Heathmont College students working on forensic science with overseas students at KIOSC
The program is delivered through STEM Centres to facilitate collaboration between local and offshore students. It equips them with the tools to apply practical STEM solutions to real-world problems in areas such as clean energy technology, health, digital games, waste and resource recovery. The program is supported by industry partners internationally.
The program helps students to:
The 2025 activities are aligned with the Framework of Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) 2.0 and the Victorian Curriculum F-10 Version 2.0.
This year's Global Design Challenge will be offered by four STEM Centres across the state with a focus on:
Below is an outline of the different Global Design Challenge activities offered by STEM Centres:
| Name of school | Program title | Themes | Partner country | Delivery dates | Year level | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox Innovation Opportunity and Sustainability Centre (KIOSC) | Sustainable Future: Clean Energy Solutions for a Brighter Tomorrow | Sustainable living and clean energy choices | India and Sri Lanka | Terms 2, 3 and 4 | Years 9 to 10 | Available |
| Banyule Nillumbik Tech School | Biodiverse City Inquiries | United Nations Sustainable Development Goals | Indonesia and Taiwan | Terms 2 and 3 | Years 7 to 9 | Available |
| STEM Centre of Excellence | Living Room Project | Sustainable housing and speculative design | Indonesia and China | Terms 2 and 3 | Year 9 | Available |
| Ecolinc | A plastic Ocean | Sustainability, ocean pollution | South Korea | Terms 1 and 2 | Years 5 and 6 | Fully booked |
For more information, please contact STEM Centres directly at:
In Terms 2, 3 and 4, Knox Innovation Opportunity and Sustainability Centre (KIOSC), Gippsland Tech School, Banyule Nillumbik Tech School, and Wyndham Tech School, delivered the department’s Global Design Challenge program, with support from community leaders, and international industry partners.
The program facilitated collaboration between local and offshore students by applying practical STEM solutions to a real-world problem. This year, 255 students from schools in Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Indonesia, along with 385 Victorian students.
Together, the participants worked in teams to address themes such as sustainability and waste management, forensic science, clean energy technology, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and game development.
The program not only helped students develop STEM capabilities using contemporary technologies and practices but also provided opportunities for international collaboration, empowering their voices and agency through inquiry-based projects.
To learn more about STEM Centres collaborations in the 2024 program, see:
I think this collaboration is important because in order for us to tackle a big problem, we have to be able to work together in collaboration and put our ideas together.
- Student, Karim, SMA Dwiwarna Boarding School, Indonesia
One of the most exciting aspect of this project, its giving students in both countries, Australia and Indonesia the opportunity to communicate with each other and learn from each other. Raising the awareness about biodiversity and actually attempting to improve the local communities.
- Paulo Da Silva, Head of Programs, Banyule Nillumbik Tech School
One thing which I have learned about in Australia is hydrogen cars, so I have not learned about it in India, so I felt like this was a really good learning for me. Because at the end of the day, we are all planet earth. So, it’s important for us to be friends together.
- Student, Kushi, SRM Public School, India
Our future is not one country, one state. It’s that globally how we are connected, how we solve problems together, make our future a better place for our younger kids.
- Director, Kulari, Knox Innovation Opportunity and Sustainability Centre
Working with students in Australia and Vietnam has been really interesting and rewarding for us because the projects that the students have put together have really been influenced by the diverse histories and cultures of both of those countries.
- Taylor Bushell, STEM Facilitator, Wyndham Tech School
I live in Maffra, Victoria. Normally I would have little exposure to other countries. You get to understand what their experiences are like and you can relate to them, like make decisions based off of their situations as well as your own.
- Student, Maffra Secondary College
