Introduction
The International Specialised Skills Institute, commonly known as the ISS Institute, is an independent Australian nonprofit organisation that funds international applied-research fellowships.
Based in Melbourne, the Institute enables Australians to travel overseas, study international best practices and acquire specialised knowledge that may not be readily available in Australia. Fellows return with practical insights that can strengthen vocational education, traditional trades, emerging technologies, environmental sustainability, cultural heritage and industry innovation.
Its guiding message is: “Passionate people. Great ideas. A better skilled Australia.”
History and Background
The International Specialised Skills Institute was founded in 1991 by Sir James Gobbo AC CVO and a group of supporters concerned about the preservation and development of specialised skills in Australia.
The Institute was created in response to skills gaps that could not always be addressed through conventional education or workplace training. Its fellowship model allowed experienced practitioners to learn directly from international experts, businesses, educators and master craftspeople.
Since its establishment, the Institute has expanded from a Victorian initiative into a national organisation supporting fellows across numerous industries.
Its research has covered areas such as:
- Vocational education and training.
- Traditional and endangered trades.
- Artisan skills and craftsmanship.
- Conservation and cultural heritage.
- Clean energy and environmental sustainability.
- Manufacturing and technology.
- Health and community services.
- Agriculture and food production.
- Digital education and artificial intelligence.
- Inclusive employment and workforce development.
Mission and Purpose
The ISS Institute’s purpose is to create a better-skilled Australia by supporting people who can identify a skills gap, investigate international solutions and apply their findings locally.
Its principal objectives are to:
- Address specialised skills shortages.
- Preserve traditional and endangered trades.
- Introduce international best practices to Australia.
- Strengthen vocational education and training.
- Encourage industry innovation.
- Develop workforce capability.
- Support environmental and social sustainability.
- Build international professional networks.
- Share knowledge across industries and communities.
Fellows are expected to produce practical benefits beyond their individual professional development. They share their findings through reports, workshops, conferences, training, educational resources and industry engagement.
Governance and Structure
The International Specialised Skills Institute is an Australian registered charity with Deductible Gift Recipient status.
Its registered details include:
- ABN: 22 165 043 213.
- Head office: Carlton, Victoria.
- Charity regulator: Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
The Institute is governed by a Board that provides strategic, financial and organisational oversight. Dr Bill Petreski was welcomed as Chair of the ISS Institute in 2026.
The organisation’s operations are led by Chief Executive Officer Dr Katrina Jojkity, supported by staff responsible for fellowship management, partnerships, communications, research and administration.
Governance responsibilities include:
- Ensuring compliance with Australian charity law.
- Approving strategic priorities.
- Monitoring finances and organisational risk.
- Maintaining fellowship integrity.
- Supporting partnerships with governments and foundations.
- Reviewing organisational performance.
Funding and Fellowships
The ISS Institute receives funding from government agencies, philanthropic foundations, trusts, corporate sponsors and charitable donors.
Rather than providing unrestricted organisational grants, it primarily awards fellowships to individuals undertaking international applied research.
Fellowship funding may cover:
- International travel.
- Accommodation.
- Research-related costs.
- Meetings with international experts.
- Training or professional-development activities.
- Preparation and dissemination of research findings.
Award values, eligibility requirements and priority sectors vary between fellowship programs.
George Alexander Foundation Fellowship
The George Alexander Foundation International Fellowship supports Australians aged between 18 and 35 who want to acquire advanced skills and introduce international innovation into Australia.
For 2027, the program is expected to offer five fellowships valued at $15,000 each.
Priority areas include:
- Alternative energy.
- Artisan and conservator skills.
- Education.
- Environmental sustainability.
- Heritage buildings.
- Industry innovation.
- Lost trades and manufacturing.
Victorian Skills Authority Fellowship
The Victorian Skills Authority funds International VET Practitioner Fellowships in partnership with the ISS Institute.
Eligible applicants include people working for Victorian Government-contracted Skills First training providers, including:
- TAFE institutes.
- Eligible private registered training organisations.
- Adult, Community and Further Education providers.
- Registered Learn Local providers.
- Victorian Skills Authority Industry Advisory Group members.
The program focuses on:
- Connecting training with emerging industry needs.
- Improving inclusion and learner participation.
- Developing skills for the clean economy.
- Improving teaching quality.
- Strengthening Victoria’s workforce.
Skills SA International Research Fellowship
In 2026, the ISS Institute partnered with Skills SA to offer six International Research Fellowships valued at $15,000 each.
The opportunity targets South Australian vocational education and adult community education practitioners. Fellows explore international best practices, build global networks and develop practical recommendations for South Australia’s training system.
The fellowships form part of the South Australian and Australian governments’ investment in strengthening the vocational education workforce.
Mason Family Trust Fellowship
The Mason Family Trust Fellowship supports practitioners working in traditional visual arts and specialised artistic disciplines.
The program helps fellows:
- Learn from master craftspeople overseas.
- Develop advanced artistic techniques.
- Preserve endangered forms of knowledge.
- Introduce international practices to Australia.
- Share skills with artists, educators and communities.
Applicants are expected to demonstrate an established artistic practice and a commitment to preserving and advancing traditional art forms.
Italian Australian Foundation Fellowships
The Sir James Gobbo Legacy Fellowship, supported by the Italian Australian Foundation, focuses on skills and cultural connections between Australia and Italy.
Priority areas include:
- Fashion and textile production.
- Art restoration.
- Italian art and cultural heritage.
- Artisan skills.
- Conservation and heritage trades.
Applicants of Italian descent may receive preference, although other Australian residents can be considered. Fellowship activities must include travel to Italy.
Major Programs and Initiatives
International Applied Research
The Institute’s central program enables fellows to visit overseas organisations, training providers, universities, workshops and specialist practitioners.
Applied research usually involves:
- Identifying an Australian skills gap.
- Studying international solutions.
- Meeting industry and education leaders.
- Observing specialised methods.
- Participating in practical training.
- Evaluating how practices could be adapted in Australia.
This model ensures that international learning is connected to a clearly defined Australian need.
Fellowship Reports
Fellows prepare detailed reports explaining:
- The skills gap investigated.
- International organisations and experts consulted.
- Research findings.
- Recommended changes.
- Potential benefits for Australia.
- Strategies for sharing and applying the knowledge.
Reports are made available through the Institute’s website so that educators, policymakers, employers and practitioners can use the findings.
Knowledge Sharing and Skills Transfer
Fellows are required to share their knowledge after returning to Australia.
Knowledge-transfer activities may include:
- Workshops and demonstrations.
- Industry presentations.
- Conference participation.
- Professional-development sessions.
- Changes to training curricula.
- Digital resources.
- Mentoring and workplace training.
- Collaboration with governments and industry bodies.
The Institute therefore treats each fellowship as an investment in a wider industry or community rather than only in one person.
The Skills Exchange Podcast
The Skills Exchange Podcast provides another platform for fellows and industry specialists to discuss research, innovation and workforce development.
It helps translate technical fellowship findings into accessible conversations for educators, employers, students and policymakers.
Impact and Examples of Fellowship Work
The ISS Institute has supported hundreds of Australian fellows across a broad range of industries. Its fellowship model has influenced vocational education, specialised trades, cultural conservation, manufacturing, sustainability and workforce policy.
Examples of recent fellowship research include:
- Preserving digital cultural heritage stored on obsolete media.
- Studying French embroidery, featherwork and textile techniques.
- Developing sustainable, place-based timber craft.
- Expanding contemporary compressed-earth construction.
- Strengthening artificial intelligence capability in vocational education.
- Developing micro-credentials for the clean-economy workforce.
- Examining circular practices in the clothing and textile industry.
- Preserving traditional stained-glass and bronze-casting methods.
Digital Heritage Preservation
A 2026 George Alexander Foundation Fellowship supports research into the preservation of cultural materials stored on floppy disks, CD-ROMs and other obsolete digital formats.
The research examines data recovery, emulation and the handling of degrading digital carriers. Its findings are intended to strengthen Australian museums, archives and cultural institutions.
Sustainable Textile Practices
A fellowship awarded to Lisa Piller investigated textile circularity and sustainable clothing practices in Europe and Asia.
The research examined:
- Textile repair and reuse.
- Product stewardship.
- Waste reduction.
- Sustainable manufacturing.
- Collaboration between training providers and industry.
The findings aim to support Australia’s clothing sector and help vocational education providers prepare workers for more sustainable production systems.
Traditional Skills and Cultural Heritage
The Institute funds research into rare skills that may disappear without active transmission.
Recent fellowship topics include:
- Stained-glass production.
- Venetian bronze casting.
- Timber craft.
- Embroidery and textile floristry.
- Art and digital-media conservation.
- Traditional print and enamel techniques.
By documenting and teaching these methods, fellows help preserve cultural knowledge while adapting it for contemporary practice.
Vocational Education and Workforce Development
VET fellowships have explored subjects such as:
- Artificial intelligence in education.
- Inclusive approaches to student participation.
- Partnerships between training providers and industry.
- Cybersecurity education.
- Clean-energy workforce training.
- Micro-credentials and flexible learning.
- Integration of vocational and higher education.
These projects can influence teaching methods, course design and workforce-development policy.
Conclusion
The International Specialised Skills Institute is an Australian nonprofit organisation that addresses skills gaps through international research fellowships.
Founded in 1991, it supports Australians who travel overseas to acquire specialised knowledge and bring it back to their industries, educational institutions and communities.
Its fellowship programs cover vocational education, clean energy, artisan trades, cultural heritage, manufacturing, sustainability, technology and inclusive workforce development.
The Institute is not a conventional grantmaker for NGOs. Its funding is primarily directed to eligible individuals undertaking structured international research and knowledge-sharing programs.
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