• 65,000 staff and students will receive full Microsoft 365 Copilot access and training as The University of Manchester becomes the world’s first university to offer universal provision across its entire community.     
• The University-wide rollout will equip students with future-ready skills, strengthen teaching and research, and help address the emerging digital divide through equitable access to the advanced AI tools within Microsoft 365 Copilot.
• Today’s announcement builds on Manchester’s 76-year AI legacy, from Alan Turing to today’s ground-breaking research, positioning the University as a leader in ethical, responsible AI adoption.   

The University of Manchester has announced a strategic collaboration with Microsoft, becoming the first university in the world to give Microsoft 365 Copilot access and training to every student and colleague. 

The landmark agreement will see 65,000 students, academics and colleagues benefit from the full Microsoft 365 Copilot suite, alongside training to support effective and responsible use.  

This initiative forms part of the University’s wider digital and AI transformation programme, which focuses not only on tools, but on building long-term AI literacy, and ensuring the responsible integration of emerging technologies.

It will support learning, research and professional work, and graduate employability. It addresses the emerging digital divide by ensuring that all students – regardless of personal means – can benefit from advanced assistive and productivity tools. 

The announcement comes 76 years after Alan Turing published his seminal ‘Turing Test’ paper while working at the University, one of the first on artificial intelligence, and reflects Manchester’s continuing leadership in AI, with more than 1,600 researchers working across disciplines to understand and shape the technology. 

The Microsoft 365 Copilot rollout, to be completed by summer 2026, will equip Manchester students with future-ready skills and enable researchers to accelerate interdisciplinary discovery and analysis at scale.   

• Through access and training, Manchester graduates will be well prepared for the modern workplace, where employers increasingly expect graduates to be confident users of AI technologies. Students will also be able to use Microsoft 365 Copilot to support their studies in line with the University’s policies on the responsible use of AI.
• Universal access will help address the emerging digital divide by ensuring that all students can benefit from advanced assistive and productivity tools, regardless of personal means.
• Researchers across the University will be able to use Microsoft 365 Copilot to reduce time spent on routine tasks and explore ideas beyond their immediate disciplines. It enhances evidence gathering by navigating wider and more diverse literature, strengthens understanding through fast and accurate synthesis, and accelerates data analysis to unlock insights sooner. Manchester researchers are already using AI to advance breast cancer treatment and improve menopause care, transform crop productivity, and reduce waste in the fashion industry.
• For academic and professional services colleagues, Microsoft 365 Copilot will support more efficient ways of working and free up time for higher-value, strategic activity. A pilot conducted between 2024 and 2025 demonstrated strong engagement, with 90 per cent of licensed users adopting the tool within 30 days and around half using it several times a week.   

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “AI is now part of everyday life. Our responsibility is not only to make these tools available to all our students and staff on an equitable basis, but to use the depth of expertise across our university to shape how AI is developed and applied for public good.   

“By embracing the AI transformation early, we are working with students, colleagues and partners to maximise the benefits and manage risks responsibly. The great universities of the 21st century will be digitally enabled – this partnership represents a significant step on that journey for Manchester.”

Darren Hardman, CEO, Microsoft UK & Ireland, said, “As someone who grew up in Manchester, I’m proud to see the University extending access to Microsoft 365 Copilot across its entire community, helping 65,000 students and staff build the skills they’ll need to thrive in an AI‑enabled economy. This is a powerful example of how we can pair Manchester’s deep AI heritage with responsible, ethical adoption that helps to close the digital divide and equip people to learn, research and work more effectively.”  

The strategic collaboration with Microsoft is one of the first major developments following the launch of the University’s new strategy, From Manchester for the world, demonstrating its ambition for research impact, world-class teaching and learning, and responsible leadership in digital transformation and innovation in action.  

The rollout will be delivered in partnership with the Students’ Union, trade unions and staff networks. The University is working closely with Microsoft to ensure transparency around environmental and wider impacts, and to promote best practice in responsible and sustainable AI adoption.  

Microsoft’s long-standing commitments to sustainability were an important consideration for the University in partnering with them. These include being committed to becoming carbon negative, water positive and zero waste by 2030. 

Professor Jenn Hallam, Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students, said: “Every student deserves access to the best AI tools to enable them to thrive in their studies – no matter their circumstances or background. AI is an enabler for teaching and learning, not a replacement. It’s not just supportive in the classroom, but in wider productivity and future life skills and we’re giving students the tools and training to use it in the right way, ethically and appropriately. We’re not just preparing graduates who can go out and get good jobs, we’re preparing the next generation of citizens. That’s the mission of Manchester – you'll get a great degree, but we’ll also prepare you for a fast-changing world.” 

Kanishka Narayan, Minister for AI and Online Safety, said: "When we bring a technology like AI together with the peerless expertise of UK universities, the potential is enormous. Whether supporting students in their studies, opening new avenues of research, or slashing the time spent on routine tasks, the benefits are transformative.   

"This partnership between The University of Manchester and Microsoft will help our brightest minds do what they do best – innovate. Meanwhile, initiatives like the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's Spärck Scholarships will attract high-potential AI talent to top universities like Manchester."