University of Manchester becomes first in the world to roll out Microsoft 365 Copilot to all students and staff

The University of Manchester will offer Microsoft 365 Copilot to all 65,000 of its students and staff, becoming the first university in the world to deploy the suite at this scale.

Under the initiative, students and staff will gain access to the full Microsoft 365 Copilot experience, including AI agents such as Researcher and Analyst, as well as productivity apps like Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint with Copilot built in.

“AI is now part of everyday life,” said Professor Duncan Ivison, president and vice-chancellor of The University of Manchester. “Our responsibility is not only to make these tools available to all our students and staff on an equitable basis, but to use the depth of expertise across our university to shape how AI is developed and applied for public good.”

The rollout is scheduled for completion by summer 2026 and is designed to help equip students with the work-ready skills needed to succeed in an AI-driven economy.

“Having access to this free, equitable AI platform from a sector-leading company will be an amazing aid to revision and translation,” said Amrit Dhillon, executive officer for the University’s Students’ Union.

Beyond teaching and learning, the deployment will also support researchers with discovery and analysis. The University of Manchester is already using AI to advance breast cancer treatment, improve menopause care, transform crop productivity and reduce waste in the fashion industry.

The initiative builds on the university’s long-standing connection to AI, including the work of Alan Turing, English mathematician and computer scientist, and who was based at the University of Manchester.

“As someone who grew up in Manchester, I’m proud to see the University extending access to Microsoft 365 Copilot across its entire community, helping 65,000 students and staff build the skills they’ll need to thrive in an AI-enabled economy,” said Darren Hardman, CEO of Microsoft UK & Ireland. “This is a powerful example of how we can pair Manchester’s deep AI heritage with responsible, ethical adoption that helps to close the digital divide and equip people to learn, research and work more effectively.”