Higher Education — 02

Building a Modern IAM Practice for a Leading Australian University

A leading Australian research university partnered with Modern 42 over multiple years to establish a world-class Identity and Access Management capability from the ground up.

Industry

Higher Education

Sector

Research University

Engagement Type

Strategic Advisory, Architecture and Design, Engineering

Technologies

Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), Delinea

Frameworks

ASD Essential Eight, NIST Cybersecurity Framework

Duration

Multi-year

Higher EducationIAM StrategyCloud MigrationPAMMFA RolloutAccess GovernanceAD FS DecommissionBlended Team

The Situation

This university launched an ambitious Cyber Security program to modernise its identity infrastructure. Legacy systems presented significant challenges: security vulnerabilities, outdated authentication protocols, and no centralised access governance. As a major research institution, the university manages a vast digital ecosystem with hundreds of thousands of external users (students, researchers, industry partners) who interact with its systems daily. The university needed a long-term partner who could work side-by-side with its internal IAM Operations team to guide the transformation from legacy, on-premises identity services to a secure, cloud-native capability.

What We Did

Strategy and Governance

We defined the IAM Strategy and Roadmap, establishing the vision and sequenced plan for the university's identity transformation. We consulted on policy and controls to ensure the framework was fit for purpose in a complex academic environment.

Architecture and Design

We developed IAM architecture patterns and target state designs, then delivered the Azure AD design and implementation that became the foundation of the university's modern identity platform.

Security Uplift

We identified and mitigated security vulnerabilities in legacy IAM services, executed an Active Directory security uplift, and delivered Privileged Access Management service design and implementation to protect tier-zero accounts.

Cloud Migration

We migrated applications from legacy authentication protocols (such as AD FS) to modern standards including OAuth and OpenID Connect in the cloud. We developed and executed the AD FS decommissioning strategy, eliminating a major source of technical debt and security risk.

Access Governance and MFA

We established a comprehensive Access Management and Governance capability, conducted data normalisation and User Access Reviews, and delivered MFA reporting and rollout across faculty and students.

The Outcome

Over the course of the engagement, the university achieved a fundamental transformation of its identity and access management capability. The results included stronger security posture through vulnerability remediation, modern authentication protocols and organisation-wide MFA. Streamlined user experience with centralised access management replacing fragmented legacy processes. Scalable, cloud-native infrastructure enabling the university to adapt its identity platform as its needs evolve. Embedded internal capability through five years of knowledge sharing in a blended team model. The multi-year partnership spanned IAM, Cyber Uplift and Cloud Transformation programs.

Key Wins

✓Multi-year strategic partnership delivering IAM transformation across strategy, architecture and engineering
✓Successfully migrated authentication to modern cloud protocols (OAuth, OpenID Connect) and decommissioned AD FS
✓Deployed Privileged Access Management to secure tier-zero accounts and critical infrastructure
✓Rolled out MFA across faculty and student populations
✓Reduced operational costs through cloud-native, evergreen IAM infrastructure
✓Built sustainable internal IAM capability through a blended team delivery model

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