Catholic school students were among the first WA cohort to take part in the Apple Foundation Program at ECU’s new City campus.
28 Oct 2026
Catholic students among first WA Apple Foundation Program cohort at ECU
The students from Holy Cross College and Sacred Heart College spent three weeks exploring designing thinking, problem solving and app development, whilst being supported and mentored by ECU staff with expertise in design and technology.
ECU’s Apple Foundation Program is inspiring the next generation of app developers, entrepreneurs, and digital innovators in the purpose-built Apple Foundation Space at ECU City.
The Program empowers participants to become a world-class problem solver and app developer.
Students worked in teams to develop three very different apps inspired by problems and ideas that mattered to them including:
- 84 Days – designed to help people stay motivated and reconnect with long-term goals when life gets in the way.
- Neurofy – helping neurodiverse students manage tasks, stay focused and meet deadlines in ways that suit their individual needs.
- Echo – exploring human connection and creativity in an increasingly AI-shaped world, creating a space where people could discover and share music with friends and make music together, with “no AI in the middle”.
The students clearly found the program to be a rewarding experiencing with 80% of them giving it 5/5 in feedback. The highlights included learning to code whilst working as a team, and creating a functional app. One student highlighted being able to ‘combine our knowledge together and produce a functioning application within 3 weeks’.
Dr Lorraine Marshalsey SFHEA, Apple Foundation Program Co-ordinator said:
“The program was a fantastic example of what can happen when young people are given the space, tools and expert guidance to tackle meaningful challenges, explore their ideas and create something they can genuinely call their own.”