Project submissions are now open for Semester 2 2026. Submissions will close Friday 12 June 2026 at 5pm (or until spots are filled).
There are 2 teaching sessions a year, with project submission deadlines a couple of months before the session begins:
Autumn session (April to June 2026) – Deadline to submit for this session has closed.
Spring session (August to November 2026) – Deadline to submit for this session is 12 June .
Keep up to date with Shopfront project callouts, professional development opportunities and network events with our newsletter.
Sign up to the Shopfront newsletter
Project types we're looking for in Session 2, 2026
We are currently seeking project proposals from community organisations for the following project types:
Design, branding and digital assets
Marketing, communications, storytelling, social media
Organisational change and strategic planning
Complex social issue research and proposals with an engineering lens, (First Nations organisations preferred)
Research reports (including policy, literature reviews and program evaluation)
Customer or market research
Survey design, data analysis, evaluation and evidence-based communications, informed by human behaviour
Sustainability projects requiring program evaluation or hands-on support
Software solutions, engineering and product development (including the creation of minimum viable products and prototypes)
More detailed information about each project type is below.
Design, branding and visual assets
Examples include:
design strategy, service design – communicating service journeys
video/motion graphics
illustration
brand identity
design of apps, games, exhibitions
visual assets and collateral (new logo, posters, flyers, social media templates)
websites
campaigns
presentation, annual Reports
publication.
Research reports
Examples include:
broad sector research or organisation specific research
pilot studies
policy submissions
literature reviews or evaluations
discussion papers or advocacy materials
program or conference evaluation
data collection and data analysis.
Surveys, research, communications, data projects informed by human behaviour
Examples include:
design, delivery and analysis of stakeholder surveys
research reports into scientific literature to support funding applications, program design etc.
review and improve communication materials to increase clarity, accessibility, and engagement for diverse audiences
analysis and cleaning of data with insights from a variety of written, transcription, or online sources
exploration of possibilities with AI integration into workflows and produce summaries with safeguards with experimentation and testing.
Organisational change projects
Organisational can include shifts in work processes, partnerships, market positioning, technology, or funding models, or the nature of an organisation’s social impact.
Master of Business Administration student teams will co-design change initiatives with community organisations or social enterprises looking to implement new changes or to review and assess changes already in place.
Students with multi-disciplinary skills (e.g., finance/accounting/management/economics) will deliver a strategic report including:
recommendations and analysis focused on improving organisational effectiveness
identified challenges and opportunities
stakeholder impact analysis.
Complex social issue research and proposals
Suitable for community organisations looking for multiple, practical solutions to a complex social issue and/or research and detailed design proposals to use as a springboard. Projects from First Nations organisations are especially encouraged, with students asked to consider First Nations perspectives on sustainability where relevant.
Projects may focus on areas such as:
water management
waste management
logistics
supply chains
renewable energy
circular economy initiatives.
Examples of project outputs include:
practical, research-based ideas and proposals
an engineering approach incorporated into proposed solutions
developed concepts that can help inform future planning, decision-making or implementation.
Creative and innovative marketing
Example of projects include:
integrated marketing communications
promotional campaigns
creative asset development
customer-focused storytelling across multiple platforms.
Students will produce a final marketing report that will include:
implementable campaigns
timelines and resourcing requirements based on research conducted
consumer personas
customer journey maps
responsible use of GenAI for messaging, images and videos for promotional campaigns.
Customer market analysis reports
Students produce a marketing plan that can include:
new target market recommendations
competitor analysis
marketing activities
budgeting for marketing activities
promotional strategies.
Organisational strategies and plans
Examples of strategies and plan types include:
membership engagement
community partnership
stakeholder engagement
volunteer management and program planning
fundraising strategy analysis
program audits
social media
digital storytelling
community consultation.
Design project for a Minimum Viable Product:
Students developed a product at an advanced simulation level to be able to test their viability with users. Examples of possible products include:
a website
a service kiosk
an assisting agent
an app.
Software projects
Project examples include:
prototypes or 'proof of concepts' e.g. chatbot model
open-source software solutions
UX (User experience) and accessibility design recommendations
Research into the viability of software ideas.
Mechanical or mechatronic design projects
a physical robotic or mechanical prototype
developing automotive systems or manufacturing
researching potential solutions e.g. feasibility study, scoping report.
Sustainability internships
Organisations working on environmental or social sustainability challenges will collaborate with students from the Bachelor of Sustainability and Environment.
Examples of projects students could support or lead include:
conducting research
literature reviews
report writing
program evaluations
organising campaigns or events
data analysis
community engagement initiatives providing evidence-based insights and practical recommendations to strengthen your programs, campaigns, or impact strategies.
If you have questions, are not sure if a project is quite right, or would like to discuss how we can help you, please reach out to us at shopfront@uts.edu.au.
What do we need from you?
Your organisation must nominate a key contact to collaborate with the student/s. This key contact must have capacity to dedicate maximum 2 hours per week of their time and be able to visit UTS campus.
The project inquiry should provide enough information to work out if the project is suitable for Shopfront community coursework. This is based on a few factors including timeframe, availability of expertise, and student availability.
This form is a proposal only. More information will be gathered and we may discuss details further with your before the project is accepted into UTS coursework and students are assigned.
Please contact us at Shopfront@uts.edu.au if you have any questions about filling in the form or would like to discuss your project idea.
What's next?
After you submit a project inquiry, the Shopfront team will assess your project for suitability. If it looks suitable, and we have availability in our coursework to accommodate it, a member of our team will be in touch with you shortly after the submission deadline to let you know and gather more information.
You will be asked to fill out a project brief with more detail about your objectives, and we may organise a meeting to clarify your needs.
Once the teaching session begins, a student or team of students will be assigned to your project and we will arrange a meeting between them and your organisation's key contact.
Shopfront exists to serve the community and create positive impact, by connecting real-world outcomes to our UTS students' degree.
If you have questions, are not sure if a project is quite right, or would like to discuss how we can help you, please reach out to us at Shopfront@uts.edu.au.