Case Study: University of Canterbury achieves faster international application processing and increased enrollments with Microsoft Dynamics 365

New Zealand university transforms student recruitment with cloud CRM solution

The University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, needed to recover student numbers after enrollment fell following the 2011 earthquake. To modernize a fragmented, slow recruitment process and rebuild its international reputation, the university set out to digitalize and automate how it attracts and admits students.

Working with partner Fusion5, the university deployed Microsoft Dynamics 365 on Azure (integrated with Office 365) to create a portal for international agents and automate workflows. The solution cut international application processing from six weeks to five days, reduced incomplete applications by 30%, increased conditional offers by 20% and international offers by 8%, and is projected to grow international enrollment from 1,300 to 2,200 students by 2020—adding roughly NZD22 million in revenue—while also streamlining domestic processes and improving communications.

University of Canterbury

Ian McPherson

Student Services Innovation Manager