Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) partnered with Cisco to equip prototype spaces that informed the design of a future-focused, digitally enabled vertical campus. Insights from these environments supported standardised layouts and activated learning spaces. CIT deployed Webex across all areas to deliver immersive, flexible training and enable data-informed space utilisation.

 

About Canberra Institute of Technology

Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) is a premier vocational education and training provider, delivering over 200 nationally recognised courses across trades, technology, business, and creative industries.

With a proud 95-year legacy and five campuses across Canberra, CIT combines hands-on learning with strong industry connections. As a recognised leader in Electric vehicle and cyber education, a trusted ACT Government institution, CIT equips over 18,000 students annually.

 

Reimagining a smart campus that has Students at the centre

CIT’s transition to the Woden vertical campus marks a pivotal moment in its evolution, not just in physical design, but in institutional ambition. Guided by the 2025–2035 Strategy, CIT set out to create a future-focused, student-centred campus that reflects its commitment to excellence in education design and delivery

This wasn’t simply about relocating programs; it was about reimagining how space, technology, and high-impact delivery could work together to support a new generation of learners. The strategy called for an integrated and collaborative approach to teaching and learning, with students at the heart of every decision.

A hybrid-first, tech-enabled solution

To meet this challenge, CIT worked with Cisco to rethink the role of space. Rather than dedicating rooms to single functions, the new model treated every environment as a flexible, technology-enabled hub for learning, working or collaborating.

Key enablers included:

• Cisco Devices deployed across all spaces spanning general learning, specialist training, staff meeting rooms, industry engagement zones and collaborative spaces
• Maximising Campus Utilisation – Connecting data from Webex with CIT’s timetabling system allows for visibility into how learning spaces are actually being used—both physically and virtually. This connected data enables CIT to align room allocation with actual class attendance, including the number of online participants, helping to harmonise scheduling with demand. As a result, CIT can make informed, data-driven decisions that optimise space utilisation, reduce underused capacity, and ensure students are placed in the right environment for their learning experience
• Multi-purpose spaces designed to support both synchronous and asynchronous learning, in-person meetings and virtual collaboration

Outcomes

This new approach allowed CIT to:

• Deliver its full program load – including intensive, hands-on vocational courses – within a significantly reduced footprint
• Ensure every room had the tools to support hybrid learning and collaboration, making space allocation more flexible and resilient
• Model a new form of urban campus design that balances spatial constraints with digital capability.

By turning space into a dynamic, tech-enabled asset, CIT proved that the itergration of physical and digital environments can drive and support educational ambition.

 

Delivering immersive, inclusive and industry-connected training

As a leading provider of vocational education, CIT’s programs feature demonstration, practice and interaction. This is especially true in Blue Tech fields, like hospitality, design, digital and cybersecurity, where job readiness is central to the learning experience.

CIT needed to ensure that its shift to hybrid delivery didn’t dilute the practical, hands-on elements that set its programs apart. It also needed to serve a diverse student base – from school leavers to working professionals – and ensure training was accessible, repeatable, and industry-connected

Enabling immersive training through Webex

Cisco’s technology was deployed not just to connect learners, but to enhance how they experience and participate in training:

• Overhead camera integration with Cisco Devices enabled instructors to live-demo processes, such as plating a dish or conducting lab work, to both in-room and remote learners
• Webex AI features like real-time transcription, translation and note-taking ensured content was accessible and reviewable, especially valuable in high-content technical subjects
• Guest speakers and industry assessors could join remotely, giving students access to real-world expertise without the logistical burden.

Outcomes

By leveraging Cisco’s capabilities, CIT:

• Opened up access for regionally based or working students, supporting flexibility without sacrificing quality.
• Can enable more frequent and scalable industry engagement, reinforcing its mission to deliver job-ready talent into Blue Tech sectors.

 

Securing collaboration to meet stringent government requirements

CIT’s position as the leading provider of vocational education in the region demands a digital infrastructure that is secure, scalable, and future-ready. With a strong emphasis on programs in cybersecurity, digital systems, and Blue Tech workforce development, CIT’s technology-enabled campus is designed to support seamless collaboration and learning across physical and virtual environments. Smart spaces throughout the building foster open engagement with students, educators, and industry partners removing barriers to participation and enabling flexible, inclusive teaching models.

As it shifted to enable a hybrid, collaborative campus model, CIT needed to ensure its new environment could support open engagement – with guest speakers, off-site students and shared resources – without creating new vulnerabilities or risks.

Building a secure, scalable digital foundation

Cisco’s secure-by-design architecture allowed CIT to meet its cyber requirements without limiting flexibility:

• Webex collaboration tools were deployed across all learning, staff, and industry spaces, with encrypted communication and role-based access controls
• Integration with identity systems ensured that only authorised individuals could access sensitive learning environments or content
• Standardised digital infrastructure made it easier to monitor and manage security across dozens of rooms and user groups.

Outcomes

This secure foundation enabled CIT to:

• Engage confidently with guest speakers.
• Provide staff and students with a seamless, trusted user experience, regardless of device or location
• Position itself as a trusted training partner for government-aligned sectors where security is non-negotiable.

For CIT, secure collaboration wasn’t a back-end requirement – it was a front-line enabler of future growth.

 

Testimonials

A partnership powering excellent experiences for all staff and students

“The partnership with Cisco is about much more than technology, it’s a strategic enabler of CIT’s Digital Transformation Strategy. Cisco understood our challenge and has shown a commitment to continuous improvement. Since selecting Cisco, they’ve supported CIT with embedding their technology in learning space to improve the student journey.

Deploying Webex across all CIT spaces, not just a select few was critical to fulfilling our promise of delivering an excellent learning experience to every student and supporting our staff wherever they are. This decision directly supports our strategic objective to ‘deliver content inclusively and accessibly’ and to ‘collaborate with industry partners’.

Smart features like live captions and real-time translation give students the ability to have the class captioned in real time in their preferred language has significantly improved accessibility in our classrooms. These innovations align with our vision to ‘improve the lives of our students through incredible teaching that takes full advantage of available technologies’.

The partnership has allowed us to break down barriers that previously limited how we taught. It’s enabled a seamless blend between online and classroom learning, creating new pedagogical models that are more flexible and inclusive.

We’re confident that Webex will also make it easier for industry to be embedded into our learning model.”

– Craig Neiberding, Chief Information Officer, Canberra Institute of Technology

 

Our transformation has been driven by strong partnerships

“The partnership with Cisco has been instrumental in our transformation journey. By leveraging Cisco’s innovative technology, we have created a future-focused, student-centred campus that supports flexible, immersive, and applied learning experiences. This collaboration has enabled us to optimise our space utilisation, enhance student engagement, and deliver high-quality education in a hybrid environment.”

– Dr Margot McNeill, Chief Executive Officer, Canberra Institute of Technology