Applications are invited on topics related to one of the following themes: 

Theme 1: Scalable and sustainable WIL models 
This theme focuses on the development and implementation of innovative, scalable and sustainable approaches to WIL that deliver meaningful outcomes for students, institutions, industry and community partners. 

Examples include:  

• Multidisciplinary and cross-institutional sustainable WIL models  
• Promoting evidence-based, scalable and sustainable WIL practices 
• Innovations in WIL delivery and student support  
• Scalable WIL curriculum to enhance student engagement, mobility and wellbeing.  

Theme 2: Collaborating with purpose for impact 
This theme explores new directions, including the use of emerging technologies, for purposeful collaboration across industry, community and education sectors to generate tangible benefits for students, employers, communities and society. 

Examples include: 

• Community and industry engagement models with sustained outcomes  
• Strengthening workplace supervisor capability, collaboration and quality  
• Strategic partnerships for innovative, equitable and ethical WIL environments 
• Digital and regional partnerships that increase participation and reach.  

Theme 3: Mobilising students for lifelong learning and career development 
This theme focusses on designing and evaluating new approaches that enhance student mobility, lifelong learning and career development across local, national and global contexts. 

Examples include: 

• Innovative inclusive WIL pedagogies enhancing career pathways  
• Promote Indigenous knowledge, perspectives and leadership in WIL curriculum 
• Successful international or remote student WIL experiences  
• Use of AI in WIL curriculum for life-long learning and sustainability.   

Theme 4: Evaluating and enhancing WIL quality, access and inclusion 
This theme explores advancing new methods to evaluate and improve WIL quality, outcomes and design, with a focus on broadening access, inclusion and equitable participation. 

Examples include: 

• Inclusive strategies and/or practices with demonstrated student and partner impact  
• Developing and managing the risks associated with technology-enhanced authentic WIL experiences 
• Successful capability building for WIL leaders, staff and supervisors 
• Inclusive practices that support safety and wellbeing.   

Preference will be given to applications that feature interdisciplinarity (in WIL experiences) and/or are cross-institutional (e.g., involving more than one university in a research project proposal to achieve mutually beneficial goals).  

WIL Australia will prioritise studies that: 

1. articulate meaningful measurements of WIL impact  
2. are underpinned by theory and evidence 
3. advance knowledge and expertise in WIL  
4. produce theoretically informed, tangible outputs of practical use to its membership, and   
5. clearly link to the Strategic Plan 2023-2025.   

The grants are intended to: 

• build the capacity of WIL Australia members including early career researchers and higher degree research students to undertake research into WIL 
• promote and support scholarship in WIL 
• develop effective mechanisms for identifying, developing, disseminating and embedding research-based practice in WIL programs 
• leverage opportunities for collaboration in WIL research and the sharing of WIL resources. 

These research grants are valued at a maximum of $10,000 plus GST for each full Research Grant and $5,000 plus GST for Emergent/Early Career Researcher grants. The projects should be completed within a twelve-month period and successful applicants MUST present at a WIL Australia event within 24 months funding commencing. Funding will be paid at the commencement of the project on provision of an invoice from the institution. Any unspent funds must be returned to WIL Australia at the end of the project. At the conclusion of the project successful applicants will be required to complete a project report that will be published on the WIL Australia website and submit a statutory declaration detailing how funds were spent.  

The information below outlines what you need to address in your WIL Australia Research Grant application. We suggest you pre-prepare your responses in a separate Word document (and keep this on file), paying close attention to the word count requirements for each point below. Then, to apply, please complete the online application form.

For more information on the research grants, please watch this video and view the slides.

Areas that must be addressed in the application are:  

1. Whether you are applying for a full Research Grant of $10,000 or an Emergent/Early Career Researcher Grant of $5,000  
2. Title of Project  
3. Identification of the relevant theme/s to the project (see above)   
4. Brief description of project for communication to WIL Community (around 200 characters)  
5. Project Lead/s contact details and short relevant bio (100 words max). Note applications for Emerging/Early Career Research grants must be led by an Emerging/Early Career Researcher and nominate a senior mentor who will provide guidance on the project.  
6. Names of other people, institutions and organisations (if applicable) involved in the project  
7. How the project is consistent with vision, mission and aims of WIL Australia (100 words) 
8. How it will build on existing research and scholarship in work integrated learning, including previous WIL Australia projects (at least two) (recommended minimum 300 words) 
9. Aims of the project (100 words) 
10. Expected Outcomes and/or outputs 
11. Research methodology with clear rationale for chosen approach (recommended minimum 300 words).  
12. Impact and educational value of the project and significance to higher education (for example: expected impact on stakeholders, future practice and policy). Project outcomes must be transferrable to other contexts, e.g. institutions, disciplines. 
13. Dissemination plan. If projects involve creating a website, details must be provided as to how the website will be maintained, and accessible to WIL Australia members, on an ongoing basis.  
14. Overview of project phases and timeline 
15. Project budget
    1. Examples of allowable budget expenses include personnel plus on-costs (clerical support, student assistance, etc.), postage, printing, photocopying, travel for conference presentation, telephone and fax costs, and office supplies. Items must be directly related to achieving the research project.
    2. Examples of non-allowable budget expenses include salary for the applicant, indirect institutional expenses, institutional overheads, permanent equipment and capital purchases.  
16. Letter of endorsement the first named project lead’s line manager (to upload). This endorsement needs to indicate leadership and institutional support for the project, including the time and resources that will be required for the project to be completed by the due date.  

It is the responsibility of the Project Lead to:  

• arrange ethics approval  
• involve other WIL Australia members in the process, especially early career researchers, where possible  
• meet negotiated timelines and reporting requirements and deadlines 
• appropriately manage and report on the use of grant funds  
• present project findings at a WIL Australia event (face-to-face and/or online, e.g., webinar)  
• leverage dissemination opportunities to share good practice including a refereed publication  
• ensure that all resources developed through the project are accessible, universally designed and open access with a Creative Commons License  Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International  
• acknowledge the contribution of WIL Australia on all publications, resources add presentations developed through the project   
• (when available) provide details of refereed publications to the WIL Australia National Board for dissemination. 

For any queries, please contact admin@wilaustralia.edu.au