Curtain University

Curtin University has been on a decades-long journey of digital innovation, working closely with TechnologyOne to simplify operations, strengthen student services, and modernise its core business systems.

Today, Curtin is not only a global education leader but also a digital trailblazer, pioneering SaaS transformation in the higher education sector. Here's how one of Australia's largest universities is using TechnologyOne’s OneEducation platform to reshape the way it delivers services to students and staff alike.

Customer story highlights: Curtin University

• Early adopter of TechnologyOne SaaS for student and finance systems
• Co-development partner for the original StudentOne platform
• Delivered COVID-era innovation with business process automation
• Strengthened partnership through transparency, feedback, and sector leadership

The challenge: Driving transformation through long-term partnerships

Curtin University has one of the longest-standing relationships with TechnologyOne in the education sector. Signing on as TechnologyOne’s first education customer in 1990, Curtin co-developed the original Student Management solution and ran its operations on-premise for more than 23 years.

In 2020, Curtin University formalised a 10-year SaaS agreement with TechnologyOne to modernise its administrative and student management processes for its staff and students, building on decades of collaboration to support its next chapter of digital transformation.

But like many institutions, Curtin faced rising expectations from both users, growing complexity, and increased pressure to streamline operations and improve flexibility. According to Neville Hiscox, Chief Student Services Officer at Curtin University, that transformation required a trusted partner.

“It’s a huge investment, and you want a partner that aligns with your values and vision as an institution,” Mr. Hiscox said. “You need to be honest with each other to keep moving forward.”

The solution: A modern, SaaS-based ERP with strategic alignment

In 2019, Curtin became one of the first universities in Australia to move its TechnologyOne finance and student systems to SaaS. The shift laid the foundation for broader transformation and allowed Curtin to take advantage of a more scalable, secure, and responsive platform.

"The SaaS environment is one of TechnologyOne’s real strengths," Mr. Hiscox said.

"It gave us the ability to scale, upgrade easily, and remove the burden on our internal IT team."

With a modern platform in place, Curtin began to reimagine how it could use TechnologyOne to deliver smarter workflows, better data visibility, and improved experiences for students and staff.

Innovating at speed during COVID

Curtin leveraged TechnologyOne’s Business Process Automation (BPA) tools to respond quickly to changing requirements during the pandemic.

One critical initiative involved working with TechnologyOne consultants and developers, as well as the University of Melbourne, to automate the upload and validation of student vaccination certificates. This enabled students to continue their studies with minimal disruption while reducing administrative overhead.

"That partnership allowed us to move fast in a really fluid environment. We developed a solution that delivered real administrative efficiencies and met an urgent need at the time,” Mr. Hiscox explained.

The BPA rollout demonstrated how the TechnologyOne platform could adapt under pressure, enabling the rapid development of solutions and cross-institutional collaboration when it mattered most.

Learning through challenge: the CiA applicant portal

Not every project was without setbacks. Curtin encountered challenges during its implementation of TechnologyOne’s CiA admissions and agent portals.

According to Hiscox, the initial delivery did not align with expectations, requiring executive-level escalation and additional support.

Despite frustrations, Curtin used the experience to strengthen collaboration and influence future development.

“We’ve learned a lot. TechnologyOne has learned a lot. Hopefully, our pain becomes other institutions’ gain,” Mr. Hiscox said.

The results: stronger systems, smarter processes, better outcomes

Curtin’s digital transformation is delivering tangible benefits across IT, administration and student-facing services. With its core systems now in the cloud, the university is experiencing greater stability, improved performance, and faster access to new functionality.

A more agile, scalable environment

By eliminating the need for on-premise infrastructure and manual upgrades, Curtin has reduced operational overhead and improved the resilience of its systems.

“We’re not managing servers or patching systems anymore,” Mr. Hiscox said.

“That’s been a huge operational benefit.”

Upgrades are now handled automatically, with less disruption to business users. The university can also scale its environment as needed to support new initiatives, services or reporting requirements.

Administrative savings and student impact

Curtin has used TechnologyOne’s automation tools to streamline key workflows and reduce manual effort across student services and finance. This has improved the student experience while freeing up staff to focus on high-value work.

“BPA is a real asset,” Mr. Hiscox said.

“It delivers efficiencies for staff and creates a better student experience. It’s one of the areas where TechnologyOne really delivers.”

A collaborative relationship built on trust

Curtin’s long-standing relationship with TechnologyOne is one of mutual accountability and transparency. Through regular engagement and feedback, both teams have been able to navigate setbacks and keep the partnership aligned with strategic goals.

“Not everything is perfect – it never will be. But we can pick up the phone and talk to senior execs directly, and that matters,” Mr. Hiscox said.

That openness has helped shape the future roadmap for CiA and other modules, with Curtin University continuing to play a leadership role in cross-sector collaboration.