Case Study

Laurea University of Applied Sciences

Intragen has been working with Laurea University of Applied Sciences, helping evolve their identity management from a complex legacy platform into a modern, scalable IAM solution. By implementing smarter systems with targeted automation, Intragen significantly reduced workloads, accelerated access to critical systems, and strengthened security across the university.

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Company background

Laurea University of Applied Sciences is located in the Uusimaa region of southern Finland. With around 30,000 students and more than 700 staff, Laurea University operates across six campuses in Hyvinkää, Leppävaara, Lohja, Otaniemi, Porvoo, and Tikkurila.

With thousands of students being onboarded or offboarded each year, Laurea University rely heavily on identity management systems to support these internal processes. Microsoft Identity Manager (MIM), the identity management solution prior to 2021, was struggling under the strain of the University’s growth and the decision to find a replacement was made.

700

The system needed to support 700 staff across 6 campuses.

5000

The new system can onboard up to 5,000 new students in a single day.

30 %

Operational workload across the organisation from 70% to 30%.

1 hour

Student account activation times dropped from 24 hours to just 1 hour.

The challenge

In 2021, Laurea University launched a competitive tender to acquire a new Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution. The decision was driven by several key factors. With MIM in place, the system had become increasingly complex and difficult to manage, no longer meeting the university’s operational and technical requirements. Laurea University was seeking a modern, ready-made solution that provided comprehensive, built-in capabilities - without the need for extensive custom development. Equally important was the inclusion of a user-friendly portal to enhance the overall user experience and streamline identity management processes.

Following implementation, Laurea University transformed the management of eight critical systems, boosting efficiency and significantly reducing processing times across the organisation.

The solution

To support its identity management initiative, Laurea University conducted a rigorous tendering process. Based on clearly defined evaluation criteria, Intragen’s proposal emerged as the top choice, offering the best overall value. Intragen particularly excelled in the quality assessment, securing a leading position thanks to its strong technical expertise and strategic approach.

Following the implementation of One Identity Manager, Laurea University now enjoys a flexible and efficient IAM solution that supports daily operations across the organisation. One standout success has been the student administration system: previously, student account activations could take up to 24 hours, but the new solution means this now takes as little as an hour. This means Laurea University can respond well to today’s needs for immediate access to systems, delivering clear wins with speed, simplicity, and smarter operations.

The customised user portal provides a dedicated view for the Service Desk while offering an intuitive interface tailored for staff and faculty. It supports fast bulk operations, automates the distribution of course and network folders to students, and enables centralised management of cloud services and service lists. Automated attestation processes have reduced manual workloads when working with external and shared mailboxes, enabling easy management of unnecessary admin accounts and identity lifecycles. This has strengthened overall security, ensuring compliance and consistency without added administrative effort.

Intragen worked closely with Laurea University to implement a range of client-specific customisations, streamlining day-to-day operations and eliminating repetitive manual tasks. The system is highly scalable, able to onboard up to 5,000 new students in a single day, with processes designed to handle biannual spikes in user activity seamlessly.

Overall, the impact has been substantial. Operational workload has fallen from 70% to 30%, while the Service Desk has seen a reduction equivalent to two full-time staff members and there have been cost savings due to the licences being replaced with Intragen’s IAM system. These improvements have translated into more efficient use of resources, faster processes, and a sharper focus on strategic initiatives across the institution.

The staff

The successful implementation of Laurea University’s IAM solution was made possible by a dedicated and highly skilled Intragen team. Key members included Teemu Lehtonen, Teijo Aulin, Kalle Niemi, and Jari Matikainen, whose combined expertise ensured that the project ran smoothly from start to finish.

Flexibility on both sides played a critical role in maintaining steady progress and achieving timely delivery. The project benefitted from strong collaboration, effective training sessions, and a focussed, motivated team - even under pressure. Shared working hours between Laurea University and Intragen proved highly effective for coordination, helping maintain momentum and keep tasks on track.

Intragen’s extensive experience in IAM projects was evident throughout. The technical implementation was solid and reliable, while the change request process operated seamlessly, allowing the project to adapt efficiently to evolving needs. The team consistently demonstrated smart decision-making, always seeking the most sensible and efficient ways to achieve the project’s goals without compromising quality.

Equally important was the team spirit maintained throughout the project. Despite the challenges, the team’s positive attitude and strong motivation created a collaborative environment that supported success at every stage. The result was a project that not only met its objectives but delivered a clear, measurable impact - a testament to the value of expertise, careful planning, and effective teamwork.

The future

The partnership between Laurea University and Intragen continues to thrive, built on smooth cooperation and steady progress in line with planned objectives. Laurea University has expressed high satisfaction with the expert-level, high-quality service provided by Intragen throughout the collaboration. The strength of this relationship is further reflected in Laurea University’s role as a proud reference for Intragen in several subsequent tendering processes, highlighting the trust and confidence developed over the course of the project.

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