<![CDATA[University industry collaboration is increasingly used to connect higher education with changing workplace demands, yet less is known about how participants interpret and translate such encounters into learning and future possibilities. An exploratory qualitative design was employed, drawing primarily on 118 openended responses from university students, complemented by selected key informant accounts and contextual field materials. Data were interpreted using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings identify three interconnected patterns industry exposure was interpreted through academic knowledge digital learning, particularly around AI, was increasingly understood in terms of purposeful and strategic application and exposure to industry and digital practices opened emerging possibilities for business ideas and career portfolios. The study implies that universities should move beyond event based industry engagement toward learning designs that connect industry cases, critical digital application, and follow up opportunities for business and career development. These insights contribute to understanding how experiential encounters may connect university learning with evolving professional contexts. The study also highlights the importance of interpreting participant perspectives when examining the educational value of university industry engagement. Further research could investigate how repeated encounters and structured follow up activities influence participants’ learning trajectories, digital practices, and entrepreneurial or career development over time]]>
