New student management and scheduling/timetabling technology has been a common response by many universities facing large-scale change. Effective scheduling/timetabling exists at the crossroads of an institution, impacting across the various cultures and customs (in diverse areas: space utilization, teaching delivery, faculty workload management, etc.). It can also stimulate and enable changed learning environments. This presentation draws on examples from universities across Australia and demonstrates some of the innovative solutions that enable the planner to navigate the diverse cultures and customs of higher education.