The customer

Open Universities Australia (OUA) is the destination for online higher education, helping students explore, choose and enrol in thousands of courses from leading Australian universities online since 1993.

As a not-for-profit organisation, we act as an impartial guide for students looking to find the right course for their needs, advocating equity and access for all, no matter academic history or perceived barriers. As part of their role, OUA verifies important identity documents such as passports, visas, and birth certificates to confirm applicants meet citizenship requirements for admission to degrees.

The challenge

Prior to implementing greenID by GBG, OUA encountered several challenges with their identity verification process:

• Manual Process: OUA relied heavily on manual methods to assess copies of student identity documents. This process was time-consuming and not entirely accurate.
• Fraud detection concerns: Despite training their staff to identify fraudulent documents, there was no foolproof method to guarantee the authenticity of identity documents, leading to potential risks.
• Document quality issues: Students often submitted unclear or incorrectly formatted copies of their documents, requiring OUA to repeatedly request clearer or compliant submissions. This led to delays and frustration for both applicants and OUA staff.
• Data Management risks: Handling and storing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) posed security risks and compliance challenges under privacy regulations.

The solution

Upon receiving a referral about GBG’s digital identity verification solution, greenID, OUA explored its capabilities to address their challenges effectively:

Implementation of greenID

• Simplified verification process: greenID streamlined OUA’s identity verification process, enabling real-time verification of student identity.
• Enhanced confidence: With greenID, OUA gained confidence in verifying student identities swiftly and accurately, reducing the risk of fraudulent identities.
• Improved efficiency: The new system minimised the time spent on chasing applicants for document resubmissions, as greenID ensured that submitted documents were clear and in the correct format on the first attempt.

Streamlined operations beyond verification

• Data security: By leveraging greenID, OUA removed the need to capture and store PII, thereby reducing the overall risk associated with handling sensitive information.
• Faster application processing: The streamlined verification process allowed OUA to assess student applications more quickly, ensuring enrolment deadlines were met more efficiently.

The outcome

Since implementing GBG’s greenID, OUA has achieved significant improvements in their operations:

• Speed and accuracy: Identity verification is now a quick, reliable and largely automated process. Ensuring applicants can progress quickly through to application assessment and outcome.
• Operational efficiency: The reduction in manual effort and document management issues has freed up resources, allowing OUA staff to focus on more value-added activities.
• Compliance and risk management: By minimising the handling of PII and improving identity verification, GBG’s greenID solution has helped OUA enhance their compliance with privacy regulations and mitigate identity-related risks.

GBG’s identity verification solution has not only modernised OUA’s identity verification process but also enhanced their overall operational efficiency and security. By partnering with GBG, OUA has successfully navigated the complexities of identity verification in a digital age, ensuring a seamless experience for both applicants and OUA staff alike.