Dr Wade Halvorson is an entrepreneurship academic and business development specialist whose work bridges university education, industry practice, and global engagement. With a background as a founder and SME growth consultant, his teaching and research focus on equipping students and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) with practical strategic decision-making capability.

He is best known for leading and scaling award-winning Work Integrated Learning (WIL) and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) programs that embed real-world consulting into the curriculum. As Chair and Lead Academic of the Business Development Clinic (BDC), he has overseen student consulting projects with more than 90 SMEs across Australia and internationally, generating measurable commercial and capability outcomes while enhancing student employability.

https://experts.deakin.edu.au/55761-wade-halvorson 

The Business Development Clinic has received national and international recognition, including:

• 2026 USASBE Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education – Excellence in Pedagogical Innovation Award (USA)
• 2024 Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) – Award for Excellence in Work Integrated Learning
• Multiple Deakin Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching Excellence

The 2026 USASBE award, conferred by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship — one of the leading global bodies advancing entrepreneurship education — recognised the BDC as a globally scalable and high-impact pedagogical model. The peer-reviewed award affirmed the program’s rigour, international standard, and its capacity to generate mutual value for students, SMEs, and the University.