Digital Transformation Scenario in Higher Education

Digital strategies drive business objectives, and that includes educational institutions. Educational institutions are consistently challenged by unprecedented, market-shaping changes, student expectations, teaching deliverables, learning, and research practices. To successfully overcome these challenges, they must adopt a more business-like approach and continue doing so by maintaining a sharp brand focus , financial stability, and academic excellence with digital technology supporting these objectives and acting as a differentiator.
Educational institutions today use the newest Internet-based technologies in innovative ways to create a superior environment and experience for students, researchers, and staff. And, in this way, create differentiation from other institutions. Running the business, delivering teaching, learning, and research, and supporting stakeholder groups all depend on having the right IT infrastructure with the required robustness, flexibility, security, and mobility support.
Research indicates that the traditional university model to be disrupted by 2025. Universities aim to improve the conventional model, rather than replacing it. Leaders in university education view digital transformation as a way to improve ‘how’ the existing work is done. The definition of digital transformation encompasses a very rich set of infrastructure, applications and services, and educational institutions today seek business efficiency with the same passion as banks, retailers, and manufacturing companies. And this is supported by investment in a technology platform – the right IT infrastructure and the real-time communications and collaboration services.
Transforming student experience
Digital transformation in higher education today is focused on transforming student experience which includes

• Digital student recruitment using social media and text messaging as part of a data-driven decision process.
• Registration via student mobile phones on scalable cloud-based student information systems.
• Learning Management Solution access for students to access the courses at critical points in their academic career.
• Working with faculty and programs to convert courses to flipped and blended models.
• Applying technology to monitor student progress & success metrics and execute intervention protocols.
• Enhancing career opportunities.
• Combining data from the new digital processes to decide on and power the next transformation.

Student Lifecycle Management Solution
The Student Lifecycle Management component of the SAP Higher Education & Research solution enables cost-effective management of higher education by providing functions that covers the most of the university core processes including the planning of academic offerings, organization, and administration of students and their study data, administration of fees and grants in the student account. With the solution, Educational institutions can,

• Process student admissions, registrations, re-registration, and de-registration
• Provide online payment platform for students through self-services.
• Plan & manage academic offerings and events.
• Document academic work completed by students and determine academic progress.
• Boost student performance.
• Streamline financial management irrespective of the size and strength of the university or college.
• Manage student financials and determine higher staff productivity.
• Improve budget and grants management.
• Monitor academic progression, examination and grading.
• End-to-end student life cycle process management and mentoring.
• Support process for Maintain alumni relations.
• Automated business processes and workflows for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Security and authorization for protection of data assets.
• Centralized, on-demand reporting for academic, financial, strategic, and operational planning and compliance.
• Mobile support for anytime, anywhere self-service access to student, faculty, and alumni data.
• Academic and financial dashboards for Management team.

The SLCM solution will ensure smooth maneuvering, monitoring, and managing of the intricacies of higher education resources & performances and can help drive learning and leadership while improving the institution’s ranking and reputation.
Business Benefits

• Increased student satisfaction thanks to student-centric services.
• Enhanced competitive advantage through quicker response to changing academic needs and better course and program administration.
• Improved financial control, cash flow, and data accuracy due to more efficient planning, analysis, and data management.

Looking ahead
The future of administration in higher education is here. Higher education sector faces several challenges arising from globalization and digitization. What makes a difference is the institution’s ability to rethink its delivery models for teaching, learning, and administration quickly, and focus on student satisfaction. With easy-to-implement, adaptable solutions that focus on integration, value-added services, improved analytical insight, and excellent user experiences along the entire student lifecycle, universities & schools have considerable opportunities to excel in student retention and differentiate themselves from the competition.
As one of the largest SAP service providers globally and with a renewed focus on higher education, YASH offers unrivaled knowledge of the challenges in educational institutions. YASH can help colleges and universities to improve the support for both students and staff with the right SLCM solution– and ultimately help advance academic achievement.

• Digital Transformation
• Higher Education
• SAP
• SLCM solution