Department of Education eyes 10-year tech uplift to tackle legacy risks

The Department of Education is in the early stages of developing a 10-year digital investment strategy aimed at modernising its “complex ICT architecture of legacy systems”, which it has flagged as an ongoing operational risk.

As part of the groundwork, the department is mapping its current IT environment to identify at-risk applications and assess opportunities for targeted uplifts.

A recent Agency Capability Review [pdf] highlighted the “immediate need for capital investment to rationalise and modernise” both the department’s internal technology and its ageing payment system, which delivers $51 billion annually to education providers.

The initiative follows the department’s separation from the former Department of Education, Skills and Employment and its establishment as a standalone entity in July 2022.

Since the split, much of Education’s IT function – including core infrastructure, application development, hosting, and cyber security operations – has been supported by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) through a shared services arrangement.

Over the past three years, Education has “made a concerted effort to rebuild its in-house strategic technology function”, which saw it hire chief information officer Scott Wallace in 2023.

It now maintains a small internal technology team responsible for IT and cyber security strategy, alongside a digital services branch focused on uplifting capability across project delivery, IT support, and cyber risk.

The digital services team also led Education’s participation in the whole-of-government Microsoft Copilot trial.

While these teams have begun “significant work” to identify and modernise several at-risk legacy systems, the Agency Capability Review warned that the department’s “digital ambition is not yet aligned to its current funding capacity”.

In particular, it noted that temporary resourcing arrangements could see Education lose the specialist skills it needs to deliver the strategy beyond June 2026.

However, the department is hopeful that its impending 10-year digital strategy will help it “address funding and other risks associated with its legacy systems in a holistic way”.

“The greater clarity of the department’s ICT landscape and at-risk ICT should enable it to undertake proactive rationalisation to identify enhancements, prioritise investment into much-needed upgrades, reduce complexity and improve efficiency,” the report added.

Exploring opportunities

Despite the funding concerns, Education revealed it is currently trialling “emerging technologies”, including internal use of automation and artificial intelligence.

As well as participating in the federal government Copilot trial, Education said it had also allocated funding towards AI projects of up to $500,000 in the last financial year.

Recent work includes publishing a public AI transparency statement, developing internal guidelines for the use of generative AI, and running workshops with business units to explore practical applications.

The department is also investigating how AI might be used to streamline internal processes and enhance service delivery.