The Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD) will become the home to a new $10.77 million education hub focused on growing skills and start-ups across the medtech industry.
The new Victorian Medtech Skills and Devices Hub will bring together businesses, universities and other education providers to develop training courses, degrees and internships in medical technology.
The Hub was officially launched by the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Ben Carroll, and is backed by the Victorian Government’s Australian Medtech Manufacturing Centre that is providing up to $5.75 million towards the initiative.
“Victoria’s medtech sector is a significant player in a booming global market – this Australian-first hub will boost local production, attract investment to Victoria and train the innovative staff the sector needs for its strong future,” Minister Carroll said.
Image from Ben Carroll MP’s Facebook page.
The Hub will be embedded in the new ACMD building that is currently under construction on the corner of Victoria and Nicholson Streets in Fitzroy. It will be delivered by a consortium led by the University of Melbourne. The consortium includes the ACMD, Swinburne University of Technology and RMIT University.
“The Hub is an important initiative to address skills gaps by further developing working professionals and student knowledge and capabilities in medtech manufacturing. The training and courses that it will provide perfectly complement and support research and activities based on real-life health needs that are being undertaken by the ACMD and our partners,” said Dr Erol Harvey, ACMD CEO.
The Hub will help position Victoria as a leader in medtech manufacturing capability and support local companies to develop and create medtech products onshore, as well as expand exports to a booming global market.
It will boost Victoria’s competitive strength at a global level and provide a growing source of industry-ready employees through the training offered as part of the Hub’s ACMD Academy program that will address skills gaps currently restricting business and sector growth.
Another key operating program being offered through the Hub is ACMD Navigator – a centralised medical device engagement office for Victoria that aims to identify skills gaps, support industry-aligned course design, advise students and facilitate ongoing engagement between education providers and industry. This program will also help emerging companies navigate the various challenges in commercial development.
Professor Andrea O’Connor and Dr Erol Harvey.
Professor Andrea O’Connor, Hub Co-Director and ACMD Shanahan Chair in Frontier Medical Solutions, said the Hub will benefit from its co-location at the ACMD that brings together researchers, clinicians, engineers, students and industry to work collaboratively on projects to improve patient outcomes.
“It will be enormously exciting to see innovations nurtured through to commercial production, to benefit the public, new ventures and Australia’s medtech industry,” Professor Andrea O’Connor said.
