RIP Moodle: UNSW to Migrate to D2L Brightspace from 2028

On Monday the 7th of September, UNSW leadership announced in a staff town hall that the university had entered a partnership with Desire2Learn (D2L) to introduce Brightspace as UNSW’s new Learning Management System (LMS), replacing Moodle.

Starting in 2027, UNSW will begin phasing out Moodle and migrating students and staff to Brightspace, with early adopters expected to actively teach and learn on Brightspace by 2028. 

Canadian-based international software company D2L launched Brightspace in 2014, designed specifically to cater to blended learning (online and in-person learning). Brightspace is already in use at Charles Sturt University, Deakin University, and TAFE Queensland.

In a Question and Answer (Q&A) document, provided to staff and obtained by Noise, UNSW administration justified the switch to Brightspace and why Moodle was no longer meeting the university’s needs:

“[Moodle] is a 14-year legacy ecosystem with 600+ integrations, creating complexity and constraints around supporting AI and modern delivery approaches.”

UNSW also cited growing cyber security risks as Moodle continues to age. They went on to list the benefits of Brightspace to students as; 

“a more consistent, intuitive and accessible digital learning experience. Improvements will focus on usability, navigation and overall learning experience.”

UNSW administration stated that the selection of Brightspace was “the result of a rigorous and fair assessment” undertaken by staff and students. From January to April 2026, the university ran a program named ‘My Perspective’ which counselled 500 staff across all faculties at both UNSW Sydney and UNSW Canberra on their expectations and requirements for an LMS. Additionally, 98 faculty representatives were present at vendor demonstration sessions in April where they were able to evaluate the software and provide feedback to D2L representatives.  

The LMS team told Noise that only 66 students had an opportunity to use a version of Brightspace before the university announced the partnership;

“That number [66] is made up of 28 students who completed the LMS student survey (15 from the Student Experience Student Representative Group and 13 from the Academic Board Student Representative Group) and 17 students who attended a co-design workshop in March 2026. A further 21 students took part in vendor demonstrations during procurement in April 2026.”

Canvas—another popular LMS, used by the University of Sydney—was ranked 17.8% higher by students during the "procurement evaluation” with Brightspace coming as “a strong second to Canvas.” Despite this, UNSW cited Brightspace's stronger “combined community rating” as the reason for choosing it over Canvas. According to the LMS team, Moodle ranked a “distant third.”

Additionally, UNSW confirmed two faculties preferred a different LMS solution to Brightspace. The university intends to honour these faculties' roles in the co-design process for Brightspace at UNSW, but cited an overall democratic “single institutional decision” as outweighing their preferences. The LMS team declined to comment on exactly which faculties preferred a different LMS.

Noise has obtained some data from staff evaluation sessions and can confirm that Brightspace ranked first overall among staff, ahead of Canvas and Moodle.

As UNSW pushes toward integrating Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) into more aspects of study and Vice-Chancellor Attila Brungs tells the Australian Financial Review that AI will “liberate” universities, it is clear that AI is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore in higher education.

In the documents Noise obtained, multiple staff-focused AI tools were listed as new advantages of the Brightspace system. These tools included “AI-assisted feedback tools, AI-assisted course design with automated quiz and assignment generation along with module summaries.”

The LMS team told Noise that “AI was not a separate selection criterion and carried no weighting of its own - all of the selection criteria were equally weighed” and “...[AI] was not a deciding factor in selecting Brightspace.”

The LMS team also said that all AI tools go through a “reinforced check,” which  “refers to any AI-generated feedback or assessment material remaining subject to academic oversight. Staff are prompted to review and approve output before it reaches students, and the tool does not act on its own.”

In a statement released by UNSW Newsroom, John Baker, the president and CEO of D2L, said, “Together, we will help create engaging and flexible learning experiences, equip educators with innovative tools and explore how responsible AI can enhance teaching and learning.” At this time, it is unclear what constitutes “responsible AI.”