Case Study: University of Melbourne gives 440 accounting students hands-on RPA skills with Automation Anywhere

How University of Melbourne is making accounting real for students

The University of Melbourne, a leading tertiary institution with nearly 50,000 students, faced the challenge of making accounting education more practical and future-ready as automation reshaped the profession. Faculty decided to shift curriculum focus from theoretical topics like blockchain to hands-on Robotic Process Automation (RPA), but needed a scalable way to train both educators and students and meet legal and partnership requirements.

To address this, the university formed an academic partnership with Automation Anywhere University and integrated AAU’s business analyst module into accounting courses—440 students completed the module during a recent semester and then applied their learning in guest lectures and tutorials. The program delivered tangible, visual learning through bot-building, boosted student awareness and RPA adoption, improved technology ROI, and is now being expanded across accounting with opportunities for top students to gain real-world RPA experience.

University of Melbourne

Shiv Chandra

Robotic Process Automation Manager