Melbourne Connect

Australia is now among a handful of countries with access to Claude Mythos, an AI model so powerful Anthropic hasn't released it to the public. For Dr Andrew Cullen from The University of Melbourne's School of Computing and Information Systems, that's worth examining carefully.

In a new piece for The Conversation Australia + NZ, he unpacks what Australia's inclusion in Project Glasswing actually means: better defences against the kind of large-scale cyberattacks that have hit Optus, Medibank and others in recent years but also new risks that the government has yet to address openly.

The cybersecurity landscape is shifting. This is a sharp, grounded take on where it's heading.

Read more: https://theconversation.com/australia-now-has-access-to-anthropics-claude-mythos-it-may-improve-cyber-safety-but-not-for-everyone-284544

The Cybernetic Futures Showcase 2026 filled Melbourne Connect with 30 prototypes and some of the most inventive student work we’ve seen from The University of Melbourne's School of Computing and Information Systems. From wearable electronics to board games that make you stop and think, the showcase explored how attention, interruption and technological overwhelm are reshaping our lives and futures.

Congratulations to the award-winning teams in Designing Novel Interactions and Game Design, and to every student who put their ideas on display. This is exactly the kind of next-generation thinking Melbourne Connect exists to support — a space for prototyping, exhibiting and connecting, with a university community and industry right on the doorstep.

We're proud to have supported the event alongside Airwallex, Science Gallery Melbourne, The Creator Space, Faculty of Engineering & Information Technology and CISSA - Computing & Information Systems Students Association.

Discover the student projects here: https://cybernetic-futures-2026.netlify.app/

Congratulations to our co-located partner 4DMedical on a significant milestone, acquiring Vienna-based contextflow, a leader in AI lung imaging software for chest CT analysis and lung cancer detection.

The acquisition establishes 4DMedical's European commercial platform and adds regulatory-approved software already embedded in clinical workflows across the continent. Combined with 4DMedical's functional lung imaging technologies, the two companies are building a more complete platform for lung disease detection, diagnosis, and progression tracking.

We're proud to see a team that calls Melbourne Connect home taking their impact global.

Learn more:https://4dmedical.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-06-01_4DMedical-contextflow-Press-announcement.pdf

Last week, we launched Wilin Connect 2026, an art installation showcasing the creative voices of Indigenous student artists from The University of Melbourne's Fine Arts and Music at Melbourne - VCA & Conservatorium at Melbourne Connect.

Running for its second year, the project is a collaboration with the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development, Melbourne Connect, and Lendlease, honouring connection, culture, and community through visual storytelling.

We invite you to discover the works of four incredible artists, Alice Attwood, Anathema, Emma Salmon, and Violet Gala, on display across the mezzanine level at Melbourne Connect.

Artist Anathema captures what projects like these mean beyond the exhibition: "It means the world to me to be recognised for art that I made to honour my Ancestors and future children. I had no idea it would be this well received."

Each piece offers a window into their unique story of connection to Country and community, one that deserves to be seen and celebrated.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4dPMZp7

May was a big month at Melbourne Connect, championing student innovation and collaboration.

The 2026 MEC x Airwallex Student Startup Competition Finals brought eight student founders on stage, competing for a $15,000+ prize pool in front of a live audience and industry judges. Behind each pitch were months of workshops, mentoring, and collaboration at The University of Melbourne's Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre, reflecting the kind of student-led innovation Melbourne Connect was built to support.

We also hosted the GSA Future Careers Expo, a GSA - Graduate Student Association, University of Melbourne event that brought students together with leading employers including Accenture, CSL, Engineers Australia, Hassell, and more.

Rounding out the month, Chief Data Scientist Shiv Meka from East Metropolitan Health Service joined us to examine how AI and machine learning are reshaping clinical care at Western Australia's first virtual hospital. The session drew students, researchers, and clinicians together for a cross-disciplinary discussion.

Sign up to our newsletter to get all the latest precinct updates: https://bit.ly/melbconnect-news

Join us in support and recognition of National Reconciliation Week (NRW).

This year’s theme, All In, is a call for all Australians to wholeheartedly commit to reconciliation every single day. It’s a reminder that reconciliation is not a passive activity and that all of us must step away from the sidelines and take action to make change.

We encourage everyone in the University community to join us in building a more united and respectful nation.

Tap through to discover the 2026 NRW event program, aiming to promote understanding and learning → unimelb.me/3GnQSip