Department of Engineering partnerships

The Department of Engineering partners with a diverse range of Australian and international organisations.

Together, we are making new discoveries and innovations, training the next generation of engineers and commercialising our research outcomes.

Australian partnerships

The Department of Engineering collaborates with many Australian organisations on research projects and work placements. We have the largest regional footprint of any Victorian engineering department, spanning La Trobe University's campuses in Bendigo, Mildura, Shepparton and Albury-Wodonga.

Most of our industry-based research and placements are with regional organisations. We also serve our Melbourne-based partners at La Trobe’s Bundoora and CBD campuses.

Our key partners include:

Sited in Bendigo, Ceramic Oxide Fabricators Australia manufactures and exports alumina and zirconia based ceramic products.

The company is a world leader in the manufacture of high temperature oxygen sensors, used in science and industry, and supplies ceramics to many of the world's most prestigious scientific institutions.

Ceramic Oxide Fabricators Australia and La Trobe have partnered since 2017, as part of a joint research program, offering technically exciting placements to Work Integrated Learning students and industry-integrated PhD opportunities.

This Australian owned engineering consultancy company works with major organisations in the water industry including Melbourne Water, South East Water and Yarra Valley Water.

Since 2013, we have partnered with CMP Consulting Group on several joint projects, academic subjects, scholarships, Work Integrated Learning and publications.

We are CMP Consulting Group’s key research partner.

Intelligent Water Networks is a collaboration of 15 Victorian water corporations and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, in partnership with VicWater.

Intelligent Water Networks test and trial new innovative technology that drives business efficiencies and improved customer outcomes.

This collaboration of key innovators across the Victorian water industry aims to solve problems and share knowledge.

Since 2016, we have partnered with Intelligent Water Networks to develop two innovative robotic condition assessment tools, and place Work Integrated Learning students into water authority placements.

International partnerships

Our international partnerships support academic collaboration and the global mobility of students and staff through study abroad, short-term programs, student exchange and international placements.

Our key partners include:

We supplied a fully working radar to the British Antarctic Survey in the Falkland Islands and work closely with them on radar upgrades and servicing.

The collaboration spans several decades, including the deployment of their first SuperDARN class OTHR radars in 1988 and 1999.

The SuperDARN community operate their research radars in a common mode with shared data sets, enabling collaborative studies combining the observations of many radars.

These observations contribute to global data products as well as original research collaborations.

Starting from 2016, we have established a partnership with Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering (IESE). Through this partnership, we have successfully delivered projects with local companies, with a specific focus on driving digital transformation and implementing advanced manufacturing processes. Additionally, we have collaborated with Fraunhofer IESE and the Australian National University to jointly develop and execute the Triggering Innovation Leadership Transformation i5.0+ (TILT i5.0+) program. This program is designed to enhance innovation practices in the industry through an action learning approach, while also promoting stronger engagement between university and industry.

Furthermore, Fraunhofer IESE has offered research internships to our final year students in Germany, fostering valuable experiential learning opportunities. Moreover, our academic staff actively engage in collaborative research initiatives with Fraunhofer IESE.

In 2015, the DLR identified our world-leading capability in high-speed electronics using field-programmable gate array systems.

Our researchers subsequently worked on the DLR Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer Hyperspectral Instrument now installed on the International Space Station.

The DLR has since established a research program with us, focusing on next-generation space instrumentation technologies including on-board electronics, hardware and software, and advanced 3D additive materials.

This franchise operator of the electrified suburban passenger service and has been in partnership with us for several years.

Metro participates in our successful Work Integrated Learning program, exposing students to projects that make them work ready as a part of their final year.

We are proud of our ongoing collaboration with NIRAS in Australia.

Founded in 1956, NIRAS is a value-driven, multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy committed to sustainable progress and service delivery.

NIRAS have been an important partner for our Work Integrated Learning program since its inception, helping students to excel and prosper in industrial engineering.