Global Challenges

Complete a series of 8 Impact through Science units which provide high level training in leadership, science communication, entrepreneurship, policy, ethics and corporate social responsibility.

Business and enterprise projects

In the second year of the course innovation and design are at the centre of the program with our  ‘Impact through science  units’. They explore fields from business and entrepreneurship to advocacy and biomimicry. This includes concept development and ideation, effective lobbying and advocacy using citizen-driven movements, as well as considerations regarding the legal, ethical and compliance requirements that arise when creating change in complex societies.

Students will go through the process of implementing these tools first on a real-world business and then extend this experience towards a conceptual business of their own design to ensure that they can fully utilise the knowledge learnt in class but apply it in a variety of situations. Students also have numerous interactions with industry leaders, including those from start-ups, big business, social enterprises and government organisations, to hear first-hand what it is like to work in these roles and gain an appreciation for the broad-spectrum approach needed to deal with the issues that face businesses today.

For more information about the second year of the course, watch the information session here or visit the handbook at SCI2501 / SCI2502 .

3-week internship

Gaining experience in the field, working with those on the front-lines of global challenges and learning first-hand how you might solve them are just some of the incredible experiences that a Global Challenges internship has on offer. Sourced by the student, either individually or in collaboration with the Work Integrated Learning team, the Global Challenges internship experience thrust you right into the heart of work opportunities in areas that interest you. The internship unit SCI3501 is invaluable in enabling students to immerse themselves in areas they may not otherwise have been exposed to via a standard science degree and apply leadership, communication and business skills learnt in our “Impact through Science” units.

Furthermore, Global Challenges students have the exciting opportunity to undertake some of their studies as part of an exchange programme, provided through either individual sourcing or the broad Monash University network.

So what does getting  ‘on the ground’ experience look like? Examples of where our students have made a difference  include:

• AQUEST (Aquatic Environmental Stress Research Group)
• Banyule City Council
• Burnet Institute
• Citizens Climate Lobby Australia
• ClimateWorks Australia
• Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
• Edapt Education
• Mind Medicine Australia
• Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute
• Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub
• Monash Food Innovation Centre
• Monash University - School of Social Sciences
• Predictive Analytics Group
• Scientell Pty Ltd
• Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
• WhyHive Pty Ltd
• World Mosquito Program
• Kids Unlimited -- India
• Oceanwide Science Institute -- United States
• Pukaha National Wildlife Centre -- New Zealand (Aotearoa)
• Purpose PBC -- United States
• Surrey Schools -- Canada
• ICRO International Group Pty Ltd (for Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group)
• PECET (Program of Study and Control of Tropical Diseases)
• Fiji Government Ministry of Health And Medical Services
• ROLE Foundation - Indonesia
• Irish Heart Disease Awareness
• Amaizz Advanced Agriculture Ltd.
• Pukaha National Wildlife Sanctuary
• Ugandan Youth Alliance for Family Planning and Adolescent HealthMercer Limited

Information on internship units at Monash University, including SCI3501, can be found here.

12-week industry project

The Global Challenges students undertake a third year project with an external organisation as part of their studies. This year provides the opportunity for students to further cultivate their  persuasive communication, leadership and innovation skills through a self-directed and real-world project.

These projects are conducted in consultation with the industry partner and serve as an experience-rich preparation for the full fourth-year honours project. They work closely with their industry partner to examine one of three broad themes:

1. A new product or service utilising the scientific research
2. Closing the gap between science and policy/politics
3. Science communication to the general public.

Students have the chance to develop and use new and creative approaches to address an industry partner's needs, harnessing the skills learnt from both the first and second years of the degree in combination with further Global Challenges in-house workshops. Each student is required to consider the diverse viewpoints and perspectives on a particular issue to generate solutions which consider the wider community rather than a specific group and contribute to projects which clearly benefit the global community in areas including:

• Environmental protection, conservation or rejuvenation
• Human rights, gender and LGBTQI+ equality
• The UN sustainable development goals
• Advanced technologies

For more information about the 12 week industry project, watch the information session here or see the SCI3502 unit handbook.

Honours program

We offer a truly unique honours year program where our students work collaboratively with industry during their entire final year.

They address a specific, challenging, real world problem. This work is done ‘on the ground’, with students required to bring their suite of leadership, communication, innovation and scientific thinking strategies developed in the preceding years to a business problem.

For more information about the honours year, watch the information session here or see the  SCI4501 / SCI4502 unit handbooks.