Ignite (O-Lab)


The Ignite program takes innovation concepts conceived on campus into the IPP's Opportunity Lab (O-Lab) - including student innovation projects from CIE/CIP - and further develops the opportunity through prototyping, testing and validating hypotheses of the innovation.

Projects are conducted by interdisciplinary teams of students, industry specialists and expert researchers, and are supported by O-Lab Innovation Mentors. 3 students are employed per project, each working up to 12-weeks full-time equivalent (approx. 450 hours) over a 3 – 6 month period. In 2021-2022, we aim to complete at least 20 projects.

Register your interest

What O-Lab offers postgraduate students

    A unique opportunity

    Collaborate with an industry sponsor and inter-disciplinary team to tackle a real-life innovation challenge.

    Gain real-world experience

    Gain real-world experience in an environment where it’s safe (and encouraged) to think differently, experiment and test ideas.

    Grow your network

    Form networks and make professional connections with industry sponsors, other students and researchers from right across the University that could last throughout your entire career.

    Challenge yourself and gain an edge

    Challenge yourself to solve real-world innovation problems and gain an edge over other early-career graduates. At the very minimum, you’ll have some great stories to pull out in a job interview. And if you’re up for the challenge, it could just have a life-changing impact on your career, mindset and skills.

Who is O-Lab for?

O-Lab is for open to all postgraduate students at the University of Melbourne. O-Lab projects will be as varied as the industry sponsors we partner with and the innovation challenges they validate, so students from across all schools and faculties are encouraged to apply. There are no specific prerequisites for students to apply to O-Lab. However, there are a few desirable selection criteria:

  • All O-Lab Projects will require at least two students to have HCD knowledge and/or experience. If you have studied any HCD subjects or have relevant experience, please let us know when you register your interest below.

  • Most O-Lab Projects will run both during and outside University semesters. Being available 1-2 days per week during semester and 4-5 days per week outside semester will be preferable, but many projects will have some degree of flexibility.

  • All O-Lab Projects will have specific project needs that will require at least one student with a specific skillset (e.g., one project might need at least one student with strong coding and programming skills, while another project might need strong business development skills). O-Lab projects will benefit from a diverse student team, so even if you don’t meet one of the identified criteria, consider how your skills might benefit the project overall.

How it works

Step 1
Register your interest

Complete this form to register your interest in O-Lab and make sure you don’t miss out on the latest project and application updates

Step 2
Apply

Submit a formal application to an O-Lab project that suits your knowledge, skills and interest via the Careers Online portal

Step 3
Work with you team

If selected to join the project team, work with your team over 3 – 6 months to test, prototype and validate the sponsor organisation’s innovation opportunity

Step 4
Present your work

Present a final report and prototype to the sponsor organisation, O-Lab partners and fellow students

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes. If you intend to count your participation in an O-Lab Project as an internship, please let us know in your formal project application and we’ll help to make sure your internship outcomes match the project.

  • Once you have registered your interest here, you can apply for as many O-Lab Projects as you wish. Three students will be offered positions in each Project. Unfortunately, that means some applicants will also be unsuccessful. But don’t worry – if you aren’t selected for a particular Project, you can still apply for other Projects as they become available.

  • O-Lab Project are open for all postgraduate students at the University of Melbourne. This includes students in their final year of studies. Students with relevant technical skills and Human-Centred Design (HCD) experience will be highly regarded.

  • The O-Lab is based out of Melbourne Connect and has dedicated office space in the Old Engineering Building at the Parkville campus. Depending on the project and COVID-19 public health measures, you may be working in the O-Lab offices, in other University research facilities, at the sponsor organisation or from home. You can find specific details in the Project Brief attached to the individual project applications on Careers Online.

  • Yes! These are real innovation challenges that for one reason or another, organisations can’t solve on their own.

Register your interest

Do you want to stay up to date with the latest O-Lab news and be among the first to apply for O-Lab projects when they become available? Register your interest and we’ll make sure you don’t miss out.

Register your interest