Fostering entrepreneurship and innovation through a biomedical technology PhD program in Australia

The integration of entrepreneurship, innovation and biomedical engineering is a relatively unexplored field of interdisciplinary research and practice, and the aim of this study is to delineate the integration of these disciplines. This paper presents an overview of a unique research and application intervention in the form of a new Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) training program in Technology Innovation, delivered in the context of the Australian Medical Technology industry. The program is administered by the Australian Research Council Training Centre in Biodevices and Diagnostics ‘‘BioReactor’’ at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. The Swinburne BioReactor program has recently been designed to develop biomedical engineering students to become the next generation of entrepreneurs, industry-ready applied researchers and leaders in the field of biomedical devices and diagnostics. The program provides a paradigm shift from traditional PhDs to industry-oriented PhDs by integrating multi-disciplinary research, entrepreneurship education, design-led innovation training, mentorship, industry partners, collaboration and a unique and innovative stage-gate program structure. The PhD recruitment, program features and associated entrepreneurship and innovation curriculum, as well as program structure, activities and timeline over the duration of PhD study are also described. The program overall provides a contextual approach that can be adopted by other program designers and educators not only in Australia but also more broadly in other counties and locations, especially in areas of biomedical engineering.