Questo

QUT identified that a significant number of students were withdrawing from their studies due to a combination of personal, academic, and financial pressures. Many of these students were either unaware of the university’s support services or found them difficult to access. Existing services were fragmented across departments and platforms, often using institutional language and systems-focused structures that felt impersonal or overwhelming.

For students experiencing critical issues like housing insecurity, mental health crises or financial hardship, the lack of a clear and accessible entry point made it harder to seek help early. For others exploring their needs — first-generation students, those returning to study, or living away from home — the pathway to proactive support wasn’t always visible. The university needed a unified, memorable and approachable way to raise awareness of what help was available and empower students to access it in a timely, informed way.

ROMEO created Questo, a powerful new front door to QUT student support services. The tool is aimed at shifting the tone of help-seeking away from administrative complexity and towards empathy, simplicity and student empowerment. Early feedback shows students feel more comfortable exploring and accessing support, with Questo helping to de-stigmatise reaching out.

As a memorable and accessible digital mascot, Questo now appears across campus and online, becoming a symbol of QUT’s commitment to student wellbeing. From playful animations to personalised content journeys, the tool has streamlined support navigation, and ensured that more students are getting help before crisis hits. In doing so, it helps QUT deliver a more supportive, connected, and inclusive student experience.