UniSA App

Established: 1991
“The University of South Australia (UniSA) was established in 1991, but our foundations date back to the latter half of the 19th century.”

Headquarters: Adelaide, South Australia
Website: www.unisa.edu.au

As Australia’s University of Enterprise, UniSA is recognised for its strong industry partnerships, focus on innovation, and practical approach to education. With campuses across South Australia and global partnerships spanning research, technology, and business, UniSA continues to lead the way in creating accessible, future-focused learning experiences – both on campus and online.

The University of South Australia (UniSA) wanted to modernise how its students, staff, and visitors interacted with the university’s digital ecosystem.
Students were juggling multiple platforms for timetables, maps, notifications, and grades – creating a fragmented experience that hindered engagement and efficiency.

The challenge was to bring everything together into one cohesive mobile platform that would simplify daily campus life, improve communication, and reflect UniSA’s commitment to innovation and digital-first experiences.

The Distillery partnered with UniSA to design and deliver a comprehensive mobile application that served as a one-stop digital companion for students.

The Distillery ran UniSA through its Scoping exercise process which is designed to derisk any digital project, it allowed the team to validate its ideas and identify a series of opportunities (but not obligations) that would bring this idea to life.

The approach focused on usability, accessibility, and integration, ensuring a seamless connection between university systems and student needs.

Key features included:

• Personalised timetables and push notifications for classes and campus updates
• Interactive campus maps to help new students find their way
• Direct access to learning platforms, news, and support services
• Integration with student management and communication systems for real-time accuracy

The project was delivered using an iterative, co-design process that involved close collaboration with UniSA’s digital, IT, and student engagement teams. Feedback loops were built into every development sprint to ensure the product truly met student needs.

The UniSA App transformed the university’s digital experience into an intuitive, mobile-first platform that became the daily companion for tens of thousands of students.

Key outcomes included:

• High adoption rates across student and staff populations within the first year of launch
• Increased satisfaction scores related to communication and campus navigation
• A reduction in administrative overhead thanks to automation and system integration
• A new digital foundation for UniSA’s ongoing student engagement and technology strategy

The project reinforced UniSA’s position as one of Australia’s most innovative universities and became a model for how large institutions can humanise technology to enhance community engagement.