Murdoch University in Western Australia has set up a Digital Futures Academy with Cisco as the foundation partner, and a focus on IoT.
Murdoch University Provost Romy Lawson said the academy would offer ‘micro-credentials’ and short courses that will provide industry-relevant learning experiences and certification, initially on IoT.
“Students will be given the opportunity to learn through real world experiences. They will have the opportunity to explore how technology impacts across multiple disciplines, from law technology to business analytics, Fintech to bioinformatics, from gaming to computational and systems medicine,” he said.
“Working with our foundation partner, Cisco, initial courses will give students first-hand experience in the Internet of things, followed by offerings in automation, artificial intelligence, robotics and blockchain technologies.
Free architecture of IoT course
Its first offering is free online short course, Architecture of the IoT from the Cisco Networking Academy billed as “a self-paced course consist[ing] of six modules … designed as an introductory IoT course to help explore your interests in the field and find out which areas most interest you.”
Murdoch University chief operating officer Darren McKee said the partnership would extend beyond learning. “Murdoch University and Cisco will work hand-in-hand to develop new digitally-enabled infrastructure projects within Western Australia. We are committed to building sustainable Smart Cities and being a university of the future.
“Partnering with Cisco will allow us to integrate the Murdoch experience with the digital infrastructure and education needed to ensure Australia’s digital future.”
Global learning hub aspirations
According to its website the academy will be a platform to position Perth as a global learning hub for digital futures.
“The Digital Futures Academy’s focus in the delivery of innovative and industry-led courses to train the technologists of the future … [bringing] the best of academia and industry together to offer teaching and learning in the digital world, including the utilisation of evolving technologies to provide solutions to complex societal and industrial problems.”
• Western Australia was the site of one Cisco’s first forays into IoT in Australia. In 2015 it set up what was then called an Internet of Everything Innovation Centre at Curtin University.
