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Industry Placement in PhD Training: A National Study of Student and Advisor Experiences
*New national report now available*Australia’s research training system is at an inflection point. As industry demand for research-trained professionals continues to grow, PhD industry placeme ...
Industry Placement in PhD Training: A National Study of Student and Advisor Experiences
*New national report now available*
Australia’s research training system is at an inflection point. As industry demand for research-trained professionals continues to grow, PhD industry placements are playing an increasingly critical role in bridging doctoral education and the innovation economy.
This national study, conducted through the ARC Training Centre for Information Resilience (CIRES) and with endorsement of the Australian Government Department of Education, provides the first national evidence base on PhD industry placements including their scope, objectives, outcomes, and challenges.
Drawing on survey responses from 345 current and recently completed PhD students (as of September 2025) and 143 academic advisors, the report provides a clear picture of a system that has reached maturity in intent and scale, but not yet in consistency of execution.
While widely adopted through programs such as the National Industry PhD Program, ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres, APR.Intern, CSIRO iPhD, and university-led initiatives, placements are delivered in diverse ways, varying in duration, structure, funding, and expectations. This heterogeneity creates a complex landscape that students and advisors must navigate across differing institutional and administrative contexts.
Key Findings
Industry placements are now a well-established component of PhD training in Australia, supporting both research translation and career development through a range of university, sectoral, and national programs. The study found that students highly value placements for applying their research in real-world settings, building professional networks, and exploring career opportunities beyond academia.
Despite these benefits, significant challenges remain. Students and advisors reported difficulties balancing placement commitments with thesis progression, unclear expectations between stakeholders, funding and administrative barriers, inconsistent supervision practices, and limited formal feedback mechanisms. The findings also highlighted a mismatch between the outcomes expected from placements and the institutional support structures available to ensure their success.
Recommendations
The report recommends three overarching priority areas for strengthening PhD industry placements:
- Establish clear expectations and alignment early by defining roles, objectives, deliverables, and supervision arrangements before placements begin, ensuring activities contribute to both research and career development.
- Adopt a genuinely student-centred placement model that prioritises learning, wellbeing, effective supervision, career development, and equitable access to placement opportunities across disciplines and student cohorts.
- Strengthen administrative, funding, and institutional support systems through streamlined processes, reliable funding, recognition of supervisory contributions, formal feedback mechanisms, and stronger long-term partnerships between universities and industry.
Together, these measures will help ensure industry placements deliver meaningful professional development, support successful PhD completion, and maximise the impact of research within industry and the broader community.
Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the Department of Education who provided a letter of support for the study, which greatly assisted in the recruitment of participants. We thank everyone who generously contributed their time and insight to this study, and we look forward to the conversations and collaborations that will follow.
To cite this report
Sadiq, S., Indulska, M., Jiang, X., and Pool, J. (2026). Industry placement in PhD training: a national study of student and advisor experiences. Brisbane: The University of Queensland. https://doi.org/10.14264/b521c34
Authors
Professor Shazia Sadiq FTSE
Professor Marta Indulska
Dr Xianxian Jiang
Dr Javad Pool
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