INTERNATIONAL STUDENT HUB
Name: Ashmandeep Kaur
Student ID: 35680945
Unit: ICT171
PROJECT PROPOSAL
This project proposes the development of a cloud-based International Student Support Website hosted on Microsoft Azure using Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). As an international student myself, I have experienced the challenges of adjusting to a new country, including understanding living expenses, managing part-time work restrictions, and accessing reliable academic and community support. This project is inspired by these real-life experiences and aims to provide a centralized platform that offers practical and relevant information for international students.
At Murdoch University, students come from over 90 different countries, reflecting a highly diverse international community (Murdoch University, 2024). This highlights the importance of accessible and reliable support systems for students from different cultural and educational backgrounds.
The proposed website will contain several key sections designed to address common needs of international students. These include a living expenses section providing general information on rent, food, and transportation costs, a study tips section to support academic success, and a work and visa guidance section explaining part-time work rules and basic requirements. In addition, the website will include a tips and tricks section that shares practical advice and everyday guidance based on student experiences. The platform will be simple, flexible, and easy to navigate, ensuring that even with basic content, users can still benefit from the information provided.
The server will be manually configured using a Linux-based virtual machine, where a web server such as NGINX will be installed and managed through command-line operations. This project demonstrates essential technical skills including cloud server deployment, system configuration, and basic web development. It also provides real-world value by addressing a genuine problem faced by international students, while allowing future expansion through additional features and improvements.
LICENSE DESCRIPTION
This project uses the MIT License, which is a simple and widely used open-source license. It allows others to use, modify, and share the project freely, as long as they give proper credit to the original creator. I have chosen this license because it supports collaboration and learning without adding unnecessary restrictions. As this project is designed to support international students, the MIT License allows others to contribute their ideas and improve the platform to help more students. Since many international students face similar challenges, this approach encourages shared knowledge and collective support while still maintaining authorship.
(c) 2026 Ashmandeep Kaur - Licensed under MIT License