Murdoch Uni revamps online student portals

Murdoch University has relaunched its student-facing online platforms, including a new mobile app and updated student web portal to replace its old in-house, custom built web platform.

The new platforms contain updated branding and improved access academic and campus information, through integration with the university’s learning management system, using Microsoft Azure.

The university described the new myMurdoch platform, built on Ex Libris’ campusM solution, as its first cross-platform for centrally managed content publishable to both mobile and web applications.

Its previous platform lacked mobile application capability, a spokesperson told iTnews.

myMurdoch’s abilities are powered by the university’s new integration platform-as-a-service (IPaaS) capability, which the spokesperson said uses Microsoft Azure and is supported by an in-house integration competency centre (ICC).

The IPaaS capability focuses on service reuse, the university said, “only builds domain specific services if absolutely necessary, allowing for a fast and responsive user experience”.

“The application hosts 16 different operations across 7 different services, with 59 separate integration fields. In the first day over half a million calls were made to the API gateway.”

Through myMurdoch students can access course information, personalised calendar, career opportunity listings, notifications for campus activities, study advice, along with health and wellness support.

Murdoch’s director of IT Services and deputy chief operating officer, Michael Grant, said the university had worked with Ex Libris to tailor campusM to its needs and complement its digital strategy.

The student portal and mobile app platform helps us to provide a consistent and smooth
student experience across various channels,” Grant said.

“The unified cross-channel platform fits our digital strategy and will offer us many benefits, such as one ‘source of truth’ for student communications throughout the university.”

Associated director of digital innovations, Julie Whitlock, added that new portal focused on efficiency and relevancy for students.

“Using design thinking with a focus group of over 100 students, the portal and app was completely customised to meet the needs and preferences of our students,” Whitlock said.

“Students receive personalised views and personalised content according to their campus, study level and student cohort.”

That work seems to have paid off, with around half of all students adopting the new myMurdoch platform within the first week of its launch.