Cisco and 10 Australian Universities Sign Participation Charter to
Accelerate the Pace of Digitisation and Adoption of AI Through the
National Industry Innovation Network

One of Australia’s largest industry-led innovation networks formalised with 10 Australian universities.

Formed to directly address digital innovation skills and bridging the R&D-to-impact gap.

Attached to $550M of project funding, 350+ industry projects completed and 3,000+ students engaged in industry-led innovation.

Cisco and 10 of the nation’s leading universities have signed a participation charter to formalise their commitment to the National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN). This agreement solidifies a shared vision to accelerate digital transformation, foster innovation, and align research capabilities addressing Australia’s national priorities, ensuring a sustainable and competitive economic future.

The NIIN was established to help Australian industry accelerate the pace of digital transformation and adoption of new technologies. Cisco’s latest AI Readiness Index underscores the need for urgent action highlighting Australia’s relatively slow adoption AI – where only 4% of Australian businesses are fully ready to capture AI’s potential compared to 13% globally. This is compounded by Australia’s low rankings compared to other OECD nations in relation to industry-research collaboration

The NIIN was created to de-risk the adoption of emerging technologies and position Australia as a global innovation leader in an increasingly digital world. Cisco is a global leader in large scale R&D spending $7.5B annually.

Driving Australia’s Digital Future
Australia is globally recognised for its world-class research capabilities, yet rapidly translating this research into practical, economic outcomes remains a challenge. The NIIN bridges this gap by focusing on Innovation and Development (I&D)rather than traditional R&D only, ensuring ideas translate into commercially viable industry applications. It achieves this by:

Accelerating Digital Adoption: De-risking the integration of advanced technologies such as cybersecurity, AI, quantum computing, IoT, and secure networking by providing test-bed environments for safe trial and refinement.

Developing Skills and Talent: Building critical workforce capabilities through initiatives like the Cisco Networking Academy, addressing skills shortages and preparing for future jobs.

Supporting National Priorities: Aligning efforts with key sectors, including healthcare, renewables, defence, and advanced manufacturing, to enhance Australia’s sovereign capability and economic security.

Fostering Industry Collaboration: Creating practical, real-world partnerships between universities and industry through a “low-barrier, high-trust” framework, overcoming traditional barriers to collaboration.

Leveraging Global Expertise: Connecting Australian industries with global best practices and innovation through Cisco’s international network and the NIIN Industry Alumni Program, which embeds experienced industry leaders in universities to act as translators and mentors.

Achievements and Future Initiatives
Since its inception, the NIIN has grown from 3 to 10 university partners, becoming one of Australia’s largest industry-university co-innovation network and delivering tangible results:

$550 million in funding attached to projects (government and co-investment).

More than 350 industry projects completed, directly addressing industry-defined problems.

Over 3,000 students engaged in, industry-led innovation projects, building practical, market-ready skills.

190+ industry events and 1,500+ client engagements, fostering widespread collaboration.

The NIIN’s success is built upon its core elements, including a national network of Innovation Centrals and Specialist Centres co-located on university campuses, dedicated Cyber & Health Alliances, and targeted Skills & Talent Development programs.

Looking ahead, the NIIN is poised to tackle large-scale, nationally significant initiatives in critical technology domains. This includes expanding into AI adoption, quantum networking, renewable energy, semiconductor supply chain, digital resilience and cybersecurity. Additionally, the network is expanding its reach into the Asia–Pacific region, further cementing Australia’s leadership in the global digital economy.

Leadership and Governance
Professor John Dewar AO, former Vice-Chancellor, has been appointed Chair of the NIIN. He will lead alongside Vice-Chancellors Deb Terry, Harlene Hayne, and Alec Cameron, as well as Cisco Senior Vice President Ben Dawson and Cisco Director Reg Johnson, to ensure the network’s success and scalability.

Ben Dawson, Senior Vice President at Cisco for Australia and New Zealand, highlighted the significance of the initiative:
“The National Industry Innovation Network demonstrates what’s possible when industry and academia come together to solve real-world challenges. Our proven model has already attracted over half a billion dollars in project related funding and delivered hundreds of impactful projects. This partnership is about positioning Australia as a global leader in digital transformation, ensuring we have the skills, technology, and innovation needed to secure our economic future.”

Professor John Dewar AO, NIIN Chair, added: “The National Industry Innovation Network is a game-changer for Australia. It’s not just about innovation – it’s about embedding a system that ensures collaboration, skills development, and technology adoption become the norm, not the exception. We are building a comprehensive response to Australia’s economic future, ensuring investment in future skills, talent, research, and innovation. I’m excited to help lead this important initiative.”

The signing of the participation charter marks a pivotal step in embedding digital transformation as a cornerstone of Australia’s economic and societal progress. The NIIN invites industries, SMEs, and key stakeholders to join this groundbreaking collaboration to create a future-ready Australia.

About the NIIN

The National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN), established by Cisco in 2020, is one of Australia’s largest and most inclusive industry-university collaboration platform. It is dedicated to solving national challenges, driving technology adoption, and fostering workforce readiness to position Australia as a global leader in innovation.

NIIN university partners who have signed the participation charter

Curtin University

Flinders University

RMIT University

LaTrobe University

Queensland University of Technology

University of Canberra

University of Adelaide

University of Sunshine Coast

University of Queensland

University of Technology Sydney

Names in the photo, from left to right –Professor Margaret Sheil, AO, Vice-Chancellor and President Queensland University of Technology (QUT); Reg Johnson. Director Education and Strategic Industries and Founder, National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN), Cisco Australia & New Zealand; Ben Dawson, Senior Vice President Cisco Australia & New Zealand; Terry Weber, Regional Manager Queensland Cisco Australia & New Zealand; Professor John Dewar, AO, Chair, National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN)