Press Release
Australia’s oldest university has partnered with an AI startup to complement traditional graduation photography with instant, shareable clips that graduates can post within one hour of their ceremony.
The first graduation captured on a photo is believed to have been taken at Harvard University in 1852, and for over 150 years, graduation memories have been recorded the same way—through formal photography and videography, often requiring weeks of manual editing and delivery. But today’s graduates live in a digital-first world where immediate, shareable content is the norm.
Recognising this shift, the University of Sydney has teamed up with Sydney-based startup Gradcut™ to bring a new dimension to graduation ceremonies. Since May last year, they have introduced what they call “Instant Gratification Videos” to over 23,000 students across more than 150 ceremonies.
Gradcut’s technology integrates directly with the university’s livestream infrastructure, capturing the live feed and automatically generating individual, branded stage-crossing clips for each graduate. These videos are delivered within one hour of the ceremony and made available in three formats—horizontal, square, and vertical—to suit platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Graduates can instantly download and share their moment with family, friends, and followers.
“Graduation is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone,” said Anastasha Renaud, Co-Founder and CEO of Gradcut. “As a parent of two university students, I know how much that moment means. Our goal with Gradcut is to ensure every graduate and their family can instantly relive and share it — without waiting weeks for an edited video.”
Since launching at the University of Sydney, the platform has produced over 140,000 personalised video clips. The initiative has proven especially effective for connecting with the “Instagram generation,” providing instant results, enhancing student experience, and expanding the university’s digital reach—all without increasing administrative workload.
Christine Fairchild, Graduations Manager at the University of Sydney, will present the full case study alongside Gradcut’s co-founders at EDUtech 2025 on June 12. The session will outline how the platform supports high-volume graduations while preserving university branding and requiring no major infrastructure investment.
“Collaborating with Anastasha and Martin has been an absolute privilege,” says Christine. “This innovative solution truly captures the joy and pride of graduation day in a way that’s instant, convenient, and perfect for the digital age.”
The presentation, titled Technologies that Build Communities, will take place at 11:00 AM on June 12 at ICC Sydney, during EDUtech Expo—Australia’s largest conference for educators.
Learn More: https://edugrowth.org.au/innovation-stage-edutech-2025/
