Students at The University of Queensland will be the first in the country to move to a new system offering “email-for-life”.
Director of UQ’s Information Technology Services (ITS) Nick Tate said the University had signed an agreement with Microsoft to move to the Live@edu Exchange Labs solution that would offer a significantly improved free email system for its 38,000 students.
“UQ will be the first university in Australia to move to the system, which gives students a new, more user-friendly, name-based email address to replace the current ‘studentnumber@uq.edu.au’ format,” Mr Tate said.
“Having a more meaningful, name-based email address means students can continue to use their account when they’ve finished studying – it’s an email-for-life solution.”
Mr Tate said students would benefit from the extra features, and regular updating, of the new Microsoft system, which is planned to be ready for first semester 2009.
“The system provides improved features and functionality, and it is an online email service, which many students are already familiar with,” he said.
“Microsoft Live@edu Exchange Labs also provides a significant increase in mail quota, from 100MB to 10GB.
“Another plus is that Microsoft systems are updated at a rate in-house systems cannot compete with.”
He said ITS would work to ensure the transition to the new email system was easy for students.
“It will be integrated into UQ’s student portal my.UQ, enabling easy access.”
“Students will be informed of the changes via email and my.UQ, and user guides and training are being developed,” he said.
Stage two of the project will extend the system to UQ alumni.
Media: Simone Kovago, ITS Marketing & Communications Assistant (0434 073 281 or email s.kovago@uq.edu.au).
