By Alice Chambers |
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Syndey, Australia, is using an AI-driven agent, powered by Microsoft Azure Open AI, to provide easy access to information for its more than 70,000 students.
The agent is called Scout and was built using Microsoft Copilot Studio and Microsoft Power Platform. Scout was first piloted to an initial group of 1,000 but after such a positive response from students and educators, the pilot has extended to 7,500 students. The university has found that 58 per cent of Scout usage occurs outside normal operating hours, showing the agent’s value in filling service gaps and reducing pressure on staff.
“Since Scout has taken over routine admin queries, we’ve seen a real shift in how pilot students engage with their lecturers,” Pradhiban Duraisamy, manager of educational technology support services at UNSW. “Instead of asking when an assignment is due, they now have questions about research topics or concepts discussed in class. That’s exactly what our academics are here for – their subject matter expertise.”
Looking ahead, the university plans to expand Scout’s capabilities by enhancing student access to services such as equitable learning support through appointment booking capabilities and recollection of previous conversations.