Successful universities announced to deliver Startup Year courses

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This story was first published on Monday 8 January 2024. If you wish to use this content, please contact media@education.gov.au to confirm that the information is still current.

Eleven universities have been selected to participate in the Startup Year pilot.

From 2024, Charles Sturt University, Curtin University, Flinders University, La Trobe University, Queensland University of Technology, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, The University of New South Wales, The University of Queensland, University of New England, and Western Sydney University will deliver courses under the pilot.

Startup Year provides an exciting opportunity for recent graduates, postgraduate and final year undergraduate students to participate in courses to help them develop skills to achieve startup business success.

The program will be delivered through the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). Students will be able to access a STARTUP-HELP loan to support their participation in courses.

The pilot will test program design, student demand, providers’ capacity to deliver the program and give providers time to develop and accredit their accelerator courses prior to full implementation.

A Startup Year Working Group comprising of representatives from the university, business and government sectors has been established to monitor the implementation and operation of Startup Year during the pilot.

Courses will be designed to help students develop the vital skills they need as entrepreneurs: financial literacy, understanding business and markets, intellectual property management and understanding domestic and international environments.

Startups have an important role in job creation, commercialising ideas, solving social and community-based issues and strengthening links between universities and the community.

On average across OECD countries, young firms account for approximately 20 per cent of employment and create almost half of all new jobs. The Tech Council of Australia estimates new technology startups can contribute 30,000 new jobs and $7 billion in value by 2030.

Supporting startup creation and the entrepreneurial skillset will play a role in growing productivity and incomes and build a workforce with the skills and capabilities to adapt and thrive in the future labour market.

Further information about the application process will be available through the universities in 2024. To find out more, visit Startup Year.


Correct at time of publication.