CRDC Cotton Course 

The CRDC Cotton Course offers flexible, targeted learning for people across the Australian cotton industry. Delivered by the University of Sydney in partnership with CottonInfo and Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD), the course consists of three microcredentials designed to build knowledge and skills without traditional university requirements.

About the Course

The CRDC Cotton Course is delivered in a hybrid format, combining online resources, live sessions and in-person intensives at the IA Watson Grains Research Centre in Narrabri. Each microcredential requires approximately 50 hours to complete and is designed for growers, consultants, researchers and agribusiness professionals across the cotton supply chain. The content covers key areas such as cotton agronomy, sustainability, data and technology, as well as business and farm management, providing practical, industry-focused learning that fits around busy schedules.

Microcredentials

The CRDC Cotton Course, delivered by the University of Sydney in partnership with CottonInfo and CSD, consists of three microcredential courses, open to all in the cotton industry and all levels of educational attainment:

  1. Microcredential 1: Australian Cotton Farming Systems

    Focus: A foundational understanding of cotton and the Australian cotton industry
    Suited to: Growers, consultants, researchers and employees of cotton industry businesses, who are relatively new to cotton.
    Seminars covering: The Australian cotton industry and principles of crop management.
    Field walks and visits: Dryland and irrigated farms, corporate farms, post-harvest and the Australian Cotton Research Institute (ACRI).
    Course dates/location: Three day intensive – 9-11 March 2027, Narrabri NSW.
    More information: via the University of Sydney.

  2. Microcredential 2: Digital and Data Solutions for Cotton Systems

    Focus: Data in cotton systems: how to collect & use it, manage technology hardware & software.
    Suited to: Growers, consultants, researchers and employees of cotton industry businesses, who are interested in upskilling in tech and data.
    Seminars covering: Fundamentals of data and apps, barriers to adoption, ROI, modelling data and AI.
    Computer practicals: Data for decisions, precision ag, data streams for on-farm experimentation.
    Course dates/location: Three day intensive – 6-8 July 2027, Narrabri NSW.
    More information: via the University of Sydney

  3. Microcredential 3: Optimising Cotton Growing

    Focus: How do more experienced growers and consultants take their systems to the next level?
    Suited to: Experienced growers and consultants.
    Seminars covering: Advanced soil and crop nutrition; varietal and crop characteristics; integrated management of insects, diseases and weeds; irrigation management; advanced crop agronomy; benchmarking, people management, ESGs.
    Workshops and field walks: Challenging assumptions, production system successes and challenges.
    Course dates/location: Three day intensive – 2-4 February 2027, Narrabri NSW.

Why choose the CRDC Cotton Course?

  • No prior qualifications required.
  • Practical, industry-focused content, developed and delivered by industry experts from CRDC, CottonInfo and CSD.
  • Designed for flexibility to suit busy professionals.
  • Builds recognised skills for career development.

For more information

For enquiries: cotton.course@sydney.edu.au.