Grand Challenges

Project Types

Teams will be allocated one of the following project types:

• Growth Strategy

  Clients will select a focus growth area (marketing, product or new customer channels). Students will research new trends, conduct competitor analysis, and identify opportunities to help the organisation grow.

  Scope of work:

  • Provide a general overview of the current state of our industry.
  • Using secondary research (or primary research if suitable connections and context are provided), analyse and provide insights on how the client’s customers’ needs and habits are changing.
  • Conduct a review of how competitors are responding to these changes.
  • Identify trends and opportunities to help the client’s organisation overcome current challenges and grow.
• Innovation (STEM)

  Students will work with organisations seeking new insights and ideas on their competitors and innovation trends.

  Scope of Work:

  • Analysis of key local and global competitors operating in a specific business or innovation area
  • Analysis of technology and innovation trends in a specific business area and the opportunities they offer for growth or diversification.
  • Identify potential opportunities (including government support) and limitations for growth/entry to consider.
• Talent & Culture

  Students will complete secondary research on recruitment, training & development, or workplace culture, reviewing best practice and the HR-practices of comparable organisations.

  Scope of Work:

  • Evaluate the status of the organisation’s current HR practices in question
  • Using secondary research, analyse and provide insights on innovative best HR practices, relevant to the organisation and brief
  • Review the HR practices of competitor or comparable organisations (where information is available) and provide relevant insights
  • Based on your research, identify potential opportunities and practices your client could learn from

Frequently asked questions

• Am I eligible for Grand Challenges?

  To sign up for Grand Challenges, you must be:

  • A currently enrolled student at the University of Melbourne and in your second or third year and above or a postgraduate coursework or graduate research student at Good Standing.  Please click here for more information on students at Good Standing/At Risk.

  or

  • A currently enrolled student at the University of Melbourne who has completed Part 1 and Part 2 of the Melbourne Employability Accelerator (MEA) program
• What sort of time commitment is required to participate in Grand Challenges?

  While it is not strictly recorded, it is expected that students will spend approximately 50 to 60 hours overall across the 3-week timeframe on Grand Challenges with their project team. This includes 10 to 12 hours (including deliverable feedback) of engagement with their project client and mentor, and approximately 6 hours of online content a week. The exact hours of commitment will depend on your project team and the project deliverables from your client, as this varies from client to client and are based on the client’s project brief and guidelines. Deliverables are group-based.  You will need to ensure that you are able to make yourself available to participate in the University’s and Practera’s compulsory sessions to successfully complete this program.

• Are there any fees required for participation in this program / do I receive any payment post program?

  No, there are no fees required for participation in this program. The University of Melbourne subsidize the cost for students to be involved with Grand Challenges. This program is an unpaid, extra-curricular skills development opportunity.  Students who successfully complete the 3-week Grand Challenges consulting experience will receive a digital certificate from Study Melbourne and Practera, as well as digital badge from The University of Melbourne.

• Can we choose our team, and industry partner or client?

  The matching process is done by Practera and not The University of Melbourne. Please note that the exact host organization and client you will be working with will only be determined once Practera receives final student registration details. Host organization matching, and allocations are only done closer to the start of the placement dates.  If there is not a particular industry aligned to your area of study and/or interests, we would encourage you to take this opportunity to explore potential career paths and industries you may not have previously considered in line with the objective of the Grand Challenges Program.

• Do we have to meet up as a team?

  This project will be delivered virtually with some opportunities for face to face sessions. This means that you will be working with your team members, your mentor and client entirely online. Having said that, the program is team driven, should there be a desire to and possibility to catch up in person that is ultimately your decision.

• Are there any “marks” associated with this program?

  No, there is no mark that you or your team receives. You will get feedback from your client and mentor throughout the program, but there is no formal “mark”. Post program, students who successfully complete Grand Challenges will receive a digital certificate from Practera, and a digital badge from The University of Melbourne.

• Are we located at the client’s office?

  No, you will be working remotely for the duration of the three-week program with the possibility of attending  some face to face sessions.

• What if I am unavailable for part of the program?

  If you are unavailable for part of the program and you are concerned that this will impact your team significantly, please contact the Grand Challenges Program Team. If you are partially unavailable, but can still contribute as a team member, please communicate this with your allocated team members.

• How do I communicate with my team?

  Students will be placed into teams and will receive further instructions from Practera, including details about the project brief, and the email addresses of your team members so you can reach out via email. You can also use the Practera chat function. You may also decide as a team to use other communication tools.

• How do I contact my/our client?

  Successful students will be placed into teams and will receive further instructions from Practera. This includes the details of their project brief, client and mentor. From there, you can email your client, or you can reach out to them via Practera chat.