About us
How we work
The UNSW Innovation Hub is a problem-solving, project-based initiative that specialises in curating and facilitating project teams focussed on creating meaningful societal impact at scale and at pace. We specialise in design-led processes and methodologies, supporting teams in all areas from project definition and scoping processes, through ideation, prototyping, testing, and implementation. Our mission is to design and establish new ways for universities to work with community, government, and industry partners that foreground collective creativity and productivity, to magnify our societal impact.
Too often pressure is placed on individuals and teams to produce ‘innovative outcomes,’ without consideration for creating the conditions under which innovative thinking can thrive. Our way of working is different. We believe that when you focus on designing the team and designing the process in response to a carefully defined problem space, that unique innovation naturally follows.
Design the Team
We work by curating and convening university-wide, diverse, and inclusive interdisciplinary teams. These teams not only represent multiple fields of academic expertise coming together, but also the converging of diverse professional skill, and lived experience. Our team members are academic staff, professional staff and students working in collaborative ecosystems that are designed to break down unnecessary and unproductive hierarchies.
Our teams can expand, contract, and change in response to the project needs at any given time, and we scaffold and facilitate the necessary operational processes that go hand in hand with project work, so that teams can concentrate on innovative interdisciplinary thinking.
Design the Process
Interdisciplinary thinking sparks unique outcomes, especially when driven by design-led methodologies. In the Innovation Hub we coach our teams through a design-led process utilising design methods for problem definition, research, ideation, rapid prototyping, testing, and implementation. We know that the development of a project is never linear, and so we design and redesign the project process with teams in iterative cycles until a solution emerges. We don't just solve problems in isolation however, the ultimate goal of the teams we work with is knowledge translation and implementation with external collaborators.
As the Innovation Hub scales to become a university-wide initiative, our team of staff bring expertise in design strategy, project management, administrative practices, visual design, communications, and marketing. We are uniquely equipped to coach and support project teams to achieve meaningful, real-world outcomes when working within the systems and structures of a large university.
Testimonials
Having participated in a Creative Conversations event, I was deeply impressed by the collaborative spaces created for sharing ideas and views, bringing together industry, academics, and communities. The engagement and problem-solving models that the Innovation Hub is experimenting with provide a template for the broader university to consider interdisciplinary work as ongoing three-way conversations between multiple disciplines and external partners.
Professor Frederik Anseel
Dean, UNSW Business School
The Committee for Sydney was delighted to partner with the Innovation Hub – we recognise the key challenges facing the world today are complex, and require multi-disciplinary approaches to solving them. The methods and methodologies of the Innovation Hub are well suited to grappling with how (and what, who, when and why) big challenges can be solved.
Eamon Waterford
CEO, Committee for Sydney
The Innovation Hub worked with SESLHD People and Culture staff to bring creativity to the way we support the wellbeing of our staff. The highlight of our collaboration was a Festival of Care. Arts-based wellbeing therapies are often used for patient care, however the Festival of Care explored ways to introduce and embed arts-based care within hospitals to enhance the psychosocial wellbeing of staff.
Tobi Wilson
Chief Executive, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
The Innovation Hub showcase was the absolute exemplar of all good things universities strive to achieve. There was an almost visible spark of energy in the room between researchers, creators and industry partners, striving in partnership and purpose to solve big world issues.
Alison Avery
Executive Director, Partnerships and Engagement, UNSW Division of Societal Impact, Equity and Engagement
It’s been a real privilege to partner with an organisation so passionate about creativity and growing creative talent. The events have been insightful, exciting, and incredibly well managed. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to engage with alumni, students and practicing creatives at all levels at these events.
Vince Frost
Founder, CEO & Creative Director of Frost*collective
I highly valued our partnership with the Innovation Hub on the 2023 Circular Economy Design Sprint. The Innovation Hub team were proactive in co-designing the event to welcome Science students and foster interdisciplinary connections.
Professor Sven Rogge
Dean, Faculty of Science
I've been inspired by the collaborative approach the Hub takes when solving problems, capturing opportunities and implementing change. The Hub encourages us to pivot and think differently and whilst their vision is ambitious, this is exactly what's needed to create and deliver outcomes that we can all benefit from.
Peter Elliott
Learning & Change Consultant
Meet the team
From left to right, we are:
Rogaya Alkaff - Administrative Officer
Carly Vickers - Director
Michaela Turner - Operations Manager
Project Manager - joining in 2025
Design & Communications Specialist - joining in 2025
Design Strategist - joining in 2025
Design Strategist - joining in 2025
Contact us
