Introducing UQ Authenticate to student email

In late 2023, ITS will configure current and past student Microsoft services, including email, to use UQ Authenticate as the login method. This means students will login using their UQ account rather than the present Microsoft account credentials.

In addition, multi-factor authentication (MFA) will be introduced as a requirement for past students when using UQ Authenticate to access Microsoft services in early 2024. 

Introducing UQ Authenticate and MFA to Microsoft services will improve the security of UQ student email accounts, reducing the likelihood of cybersecurity threats such as spam, phishing attempts, and unauthorised access to other UQ systems. The login process will be simplified as current and past students will no longer need to remember a separate set of Microsoft credentials, just their existing UQ account.

Who will this affect? 

These changes will impact all users with a @uqconnect.uq.edu.au or @uq.net.au email address, encompassing current and past students.

When will these changes take place? 

From 5 December 2023, current and past students will no longer be prompted for their Microsoft account information when accessing Microsoft services like Outlook. Instead, they will be asked to login using their UQ account.

From 15 January 2024, the requirement to use MFA to log in will be progressively rolled out to past student UQ accounts. Past students will be able to set up Duo MFA, the same application as current students, or they can choose to use their own MFA authentication type. As with the MFA rollout to students, ITS will offer alternative authentication solutions to past students prevented from using smartphone-based MFA.

UQ account recovery for past students 

Students who cannot recall their UQ credentials will have access to a self-service password reset facility from 23 October 2023, allowing them to reset their account without contacting ITS.

For those who cannot verify online, ITS Service Desk can verify their identity and manually reset their credentials.

If a past student would prefer to deactivate their UQ account and/or their Microsoft account, they will be able to indicate this to ITS using the password reset facility.