Applied Syndicate Project
We consult with you to define a project of strategic importance, real business value, and impact. Once confirmed, we build a student consultancy team of four to five high-performing students to deliver the project.
- The Applied Syndicate Project in the Master of Marketing Communications is a capstone subject.
- Mode of delivery: Semester-long (10 -12weeks).
- The student team presents findings to a group of key stakeholders and produces a consulting report of 4,000 words.
Features of a Suitable Project
The project should be of strategic importance to the organisation or have a significant and valued operational impact. Projects are most often based around a single question and must be achievable in the timeframe.
A suitable project:
- Is capable of being completed within a semester (10 -12 weeks) time frame by a team of four to five student consultants.
- Addresses an open-ended question for which various approaches can be applied and recommendations made.
- Is not predominately an interview or survey (i.e. data gathering or research exercise) but also requires synthesis and analysis of data as the basis for recommendations.
- Must primarily require the application of Marketing or related business disciplines. If knowledge and understanding of non-business disciplines is required, it is anticipated that advisory assistance will be available from within the host organisation.
- You can find the project proposal form here, please complete and return it to fbe-industryprograms@unimelb.edu.au for it to be considered for this program. Please note completion of this form does not guarantee admission into the program, it must first go through a short approval process and meet academic requirements.
Engaging with the Student Team and Academic Supervision
Your student team will meet and consult with you on weekly basis.
- Currently, meetings between our industry partners and student teams are taking place online and in person.
- Please also be available to answer questions via email or ad hoc meetings as they arise during the course of the project.
- The team of students will be supported by an Academic Supervisor who will broadly finalise the project expectations and scope with you prior to handing over the project to students. They will also monitor progress and support the students over the semester.
Please Note
- You will need to allocate a Project Supervisor from within your organisation as a point of contact for students and to consult with them on the project.
- We require two key contacts from your organisation to the students.
- Students are covered by the University of Melbourne’s Insurance Policy for the duration of the project.
Timeline: Semester 1, 2023
| Phase 1: Getting Ready | |
|---|---|
| August 2022 – February 2023 | Step 1 (August - November 2022): Submit your project proposal. Places do fill fast, we recommend submitting your proposal as soon as possible |
| Step 2 (October 2022 - February 2023): Refine project scope with Academic Supervisor and/or Partnerships Team member | |
| Step 3 (February 2023) Agree times for students to meet with key stakeholders each week | |
| Step 4 (February 2023): Sign and return the Industry project agreement | |
| Phase 2: Student Consulting & Presentations | |
| The Project 6 March - 28 May 2023 | Step 5 (week 2 & 3 of the semester): Student team reaches out to confirm meeting times, introduce themselves and start scoping the project via email |
| Step 6 (week 3 of the semester): Student team and partner organisations first meeting. Please introduce key stakeholders, agree on preferred communication methods and discuss the project in detail | |
| Step 7 (week 3 to week 11 of the semester): Students in consultation with partner organisation each week, conducting research analysis and investigation. In weeks 4, 6, 8 and 10 student teams will prepare project milestone documents (called "progress notes") for submission to their Academic supervisor. Students will seek your help and support in preparing these. | |
| Step 8 (week 12 of the semester): Students to present findings to key stakeholders in the last weeks of the semester | |
| Phase 3: Wrap up | |
| Early June 2022 | Step 9: You will receive the final project report and recommendations |
| Step 10: Provide feedback via online survey | |
Timeline: Semester 2, 2023
| Phase 1: Getting Ready | |
|---|---|
| March - June 2023 | Step 1 (March - June 2023): Submit your project proposal. Places do fill fast, we recommend submitting your proposal as soon as possible |
| Step 2 (Mid June - early July 2023): Refine project scope with Academic Supervisor and/or Partnerships Team member | |
| Step 3 (June 2023): Agree times for students to meet with key stakeholders each week | |
| Step 4 (June 2023): Sign and return the Industry project agreement | |
| Phase 2: Student Consulting & Presentations | |
| The Project 31 July - 20 October 2023 | Step 5 (week 2 & 3 of the semester): Student team reaches out to confirm meeting times, introduce themselves and start scoping the project via email |
| Step 6 (week 3 of the semester): Student team and partner organisations first meeting. Please introduce key stakeholders, agree on preferred communication methods and discuss the project in detail | |
| Step 7 (week 3 to week 11 of the semester): Students in consultation with partner organisation each week, conducting research analysis and investigation. In weeks 4, 6, 8 and 10 student teams will prepare project milestone documents (called "progress notes") for submission to their Academic supervisor. Students will seek your help and support in preparing these. | |
| Step 8 (week 12 of the semester): Students to present findings to key stakeholders in the last weeks of the semester | |
| Phase 3: Wrap up | |
| Early November 2023 | Step 9: You will receive the final project report and recommendations |
| Step 10: Provide feedback via online survey | |