La Trobe University Transforming
data analytics
education

La Trobe University is a university located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and has other locations in Bendigo, Albury-Wodonga, Mildura, Shepparton and Sydney. It was founded in 1967 and offers the faculties of Education, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Law and Management, Natural Sciences and Engineering, and Technology.

For La Trobe University, working with organisations like Fujitsu is about creating authentic learning experiences. Students are introduced to the pace and demands of professional environments, where they develop skills that extend beyond the classroom. Fujitsu’s consultants play an integral role in this process, offering technical workshops, reviewing project drafts, and providing feedback to guide students as they refine their solutions. “For the students, it is a terrific opportunity to learn and receive feedback from people who have worked in this industry for many years,” said Petrus Usmanij, Senior Lecturer for the Master of Business Information Systems program at La Trobe University.

This hands-on approach helps students build confidence. They learn to manage projects efficiently, communicate effectively with clients, and work collaboratively in teams. “This is very important, and it’s eye-opening for them,” Mr Usmanij said.

Participating in the program allows students to step out of the academic world and into a simulated professional setting. They learn to navigate the challenges of typical data projects, such as working with incomplete data and managing client expectations. The experience equips them with a balanced set of technical and soft skills, ensuring that they are well prepared to enter the workforce. “This is a life changing opportunity for our students,” Mr Usmanij said. “They have to know what’s happening out there, on the other side of the bench, outside the university.”
The collaboration between La Trobe University and Fujitsu Data & AI exemplifies how academia and industry can work together to create transformative educational experiences. “We feel that we are achieving our intent to help the next generation of data professionals with this partnership,” Mr Smith said. “There is also the potential to identify talented graduates from the program who could work for us, which is a win-win situation for everybody."