Building skills in digital industries.

A $500 million software grant from Siemens will give University of Queensland students and researchers access to advanced technology for building their skills in digital and data driven industries.

The grant includes licences for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software platform, which digitally tracks a product’s life from its design inception through to manufacture, use, maintenance and disposal.

It will give access to advanced software used by leaders in the automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding and electronics sectors, UQ vice-chancellor, Professor Peter Høj said.

“With PLM software, a ‘product’ can be quite broadly defined, which means this software will benefit students across many disciplines and ensure UQ students were prepared for the evolving nature of the workforce.

“This partnership will equip our students with the tools that are being used to design and develop everything from Space X to the Mars Curiosity Rover, Maserati Ghibli and other world-leading innovations,” he said.

Siemens Australia chairman and CEO Jeff Connolly, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and University of Queensland vice chancellor Professor Peter Høj

Siemens Australia CEO, Jeff Connolly said Siemens had previously collaborated with UQ on projects such as medical imaging and health.

“Put simply, for Australia to take advantage of the opportunities that come with the fourth industrial revolution, we need to build a future workforce now, with the skills to participate, and that’s exactly what this grant is about. Partnerships such as this are critical to giving students exposure to digital technologies used by leading companies globally.”

The grant is part of Siemens’ commitment of more than $1 billion in advanced software grants to select universities nationally. The announcement is linked to the recommendations and work of the Industry 4.0 Advanced Manufacturing Forum, an industry led group established to support improved collaboration between Australia and Germany on preparing for industry for the fourth industrial revolution.