Cisco extends ICP with Curtain University to its Singapore campus

Cisco has extended its long-standing partnership with Curtin University to its Singapore campus where one of its first international Innovation Central facilities will open later this year. 

It has been 10 years since the networking vendor opened the original Innovation Central Perth (ICP) initiative with Western-Australia based Curtin University, which serves as a platform for collaboration for Cisco engineers, Curtin researchers and students to get together to tackle industry challenges as well as developing innovative solutions and projects that foster growth, provide jobs and helps to build sustainable economies. 

It has also been one of the blueprints for Innovation Centrals in universities across Australia. Now, the model will expand internationally with Innovation Central Singapore opening at Curtin Singapore in October. 

ICP and the Curtin partnership have also been major pillars in the establishment of the National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN), with Curtin as a founding partner in 2020.  

The NIIN is one of Australia’s largest and most inclusive industry-university collaboration platforms, dedicated to solving national challenges, driving technology adoption and fostering workforce readiness to position Australia as a global leader in innovation with ICP playing a leading role. 

ICP Governing Board chair and director of the Curtin Institute for Data Science Professor Melanie Johnston-Hollitt said the ICP has grown exponentially in the last decade. 

“Since 2020, ICP has provided more than 130 Curtin students with industry placements and led more than 150 projects across various critical sectors including mining and resources, manufacturing, government, health, insurance, banking and tourism,” she said. 

Cisco Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ) managing director of partner and routes to market sales Rodney Hamill told ARN this will benefit its partners.

“With this ongoing commitment to innovation, Cisco partners [will] benefit from deeper innovation pipelines, faster go-to-market for advanced solutions, access to global and regional expertise, unique talent acquisition pathways and the ability to co-create,” he said.

Curtin University vice chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne said ICP was a leading example of how universities and industry can unite effectively to turn innovative problems into real-world outcomes.  

“The decade-long and highly successful relationship between Curtin and Cisco has transformed the role of digital innovation, allowing ICP to become a cornerstone of Western Australia’s digital innovation ecosystem,” he said. 

“It has also been a vehicle for providing work-integrated learning opportunities for Curtin students to gain skills directly with industry partners, particularly in key areas including artificial intelligence, cyber security, mining and digital health.”