The Australian Graduate Industry Research School (AGIRS) prepares the next generation of researchers and innovators by embedding students directly into live industry projects. From enrolment to employment, every outcome is industry-embedded, ensuring graduates are globally competitive and ready to lead.
The Australian Graduate Industry Research School (AGIRS) is redefining postgraduate education for the 21st century and beyond. Built on the principles of Industry 5.0, AGIRS removes the traditional boundaries between universities and the workplace. Unlike conventional institutions, AGIRS does not operate from a physical campus — our campus is industry itself.
From the moment they enrol, students are immersed in live industry projects, working side by side with businesses, hospitals, research labs, government agencies, and community partners. This approach ensures every research project is both academically rigorous and practically applied, producing world-class knowledge while also delivering solutions that matter.
Our mission is to prepare a new generation of researchers, innovators, and leaders who can translate academic insight into real-world impact. By embedding students directly into industry, we ensure that postgraduate training is not limited to theory but integrated with practice from day one. Every graduate leaves AGIRS not only as a scholar but as an industry-ready professional equipped to drive innovation across Australia and globally.
AGIRS operates on a simple but powerful principle: every student, every project, every outcome is industry-embedded.
Enrolment – Students are jointly recruited with industry partners and matched to projects in key national and global Industry as Campus – Learning takes place in real workplaces, not lecture halls.
Live Projects for Every Student – All research responds directly to industry, healthcare, and community needs.
Dual Supervision – Academic leaders and industry professionals co-supervise every program.
Direct Recruitment – Industry recruits PhD students directly through AGIRS, creating a seamless transition from study to work.
Graduation to Employment – Students complete their studies with a doctoral qualification, a portfolio of live projects, professional networks, and direct pathways into employment or entrepreneurship.
Supervision at AGIRS is designed to match our unique model where industry is the campus. Unlike traditional universities, supervision does not rely on lecture theatres or faculty offices. Instead, it is shared between academia and industry and follows the student wherever their research is based.
Academic Supervisor – Ensures scientific rigour, provides research expertise, and guides the student through milestones.
Industry Supervisor – Provides practical mentoring inside the workplace, ensures projects deliver real outcomes, and connects students with professional networks.
Supervision takes place on-site in industry, through online meetings, in AGIRS research hubs, and via a digital platform that tracks progress and feedback.
This ensures that supervision is flexible, accountable, and connected directly to real-world challenges.
AGIRS focuses its research and training on fields of urgent national and global importance:
Artificial Intelligence & Digital Health – Optimising healthcare delivery, supply chains, and personalised medicine.
Climate & Sustainability – Quantum-driven AI for climate prediction, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy.
Education & Workforce Development – Building future-ready skills through AI in education and industry innovation.
Aged Care Workforce – Developing innovative workforce models to meet the needs of an ageing population.
Health Data and Medical Research – Harnessing big data and AI to improve outcomes across health systems.
Health Technologies and Digital Health – Creating advanced tools and systems for next-generation care.
Health Workforce – Designing sustainable models to support Australia’s growing healthcare needs.
Rural and Regional Health Workforce – Tackling inequities and strengthening healthcare services in regional and remote areas.
Across Australia and globally, many PhD graduates complete their degrees but find limited opportunities outside academia. Traditional programs focus heavily on producing theses and publications, while offering little exposure to real-world application. As a result, graduates often lack the networks, skills, and industry experience required for employment.
AGIRS closes this gap. By embedding every student in live projects and linking them directly with industry supervisors, we ensure graduates are research-ready, industry-ready, and employment-ready. Employers recruit directly from AGIRS with confidence in the talent pipeline.
Most universities offer an Industry PhD pathway, but these programs remain tied to the university model. Typically:
Students are enrolled at the university and spend most of their time on campus.
Industry involvement is limited to a single partner company or short-term placement.
The main goal is still the academic thesis, with industry input often secondary.
Supervision is led by academics, with industry providing occasional input.
Only a small proportion of students access these pathways; they are not the default.
AGIRS is fundamentally different:
Students are based in industry full-time — not on campus.
They work across multiple projects and sectors, not just with one partner.
The academic thesis is produced, but so are practical solutions for industry and society.
Dual supervision (academic + industry) is the standard for every student.
Every student is part of this model — not just a selected few.
Industry does not just participate — it recruits talent directly through AGIRS.
Elements of industry-linked research exist in Germany’s Fraunhofer Institutes, Finland’s Demola projects, Singapore’s NUS Enterprise, and Australia’s Cooperative Research Centres. Yet none go as far as AGIRS.
AGIRS is the first institution where industry is not just a partner but the campus itself, and where industry directly recruits postgraduate students. This ensures that every student, every project, and every outcome is industry-embedded, producing graduates who are globally competitive, innovation-ready, and prepared to lead.
No. AGIRS is in the establishment phase and is currently developing its industry-embedded PhD, Master’s, and Bachelor’s programs. These will launch in the coming years and will be designed in partnership with industry to ensure students learn through real-world projects rather than traditional classroom lectures.
AGIRS programs will be fully integrated with industry, allowing students to gain professional experience, work on live projects, and build networks from the start of their degree. This approach ensures graduates will be career-ready upon completion.
ExpertGate is AGIRS’s flagship global collaboration platform, designed to connect the top 5% of academic and industry experts worldwide. It will make it easier to find the right expertise, form partnerships quickly, and deliver high-impact research and innovation projects.
The Sydney AI Lab is currently in the planning stage. It will be a state-of-the-art facility for training youth and professionals in AI, machine learning, robotics, and sector-specific digital technologies, with a focus on agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing applications.
AGIRS will reinvest 50% of ExpertGate’s profits into educational initiatives for underprivileged communities. This will include scholarships, targeted skills training, and outreach programs for rural and disadvantaged regions, ensuring that innovation benefits everyone.