How can you integrate the Sia Furler Institute into your studies?
With world-leading research and state-of-the-art facilities, students are nurtured in optimal conditions that lead to national and global opportunities. Students from the Faculty of Arts and Sia Furler Institute are supported on their journey to a successful future in contemporary music and media.
Opportunities
The dynamic Australian music industry is the sixth largest market in the world for overall revenues. We can do more, but we need innovative approaches to ensure our local artists are valued and can maintain viable employment as performers, musicians, producers, managers, sound engineers, and technologists (or: employment in this creative industry).
We guide students through practical, entrepreneurial and innovative learning experiences in collaboration with the Elder Conservatorium of Music and the Department of Media. We aim to prepare students with the necessary skills for understanding all forms of music and media in the digital age, and deliver opportunities for disruption and innovation by developing commercially viable ideas.

The Spine
The Spine prepares students for the unfolding of the digital world using critical thinking, innovation, creativity, teamwork, self-awareness and collaboration on projects in a cross-functional environment.
The learning program progresses through three levels to encourage students to apply their disciplinary knowledge and academic skills to problems that are gradually more complex, multi-disciplinary, and grounded in contemporary social and economic issues. Students can elect to take The Enquiring Mind or Complex Problem Solving as electives as part of their degree.
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Level 1: The Enquiring Mind
- Builds fundamental skills in critical thinking, research, communication, principles of knowledge, uncertainty and creativity.
- Challenges students to consider their own skills, ways of thinking, and working in a diverse team.
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Level 2: Complex Problem Solving
- Introduces methodologies, numeracy, critical thinking and digital literacy skills.
- Develops team work, problem solving, hands-on experience, oral and writing skills in media formats.
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Level 3: Enriched Interdisciplinary Experiences
- Supports inter-disciplinary activities and cooperation across disciplines and faculties.
- Encourages students to complement their disciplinary specialisation with a complementary skill set. The first example is High Note, The Australian eChallenge, which encourages musicians to explore innovation and entrepreneurship.
The eChallenge High Note
The Australian eChallenge High Note has been designed to foster, cultivate and drive innovation within the Australian music industry. Participants pitch their opportunities to panels of potential investors from the local business community who may award funding of $10,000. The program exposes participants to entrepreneurial leadership, strategy development and the world of commercialisation through an intensive teaching and learning environment.

Program benefits:
- Development of new ventures.
- Creation of new products, services, or processes.
- Discovery of innovative ways to engage with existing, emerging, and new markets nationally and overseas.
- Building of skills that increase entrepreneurial capacity within a business.
- Gaining credit towards a degree with the University of Adelaide.
Let us help you!
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