University of the Sunshine Coast puts Azure at core of transformation program

The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) is launching a major digital transformation initiative beginning with a large-scale migration to Microsoft Azure.

The Queensland-based university plans to start moving its core infrastructure workloads out of two on-premises data centres by the second half of 2025.

The initial phase will involve a lift-and-shift migration, followed by a broader system rearchitecture focused on cloud-native, serverless and platform-oriented service models, the university said.

“This will modernise infrastructure and transform capabilities, service delivery, and digital culture at UniSC,” CIO Niranjan Prabhu said.

“A robust architectural framework governs each migration phase to ensure alignment with strategic goals, continuity of critical services, and minimal disruption.”

The current scope covers the migration of core infrastructure workloads, including student-facing digital platforms, enterprise applications and research computing environments.

UniSC is currently tendering for a partner to carry out the migration.

The move to Azure’s infrastructure comes in tandem with a series of “complementary” digital programs within the university, Prabhu explained.

These include strengthening cyber security maturity and data governance; scaling intelligent automation and self-service tools; expanding digital learning platforms, including AI-enabled student support; and enhancing research technology environments for agility and innovation.

“This migration is a core pillar of our university-wide strategy for accelerating digital transformation across education, research, and operations that emphasise people-centric digital experiences, strong digital governance and stewardship and modern, resilient infrastructure,” Prabhu said.