Entrepreneurial Scholarship: Activities Overview
The below framework provides an indication of the professional development activities included in the UQ Entrepreneurial PhD Top-up Scholarship. Scholarship recipients are expected to complete all activities to gain the most out of this opportunity and maintain their annual top-up scholarship.
Please note: These activities are subject to change.
Enrichment experiences & networking
Scholarship recipients are encouraged to participate in a range of networking and enrichment experiences to enhance their employability and expand their professional networks. These experiences will be promoted throughout the year, and include but are not limited to:
- The Career Development Mentoring Program
- 3MT Competition or InSPiR2eS Global Pitching Research Competition
- A global experience
- Attending, presenting or volunteering at conferences
- Attending facility Tours with AIBN industry partners
- Representing AIBN at events
This stage typically refers to your first 12 months of candidature. During this period, we expect that you will attend specialised courses, complete the UQ Ventures PhD Curiosity program and actively engage in the Liveris Academy Program.
Specialised courses
Led by subject matter experts who will provide focused insights on a range of topics to develop and expand your knowledge across design thinking, innovation, leadership, strategy and research commercialisation.
Ventures Curiosity PhD
The UQ Ventures team offers a suite of active learning programs to help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset. During the six-week program, you will have the opportunity to form and test your early-stage ideas or simply develop a taste and explore how you can expand your entrepreneurial mindset. You will also build networks and connect with PhD students from different disciplines for a strong, well-connected start to your entrepreneurial journey.
Liveris Academy Program
The Liveris Academy is designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders with the capacity to address grand challenges at a time of dramatic socio-economic, technological and environmental change.
The Liveris Academy delivers world-class training and mentoring in leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, systems thinking, digital technologies, and sustainability. Academy members enjoy exclusive access to Liveris Academy events and activities, including mentoring by Leaders in Residence, representing industry, entrepreneurship and policy/humanitarian fields. Appointment as a Liveris Scholar is a highly sought after position and comes with corresponding responsibilities and expectations.
Please note: These activities are subject to change.
This stage typically occurs 12 - 36 months into your candidature. During this period, you are likely to be involved in the following activities noting that they are subject to change.
Specialised Courses
Led by subject matter experts who will provide focused insights on a range of topics to develop and expand your knowledge across design thinking, innovation, leadership, strategy and research commercialisation.
Ventures Validate
Whether you are working on a for-profit, a social enterprise or a not-for-profit enterprise, you will understand market needs through discussions with your potential customers and devise a sustainable business model with Ventures Validate. After the eight-week program, your team will pitch to a judging panel for a share of $10,000 in cash.
Industry Challenges
Students will be required to complate at least one industry challenge throughout their candidature to further their experience in developing real-world solutions for real-world challenges. Examples of activities include but are not limited to:
- Ventures Industry Challenges
- U21 Innovation Challenge
- Falling walls lab
Career Development Sessions
The UQ Graduate School hosts a range of sessions for PhD students as part of its Career Development Framework (CDF) with most contributing to the eligibility requirements of the Career Development Scholarship. Below is a suggested list of workshops specific to entrepreneurship, communicating research and career development.
- Impactful presentations: Delivering with confidence
- Strategic Networking: How to connect for impact
- Presenting your research
- Career Strategy: Planning for your future
- Career Shaping: Understand your skills and identify your opportunities
- Growing your digital capacity
- Networking in the digital space
- Build your personal brand
- CV Essentials for HDRs
- Working in the 3rd space: non-academic university careers
- Career Shaping: Resume and selection criteria
- UniQuest research commercialisation workshop
This stage typically occurs in the final 12 months of your canditure. During this period, you are likely to be involved in the following activities noting that they are subject to change.
Industry Placement
We will work with you to secure a placement with an industry partners shortly after your 12-month confirmation milestone. Placements will consist of 60 full-time equivalent days of engagement with an industry partner.
Career Development Sessions
The UQ Graduate School hosts a range of sessions for PhD students as part of its Career Development Framework (CDF) with most contributing to the eligibility requirements of the Career Development Scholarship. Below is a suggested list of workshops specific to entrepreneurship, communicating research and career development.
- Impactful presentations: Delivering with confidence
- Strategic Networking: How to connect for impact
- Presenting your research
- Career Strategy: Planning for your future
- Career Shaping: Understand your skills and identify your opportunities
- Growing your digital capacity
- Networking in the digital space
- Build your personal brand
- CV Essentials for HDRs
- Working in the 3rd space: non-academic university careers
- Career Shaping: Resume and selection criteria
- UniQuest research commercialisation workshop
Reflection
To truly understand what skills and attributes have been developed, you will be required to reflect on your activities and experiences. To facilitate this process, the self-reflection (SEAL) process will be used, enabling you to unpack your experiences so you can better understand how your skills and attributes can be used in a work context.
Reflections will be captured via StudentHub and reviewed annually as part of the top-up scholarship review process.