Working in over 30 universities, here at DVE we have the opportunity of seeing trends emerge within the Higher Education sector that go beyond the university and campus specific nuances.

This gives us valuable insight into where the sector is heading and what Higher Education providers need to be considering in the months and years ahead.

Trends

There are two that are prevalent at the moment:

Large-scale transformation projects are on the rise

The next stage of strategic efficiency is coming through large-scale transformation projects with many involving the implementation of software systems.

The key processes we’ve been working on transforming and automating have been admissions, course approvals and management, and credit management.

There is a definite shift to move staff onto high-value activities and utilise technology for administrative processes, this is ultimately better for staff and the students, as service focussed staff are still very much placing high levels of service and student satisfaction at the centre of what they do.

We’re Project Managing a number of technology system implementations to achieve this, coupled with student-centric process redesigns, the path to bringing efficiency through high-value work is clearer.

Greater proactivity through the sales process to engage students

There is a shift to actively encouraging students to engage and then adding value to them, instead of the traditional way of waiting for them to start the sales process and then administering the steps.

This is combined with an enhanced focus on lead generation and nurturing activities throughout a number of processes. While this is not an entirely new change, it is one that is seeing across more and more processes.

Sector Outlook

Based on observations of the Higher Education sector, we anticipate all universities will undergo complex and transformational change, particularly with the implementation of innovative technology solutions.

Transactional roles will become more automated, AI will start dominating and resources will be pared down. The ideal scenario will be to have effective and efficient staff, undertaking enriching jobs that they enjoy and that add value to students and the university.

If you have Professional Development funds available, consider staff training and development options, capability building programs and continuous improvement activities – now!  Feel free to call us to discuss.