UniSA receives largest ever software grant in Australia

On Wednesday, Siemens announced a more than $450 million of in-kind commercial value advanced industrial product lifecycle management (PLM) software grant to the University of South Australia (UniSA). This is the largest software grant in Australia.

The announcement was made by Siemens Australia Chairman and CEO Jeff Connolly at the UniSA’s Museum of Discovery (MOD) in Adelaide, and supported by Premier Steven Marshall, Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne and Professor David Lloyd, Vice Chancellor and President, the University of South Australia.

“I’m delighted to be here today announcing the grant of Siemens’ PLM advanced industrial software with in-kind commercial value of more than $450 million to the University of South Australia,” said Connolly. “It demonstrates the great partnership we have with the state of South Australia, which began in 1872, and our commitment to partnering with great educational institutions to building the workforce of the future.

“I can’t think of a better place to be making this announcement. The University of South Australia’s MOD is Australia’s leading future-focused museum, provoking new ideas at the intersection of science, art and innovation — a perfect place for such an announcement.”

The grant is part of Siemens’ commitment of over $1 billion in advanced PLM software grants to select universities nationally and will enable students and the university to develop the skills needed to successfully participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0).

The announcement is linked to the recommendations and work of the Prime Minister’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce — an industry-led group established to support improved bilateral relations between Australia and Germany.

Today’s announcement follows last year’s grant to Swinburne University of Technology’s ‘Factory of the Future’ — the first of the universities to benefit from close industrial partnerships.

University of South Australia Vice Chancellor Professor David Lloyd said the partnership with engineering giant Siemens Australia will provide extraordinary opportunities for UniSA students and for local industry in the state.

“It’s exciting to think that our students will soon have access to the same software used to design and develop everything from Space X, the Mars Curiosity Rover, Maserati Ghibli and other world-leading innovations such as the digital shipyard for Newport News (US) where aircraft carriers are built,” said Professor Lloyd.

“Not only will it allow us to give our students experience of an Industry 4.0 environment, it will also deliver huge benefits for manufacturing research at UniSA and for the industry partners we work with every day to support innovation and enterprise. Across space, mining, environment, defence and biomedical technology — it will allow us to model and prototype new ideas and give our students experience of advanced technology in the production of things, systems and processes.

“The Siemens’ investment is farsighted, and we are delighted to be working with them to deliver graduates with the skills and knowledge to shape and transform industry in the future.”

Connolly reflected on the historical connection with South Australia saying, “For over 145 years, since 1872 when we commissioned the then technological breakthrough of the Adelaide to Darwin telegraph line, Siemens has been using innovative technology to continuously push boundaries and transform the very fabric of Australia. It is a proud moment for me to stand in the state where we started from in Australia over 145 years ago to announce the advanced industrial software grant that will help South Australia and Australia prepare for future growth underpinned by digital technology.

“As the world changes rapidly through digitalisation, we need to ensure that our future workforce is equipped with the right digital tools to speak the same global digital language so we can not only participate in, but lead global supply chains. The software included in the UniSA grant will help build on the state’s current shipbuilding, defence and manufacturing capabilities and progress it to meet Industry 4.0 standards.”

The Siemens PLM Software grant provides a suite of advanced PLM software and helps ensure UniSA will have access to the same advanced software, processes and best practices that are used to develop some of the most sophisticated global products and systems in industries including automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding and high-tech electronics. The suite includes tools such as the Teamcenter portfolio for engineering collaboration, NX software for 3D design, the Simcenter portfolio for predictive engineering simulation and analytics, and the Tecnomatix portfolio, which includes digital avatars.