Web-based Industry Partner Portals to University Workplace Learning Programs: Implementation and Design Issues

Abstract

With increasing emphasis from universities on workplace learning programs in which students undertake industry placements as part of their degrees, there is a need for disciplines without a tradition of workplace learning to engage with potential industry partners. A key way to address this need is for universities to design web-based portals through which industry partners can engage with these programs. To build industry-university partnerships successfully, industry portals must: be easy for industry partners to find online, and facilitate efficient communication between industry partners and university workplace learning staff and students. Integration with university web systems and governance frameworks can lead to delays in the launch of a web-based industry partner portal. This paper focuses on the early stages of the design and implementation of Queensland University of Technology’s Creative Industries Industry Portal as a case study of a new development in web-based university-industry engagement.