Higher education institutions are under sustained pressure to modernise rapidly while navigating complex technology landscapes and legacy ecosystems. Yet many universities still rely on siloed planning approaches—treating business, data, applications, and technology as separate streams—which leads to duplication, misalignment, and slow, inconsistent delivery of strategic priorities.

This presentation introduces a streamlined capability‑based architecture approach that provides a cohesive foundation for transformation. By treating capabilities as the organising structure of the enterprise, institutions can integrate people, process, information, and technology into unified architectural building blocks. This shift enables clearer decision‑making, improved governance, and stronger alignment between executive strategy and operational implementation.

Drawing on practical insights from QUT’s StudyFinder Replacement and Curriculum Data Uplift initiatives, the session demonstrates how capability thinking acts as the “DNA” for sector‑aligned change. Attendees will learn how the CAUDIT Higher Education Reference Models (HERM) offer a proven, widely adopted foundation for defining institutional capabilities, and how the MortarCAPS Higher Learning Data Standard fits naturally within this model to accelerate data modernisation and improve consistency.

The session highlights how capability maps can become powerful strategic tools—bridging the gap between C‑suite vision and delivery teams, guiding heat‑map assessments for investment prioritisation, and shaping transformation roadmaps across interconnected capabilities. Practical artefacts such as capability canvases, student‑experience‑aligned value streams, and multi‑layer architectural roadmaps will be showcased.

Participants will leave with clear, actionable patterns for embedding capability‑based practice within their EA function, integrating with TOGAF/ArchiMate modelling, strengthening governance, and enabling sustainable, sector‑aligned transformation across the university.