Western Sydney University has given every staff member enterprise-grade Microsoft 365 Copilot access. It is the first university in New South Wales and the second in Australia to do so.
From 16 July, all staff, including casuals, and Higher Degree Research candidates have had access to Copilot integrated into their everyday systems. The rollout follows a 100-user pilot that the university said showed Copilot could cut time spent on repetitive, low-value tasks.
With Copilot, staff can draft documents, summarise meeting outcomes, analyse information and create presentations, freeing time for teaching, research and professional work.
"We're not adopting AI for its own sake. We're doing it because it helps us better deliver on our core purpose, student success," said vice-chancellor and president, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO.
"A student starting with us today will graduate into a workforce that looks very different from the one we know now," he said. "It's our responsibility to make sure they're ready for that world, and that starts with making sure our staff are equipped to lead the way."
The initiative builds on a memorandum of understanding signed with Microsoft in late 2025. Microsoft will support staff training and adoption, including capability development in agentic AI, curriculum design and student engagement.
"Western Sydney University is showing what genuine ambition looks like, giving every staff member and its Higher Degree Research students the tools, the training and the confidence to use AI well," said Jane Livesey, president, Microsoft Australia and New Zealand.
The university said training programs would reflect a human-centred approach and include a community of practice to share knowledge across the institution.