Case Study: Macquarie University achieves enhanced campus safety and real-time crisis communication with BlackBerry AtHoc

Macquarie University prioritises safety of staff and students with AtHoc

Macquarie University, a 126‑hectare Sydney campus home to 40,000 students and 3,000 staff, faced the challenge of protecting large numbers of people on site and meeting workplace health and safety obligations while operating next to a train station, business park and major roadways. The Emergency Management Team needed a real‑time, multi‑channel mass notification system that integrated with devices people already carry (mobiles and laptops), could target specific buildings or the whole campus, and required no additional hardware.

The university deployed the AtHoc Networked Crisis Communications Suite (Alert, Collect, Account, Connect) on a secure cloud platform that syncs with its active directory to send unified email and optional SMS alerts, provide read/response tracking and enable future geo‑targeting and duress features. The solution was implemented in under six months, is easy to use and test, gives the security team real‑time control and feedback, supports 24/7 situational awareness, and has earned industry recognition for improving campus safety and compliance.

Macquarie University

John Durbridge

Campus Security Manager, Property