UNSW Excelerate Program
Beyond Excel mastery - empowering real-world problem solvers across disciplines at scale
Develop your students' Excel and analytical skills, from spreadsheets to real-world solutions, with UNSW Excelerate
The UNSW Excelerate Program reimagines Excel not just as a technical skill to be mastered, but as a means to develop the analytical mindset and problem-solving capabilities that students need to thrive in a rapidly evolving, data-driven world. Developed by the UNSW Business School, Excelerate offers educators an innovative, holistic solution to embed Excel proficiency within broader learning goals — helping students engage with data, think critically in context, and apply their problem-solving skills across diverse disciplines and careers.
The Excelerate program offers two components that can be used on their own or combined to create an even more impactful learning experience.
Online learning modules
Empowering Excel mastery for all
Explore 50+ bite-sized, self-paced online learning modules covering key Excel functions. Mix and match to create tailored learning experiences – a true plug-and-play solution, adaptable across diverse disciplines.
- Engaging and practical: Each module includes step-by-step videos, practice datasets, solution guides, flashcards to support self-paced learning.
- Support diverse learners: Available in both Windows and Mac versions, with content tailored to each Excel operating environment, providing a ready-made solution for diverse classroom needs.
- Excel Certification and beyond: Modules are aligned with the skills areas covered in Microsoft Excel Certification, and extend to advanced analytical techniques to equip students with practical skills transferable across disciplines and careers.
Authentic assessment
Empowering real-world problem solvers
The Excelerate program is more than just a collection of resources, it transforms Excel learning into real-world problem-solving through an innovative assessment design framework. Integrate tailored learning modules into authentic learning experiences, supported by built-in mechanisms for scalable feedback and active peer learning.
- Authentic learning experiences: where students role-play as graduate analysts to solve episodes of real-world problems that align with the course context, building Excel proficiency and analytical skills.
- Assessment as learning: by enabling students to showcase their process and working, building capability and confidence week by week.
- Measure learning impact: with a structured evaluation process to capture student skill development before and after the program, with tools that integrate into learning management platforms.
Why UNSW Excelerate Program?
The Excelerate program is transforming classrooms and beyond, by positioning Excel as a powerful tool for developing data literacy, analytical thinking and contextual problem-solving skills. In a world shaped by AI, these human capabilities to interpret analysis, think critically in context, and make confident, informed decisions are more important than ever. Since its launch, the Excelerate program has transformed how students engage with Excel. It shifts the focus from formulas to thinking and helping students analyse, reason, and apply insights in real-world contexts, turning technical skills into practical, future-ready capabilities.
Designed for a changing world: Excelerate modules enable students to use AI in Excel workflows for problem-solving and result generation, while building the judgement to use these tools effectively and responsibly.
Lasting impact: Strong evidence across multiple courses shows significant improvements in student engagement, learning outcomes, and confidence, with Excelerate consistently recognised as one of the most valuable and transformative parts of the learning experience.
Growing momentum and global reach: Adopted across undergraduate and postgraduate courses at UNSW, Excelerate has supported over 8,000 students in building career-ready skills and has reached thousands of users across more than 30 countries.
Societal impact: Beyond university teaching, Excelerate supports a wide range of applications, from professional staff development to high school outreach, and has been recognised and promoted as part of the United Nations Development Programme, supporting educator professional development across developing regions.
Self-paced, open-access learning for Windows and Mac, aligned to skills areas in Microsoft Excel Certification
Innovative assessments incorporating real-world problem-solving applications
Strong student engagement and lasting positive impact
The Excelerate experience
“We were roleplaying a business analyst, navigating throughout the various problems that our company faced. This practical approach not only reinforces the fundamental principles of Excel but also equips learners with the tools they need to solve actual problems they might encounter in their careers. The Excelerate program teaches me various methods of creating and analysing data, and I’ve utilised this knowledge in my business reports for both my university projects and at work. I’ve received incredibly positive feedback on the visual presentation of my data and the quality of my analysis from various professors and my manager.”
“The Excelerate design can be easily adapted for other courses and programs. With readily available learning resources and assessment structures, academics from various courses can incorporate Excelerate into their curricula, tailoring it to their students' needs. This makes Excelerate a perfect addition to any course requiring Excel proficiency.”
“Excel is a bread-and-butter skill. It's great that students learn it through the Excelerate program.”
Meet our people
