Client Story: Queensland University of Technology

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Introduction to QUT

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Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is one of Australia’s world-class universities, with around 50,000 students.
We currently have approximately 50 active initiatives supported by a team of 120 to 130 staff members.

Digital Transformation and the Need for Change

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QUT is in the midst of a significant digital transformation, supported by Cora as our Project Portfolio Management (PPM) tool.
We weren’t just looking for a traditional project or program management platform—we wanted something that would enable transparency and inclusivity across the university.

Cora allows us to collaborate with sponsors and stakeholders to ensure we’re selecting the right projects at the right time to unlock the right benefits. Given the scale of investment, it’s essential the university can see measurable value from our transformation efforts.

Previously, our old tools struggled to link expected benefits with evolving costs, making it difficult to make informed investment decisions. The data existed, but it wasn’t easily accessible or useful for decision-making, which limited visibility for both project and program managers.

Why We Chose Cora

[00:01:31 – 00:01:47]
One of the key reasons we chose the Cora Portfolio Management Tool was its flexibility in how it presents data.
It allows us to “slice and dice” information, demonstrating to the university that we are investing in the right portfolios to achieve the best outcomes.

Early Results and Efficiency Gains

[00:01:48 – 00:03:32]
Since implementing Cora, we’ve already seen great results.
Processes have been reduced by half, communication with students has improved, and we can now easily track interactions—such as when prospective students contact us—ensuring faster and more personalized responses.

Our compliance with reporting requirements, status updates, and monthly reviews has improved significantly. Transparency around project lifecycles, benefits, risks, and issues has also increased compared to last year.

From a PMO perspective, we’re achieving these outcomes with far less effort. We’ve been able to reduce headcount more quickly than expected. Previously, preparing portfolio reports took about eight full working days—often outside of normal hours—for two staff members.

Now, using Cora, our March reporting cadence took just two working days, all within regular hours. For a portfolio of our size, this is a remarkable improvement and has truly streamlined our operations.

Increased Productivity for Project Managers

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Cora has also empowered our project managers to take ownership of their work.
Previously, we needed three dedicated resources to support around 35 active projects. Today, we manage nearly double that number with just one and a half resources.

The project management community is now more self-sufficient—they can navigate the tool, solve problems independently, and work more efficiently overall.

Implementation Success and User Adoption

[00:04:08 – 00:04:47]
We’ve greatly appreciated the implementation support from Cora’s team. Within just three months, 86% of our active projects were fully operational within the system—half the time we originally anticipated.

Even project managers who were initially resistant to change, especially those mid-delivery, have adapted quickly and enthusiastically. That speaks volumes about the product’s ease of use and its ability to meet users’ needs seamlessly.