create Change Masterclasses
Master the skills of innovation, enterprise and advocacy with UQ’s Create Change Masterclasses
4 October 2016

The University of Queensland is delivering on its commitment to develop game-changing graduates by offering a series of online learning opportunities - the Create Change Masterclasses.

The University has launched three online classes in innovation, entrepreneurship and advocacy, which draw on the expertise of leading UQ academics, mentors and change-makers.

The Create Change Masterclasses complement the Federal Government National Innovation and Science Agenda which highlights the need for new ideas in innovation, and new sources of growth to deliver the next age of economic prosperity for Australia.

Each of the three classes takes around an hour to complete. The classes are:

Expert contributors include former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans, Fijian political activist and FemLINKPACIFIC coordinator Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Executive Dean Professor Tim Dunne, and UQ Business School Associate Professor Tim Kastelle. 

There is additional input from UniQuest, UQ’s main commercialisation company and Australia’s largest and most successful university commercialisation group, with annual licence income from innovation more than that of all seven other leading Australian research universities combined.

UQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Peter Høj said the skills to innovate, advocate, take good ideas to market and connect with the right groups were essential for the 21st-century graduate.

He said the Create Change Masterclasses presented those skills in an accessible and engaging way.

“In order to create change and make their way in the age of innovation, students need to understand these key concepts – how to take their ideas forward and leverage influence and partnerships to bridge the gap between great concepts and reality,” Professor Høj said.

The Masterclasses link to further UQ courses and entrepreneurial support programs, including ilab, the UQ Idea Hub, and the start-up community.

Professor Høj said Create Change Masterclasses were the latest initiative in the University’s commitment to transforming the student experience, particularly by providing quality, flexible digital learning.

“In July we celebrated one million enrollments to our Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) delivered through UQx,” he said.

“We know how important it is to stay abreast of changing and increasingly digital learning landscapes to be accessible and relevant to a growing number of people.”

UQ has announced wide-reaching changes to its university experience, with a five-year innovation program across digital learning technologies, study options, support, facilities and graduate employability. Learn more about the UQ Student Strategy here.

Further information about UQ’s entrepreneurship and innovation pathways can be found here.

Media: UQ Communications, communications@uq.edu.au, 07 3346 0561