Monash University secures first new TLD

Monash University has become the first organisation in the world to be allocated a new top-level domain (TLD) by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

The university has been approved to own and operate the .monash TLD, following a lengthy review of the company’s technical, operational and financial capabilities.

Over 1900 organisations have applied for a new TLD, including Google, Apple and Amazon. ICANN is expected to progressively release the first 1000 or so new top-level domains during 2014.

Monash University VP of information and CIO Dr Ian Tebbett said the new TLD will allow the company to consolidate all its domain names under a single global identity.

“Greater control over our content and domains will strengthen our online presence and better represent Monash as a global institution,” he said.

The rollout will be conducted in stages, with the first two .monash websites due to come online in the near future. The TLD will then be gradually phased into the company’s digital presence, but the  current monash.edu website will also be maintained.

Pictured: Monash University's Menzies Building.