The Challenge: From Data Silos to Strategic Insights

Swinburne University of Technology, renowned for its dual-sector approach to education and its commitment to real-world learning, recognized the need to modernize its data infrastructure. The university,serving over 30,000 students,had previously relied on Amazon Redshift and Tableau for data warehousing and visualization since 2016.

However, engagement with these platforms was limited. anthony Perera, chief data and analytics officer at Swinburne, noted that engagement with our data platforms was relatively low – only about five per cent of the university actively interacted with them. This, coupled with outdated reporting dashboards and a reliance on exporting data to Microsoft Excel, prompted a strategic shift.

The Solution: A Swift Transition to Microsoft Power BI

In August 2024, Swinburne embarked on a project to migrate eight years of data reports and dashboards from Tableau to Microsoft Power BI. This transition encompassed critical datasets, including:

• Student enrollments
• Financial reporting
• Workforce insights

Collectively, these datasets represented approximately 90% of the data used for university reporting.

The decision to adopt power BI was influenced by several factors, including Swinburne’s existing investment in Microsoft technologies, notably its migration to Microsoft Azure.Mr. Perera stated, Power BI offers strong value. Its AI capabilities and roadmap with tools like Microsoft Copilot have the potential to significantly reduce growth time for dashboards.

The university completed the migration in under 60 days, a rapid turnaround attributed to Power BI’s ease of use, stakeholder familiarity, and a strategic prioritization of critical reports. Only about 20% of the 2,000 historical reports in Tableau were actively used,allowing the team to focus their efforts effectively.

While we had around 2,000 historical reports in Tableau, only about 20 per cent were actively used. By focusing on these critical reports, we significantly reduced the workload.

Anthony Perera, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Swinburne

Microsoft played a crucial role in supporting swinburne throughout the transition, providing strategic guidance and technical support. Mr. Perera described the relationship as a true partnership rather than just a vendor relationship.

Enhancing Data Management with microsoft Fabric

alongside the Power BI migration, Swinburne transitioned data from Amazon Redshift to Microsoft Fabric, enabling a more integrated approach to data management.This modernization aligns with Swinburne’s broader data strategy, which includes building a next-generation data platform in Azure.

the university is currently in the planning phase, defining its future-state architecture. Mr. Perera explained, We are taking an iterative approach to refining our data strategy, ensuring the new platform meets our evolving needs and enhances operational efficiency.

AI-Powered Innovation: Transforming Education and Operations

Swinburne is actively exploring AI-driven innovation with Microsoft partners agile Insights and KPMG. Two key AI use cases are in development:

• Analyzing Student Feedback: Leveraging generative AI to extract key themes and sentiments from over 65,000 free-text survey records collected every two years.These insights are visualized in Power BI dashboards, enabling academic staff to refine course delivery.Mr. Perera noted, Swinburne collects over 65,000 free-text survey records every two years.We are using a large language model to extract key themes and sentiments, making it easier for educators to act on student feedback.
• Streamlining IT Support: Developing a Microsoft Teams-based chatbot that integrates with the enterprise service management system, allowing staff to log IT requests directly within Teams. This will make IT support more accessible and efficient, Mr. Perera stated.

Building a Connected University: A Vision for the Future

Swinburne’s long-term vision is to create a connected university that leverages data and AI to enhance student outcomes and operational effectiveness. This includes building a centralized data ecosystem that provides a holistic view of each student’s journey.

The university has already deployed a machine learning model to identify students at risk of disengagement,enabling targeted support interventions. Mr. Perera explained, We have already deployed a machine learning model to better identify students at risk of disengagement. By intervening early, we can provide targeted support to help them succeed.

Swinburne aims to further personalize education by harnessing AI to deliver tailored learning experiences, similar to content curation on platforms like Netflix and YouTube. Mr. Perera envisions, Much like how Netflix and YouTube curate content for users, we aspire to personalise the student journey.

A Data-Driven Future for Education

By continuously refining its data strategy and embracing AI-driven innovation, Swinburne University of Technology is positioning itself at the forefront of educational transformation in Australia. The migration to Microsoft Power BI and the adoption of AI are not just technological upgrades but strategic investments in the future of education.