Griffith University’s School of Information and Communications Technology, home to Queensland’s top-ranked artificial intelligence programme, will move from its Nathan campus into the heart of Brisbane’s CBD from 2027. The move establishes the heritage-listed Treasury Building as the state’s most significant urban technology and AI learning hub.
The transformation of the Treasury Building—formerly operated as a casino by The Star Entertainment Group and acquired by Griffith for $67.5 million—marks a major milestone in the adaptive reuse of Queensland’s heritage architecture. COX Architecture is leading the design and fitout of the iconic landmark.
The campus will welcome its first intake of students in 2027, eventually accommodating roughly 6,000 students and 200 staff members at full operation.
A building that has always shaped Queensland’s story
The Treasury Building on Queen Street is one of Brisbane’s most significant heritage-listed structures, its ornate Baroque Revival sandstone façade remaining a fixture of the CBD skyline for more than a century. It began life as Queensland’s colonial treasury, transitioned through phases as a public service building, and most recently served as a casino.
Now, it begins its next chapter as a purpose-built learning environment.
The decision to bring Griffith’s ICT school into this central space is a deliberate strategy to bridge academia and industry. Professor Ernest Foo, who leads the school, noted that the central location offers unmatched opportunities for collaboration.
“Bringing ICT students together in the Treasury Building will offer so many opportunities to build connections that they’ll take into their future careers,” Professor Foo said. “The Treasury Building will allow us to build on the work we currently do to connect students from across disciplines to collaborate and work with industry partners in real-world scenarios.”
AI and cyber security at the centre of the vision
The ICT school’s relocation anchors the Treasury’s identity as a technology hub focused on two critical disciplines: artificial intelligence and cyber security. Professor Foo explained that AI sits at the core of the school’s teaching and research initiatives.
“Artificial intelligence is one of those big disruptors in the modern world,” Professor Foo said. “It’s changing the way we work. And it’s not one of those things to be feared so much, but it’s one of those things that we can take advantage of.”
Griffith was the first university in Queensland to offer a dedicated Bachelor of Cyber Security degree, alongside its master’s programme. Professor Foo highlighted that industry demand for specialist cyber security professionals continues to outpace the supply of graduates.
“From listening to industry, we’ve found that there’s a big need for more people with that specialist knowledge. Being located in the Treasury Building in Brisbane will help us to meet that need.”
The university will run its signature industry simulation events and tech hackathons directly from the CBD campus. These practical intensives bring together students from IT, business, law, and criminology to tackle real-world digital threats, delivering the exact cross-disciplinary experience modern employers demand.
Students who are already thinking about what it means
Master of Cyber Security student Henry Ng said the Treasury Building’s combination of heritage and technology makes the move unique.
“I think it’s really interesting to see a historic building like the Treasury Building being used for a future-focused field like IT,” Ng said. “That contrast between heritage and technology makes it quite unique.”
For Ng, the CBD location changes the texture of student life by lowering the barrier to professional networking.
“Being in the CBD also means we’re closer to industry, so it creates more opportunities to connect what we learn with what’s happening in the real world,” he said. “Being in the city also means more people will see and interact with Griffith students, which builds a stronger presence and makes the experience feel more dynamic.”
This perspective reflects how modern universities are integrating directly into city infrastructure. Griffith’s teaching framework is guided by an Industry Advisory Board—a panel of sector experts who align curriculum with current industry needs to ensure graduates possess highly targeted, hirable skills.
What opens alongside ICT
The Treasury Building will not function exclusively as an AI and technology hub. The campus will also house undergraduate and postgraduate business and law degrees, alongside postgraduate and executive education programmes.
By drawing thousands of local and international students directly into the heart of the city, the central hub will inject significant economic activity into the Brisbane CBD.
The new Brisbane City campus will complement Griffith’s existing presence at South Bank, home to the Queensland College of Art and Design, the Griffith Film School, and the Queensland Conservatorium.
Construction is currently underway, and the Treasury Building campus will officially open to students in 2027.
Published 6-May-2026
