Deliver best-in-class student experiences from enrolment to graduation and beyond.
SAP

Deliver best-in-class student experiences from enrolment to graduation and beyond.

By: Aatish Shukla

Publish Date: September 12, 2023

SAP-IS-HER – A cross-departmental and cross-functional integrated platform that can help universities effectively provide research and student services.

Aspire for intelligence and run Smarter.

In an age where mobile phones outnumber humans on our planet, the landscape of education has irrevocably shifted. The Education Industry now faces the challenge of meeting the rapidly evolving demands of digitally-savvy students. This transformation has been driven by the exponential increase in the accessibility of educational content. However, the supply side, represented by educational institutions, is struggling to keep pace due to economic constraints, entrenched legacy IT systems, and unforeseen obstacles.

In economics, the demand and supply curve seeks equilibrium. In education, this balance tilts towards the demand, necessitating educational establishments to not just adapt but thrive by meeting students’ evolving needs. This involves data-driven decision-making, where analytics guide the path forward.

It’s crucial to emphasize that student success should be gauged by more than institutional metrics. Educational institutions should pivot towards becoming student enablers, fostering meaningful engagement rather than just being evaluators. Achieving this necessitates a fundamental shift in business practices, centered around students, staff, and administration, with a focus on optimizing the time, place, and platforms for engagement. This transformation journey is underpinned by technology and digitalization, propelling educational establishments towards becoming smarter and more intelligent.

Two critical factors determine student experiences.

  1. Best practices adopted by the institution- The last thing any education establishment would want is to have its students get entangled in administrative challenges. It can extend from “standing in a queue to make tuition fee payment” to “waiting for the faculty for the right academic advice”. An intelligent enterprise would use industry best practices in combination with the right technology to reduce the time spent by the student on administrative tasks and increase student involvement in the learning process.
  2. Right Experience Framework- Technology is a critical success factor in providing students with the right user experience framework. The student’s subconscious mind would always compare an institution’s self-service applications, admission application forms etc., to their favourite social media platform. The ease of accessibility, usability, and technology advancements have made the digital world intuitive and interactive. This has increased the level of engagement to unimaginable levels. Intelligent institutions will always strive to reach this milestone where students are engaged. Artificial & Augmented intelligence and machine learning would bring a different dimension to this, where students would enter minimal data, and the rest would be derived.

So, to summarize, institutions have four key aspects to consider-

  • Going Digital is no longer an option
  • Student Success & experience management shall be key differentiators
  • Real-time data analytics is the need of the hour to take prompt corrective actions
  • Ever-changing technology needs combined with the recent socio-economic crisis have led to
  • a paradigm shift from “Mobile devices in campus” to “Campus on Mobile.”

The Journey: Digital Transformation

  • The first step in the journey is to identify Key Performance Indicators and business objectives having a measurable impact on student engagement, teaching and research.
  • The next step is to realign the business process of the institution to industry best practices.

Adopting best practices would radically improve the overall efficiency of the institute. The entire exercise is outlined in the following steps:

  • Assessment and documentation of existing processes
  • Recommendation on best practices
  • Documentation of gaps
  • Roadmap for digital transformation
  • The next step is the deployment of technology aligned with business objectives. We do not consider this just another IT project as it involves the collaboration of several departments (back office and front office) on a common platform. Our skilled task force comprising management consultants with expertise in Higher Education & Research, would design & deploy technology in the institution in collaboration with them and aligned with their business objectives.

The aim is to develop one digital platform which will act as the engine to support University operations and provide the right experience to the students & stakeholders while building intelligence at the core (using Analytics, Artificial & Augmented Intelligence, and Machine learning).

SAP – Industry-Specific Higher Education & Research

SAP’s industry-specific offering for higher education and research, known as SAP-IS-HER, stands as a transformative force in academia. YASH Technologies comprehensive solution leveraging SAP-IS-HER offers a three-layered approach, carefully designed to help institutions experience seamless end-to-end transformation.

At its core, SAP-IS-HER is built upon SAP S/4 HANA, a robust foundation that supports student lifecycle management, financial oversight, and research project management. This layer is leveraged by YASH to empower universities with precise tools for tracking student progress, managing finances efficiently, and overseeing research projects and grant allocations effectively.

The second layer introduces SAP Digital Transformation Accelerators, which include features like online exams and assessments, as well as advanced analytics. These elements infuse agility and innovation into higher education institutions, allowing for streamlined assessment processes and data-driven decision-making.

What truly sets this SAP-IS-HER offering apart is its ability to integrate across departments and functions, fostering synergy within universities. Electronic document management, coupled with workforce management tools, ensures administrative processes are not just efficient but holistic. This platform empowers universities to deliver exceptional student experiences, from enrolment to graduation and beyond.

SAP-IS-HER in collaboration with YASH’s expertise adds a unique dimension to this partnership, further enhancing the solution’s effectiveness in meeting the demands of higher education institutions of today

Aatish Shukla
Aatish Shukla

Practice Head – SAP Higher Education & Research

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