Universities must offer a comprehensive, student-centric digital experience or risk decreasing student numbers

Stephanie Conville, Higher Education Lead at Codec, has been supporting universities on their digital journey and takes a closer look into how those that undergo digital transformation are creating a more responsive, inclusive, and student-centric environment, demonstrating a future where technology is supporting student success.

The digital revolution in higher education is redefining the entire student experience, from application all the way to graduation. As universities strive to create more responsive, inclusive, and student-centric environments, the recruitment process stands out as particularly critical due to being the first touchpoint between the student and the university. This article explores why adopting a digital-first approach is critical for modern-day universities, not just for the recruitment process but also for their future and long-term viability.

Going digital-first is no longer a nice to have – it’s essential

From a strategic perspective, a robust digital infrastructure positions universities to compete better on the global stage. In a time of financial challenges, a university’s reputation or global ranking can help better attract applications, especially international ones, a crucial source of diversity and funding.

Most importantly, embracing digital transformation helps universities future-proof their operations. The higher education sector faces unprecedented challenges, from changing student expectations to increased competition and funding pressures. Institutions that can adapt quickly and leverage technology effectively will be best placed to succeed, particularly at a time when student numbers have become critical to a university’s economic sustainability.

Most universities have also put internal digital strategies and roadmaps in place.  A good example is Ulster University’s 2020-2023 Digital Strategy to support the university’s operations, transformation, and growth; or Queen’s University’s 2030 Strategy that embraces leading-edge technology to enhance their digital infrastructure. Furthermore, there are GDPR laws to abide by, which have pushed universities to digitise paper-based records to enhance data security and compliance. Going digital is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s a necessary step if universities want to remain competitive, compliant, and financially viable. This is especially true in the admissions process, where students expect modern, efficient interactions.

Focus on meeting student expectations

Traditional admissions processes, however, often fall short of meeting the expectations of today’s digitally savvy students, making digital transformation even more critical. Many institutions, even prestigious ones, still rely on outdated, paper-based systems for crucial operations like admissions. This approach is inefficient and risks alienating potential students who expect seamless digital interactions in every aspect of their lives.

The Higher Education Digital Experience Report (2022) revealed that 91% of students believe that their university should offer digital services that are as strong as face-to-face services. This is a figure that universities cannot afford to ignore, and it underscores the imperative need for universities to adopt digital approaches to meet student expectations. This is one of the many reasons why higher-education organisations engage with Codec to assist in creating digital solutions that convert processes from paper into modern pixels. However, even in today’s climate, university legacies can be hard to crack.

The persistence of outdated processes in the sector highlights the complexity of the challenge. Higher education is a field in which tradition is a reputation enhancer, and yet breaking with that tradition has become the only way that they can stay relevant and competitive. Student expectations and habits have changed, and the focus must fall on aligning more closely with their needs, even if that requires a digital overhaul of long-standing processes.

What should your technology allow you to do?

The main benefit of modern-day technology stacks is that it automates processes and therefore eliminates any manual work, which reduces processing time. The first step universities should do is undertake a thorough review of their processes, identify the manual ones, and understand if these can be automated and what technology is required for that. A fast, online response to queries and information requests can make all the difference when it comes to student engagement, especially if it is their first touchpoint.

A strong first impression goes a long way, and that is particularly true when it comes to students choosing which university to attend. It is crucial to offer a user-friendly website interface that is accessible across all devices, catering to the digital-native students’ expectations. One important feature that this website should include is the ability to track applications in real time. Being able to monitor application progress through the university’s online portal enhances transparency and reduces anxiety and, in worse cases, disengagement. This self-service approach also decreases status enquiries to the admissions office, allowing staff to reduce workload stress and focus on more valuable tasks.

The most transformative feature is the enhanced analytics capability. With the right data-capturing technology in place, universities can generate comprehensive reports on application trends, demographics, and other key metrics. This data-driven approach enables more informed decision-making in recruitment strategies and resource allocation.

Creating a student-centric environment

The impact of digital transformation extends far beyond the admissions office. By adopting a holistic approach to digitisation, universities can create a more responsive and inclusive environment that supports students throughout their academic journey, not just enrolment.

The data generated by digital admissions systems holds immense value for improving the overall student experience. Universities can gain deeper insights into their student body, identify trends in program popularity, and tailor their support services accordingly. In any case, student expectations are high, with a study by TechnologyOne from 2022 showing that 70% of students expect digitised universities to be as good as platforms like Amazon, Netflix and Facebook. While this wish may seem far-fetched considering the imbalance between resources of one and the other, it exemplifies that universities should ensure that the digitisation of their processes is carried out with quality criteria in mind.

Digitisation should not be perceived as simply digitising existing manual processes – it is about evaluating the value of the processes and not being afraid to remove or replace those that are not. Most importantly, to do so with the needs of the student and not only the university or its staff in mind.

Despite the clear benefits, universities face several challenges in digital transformation, including resistance to change, high initial costs, and data security concerns. While these barriers may seem daunting, they are not insurmountable. Overcoming these hurdles requires strategic solutions, such as comprehensive training programs, a change-management strategy for staff to understand the benefits of and adopt the new digital processes, and partnerships with IT experts to ensure the whole digital transformation process runs smoothly and future-proofs operations.

A digital turning point

The digital transformation of universities is not merely a technological upgrade – it is a fundamental shift in how institutions engage with and support their students throughout their higher-education journey. The path to digital transformation is challenging but essential. The future of universities lies in their ability to embrace digital innovation, but only by putting students at the heart of every technological change and advancement.

By Stephanie Conville, Higher Education Lead at Codec