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HESA’s AI Observatory: What’s new in higher education (January 31, 2025)

Transformation of education

Leading Through Disruption: Higher Education Leaders Assess AI’s Impacts on Teaching and Learning

Rainie, L. and Watson, E. AAC&U and Elon University.

Report from a survey of 337 college and university leaders that provides a status report on the fast-moving changes taking place on US campuses. Key data takeaways include the fact faculty use of AI tools trails significantly behind student use, more than a third of leaders surveyed perceive their institution to be below average or behind others in using GenAI tools, 59% say that cheating has increased on their campus since GenAI tools have become widely available, and 45% think the impact of GenAI on their institutions in the next five years will be more positive than negative.

Four objectives to guide artificial intelligence’s impact on higher education

Aldridge, S. Times Higher Education. January 27th, 2025

The four objectives are: 1) ensure that curricula prepare students to use AI in their careers and to add human skills value to help them success in parallel of expanded use of AI; 2) employ AI-based capacities to enhance the effectiveness and value of the education delivered; 3) leverage AI to address specific pedagogical and administrative challenges; and 4) address pitfalls and shortcomings of using AI in higher ed, and develop mechanisms to anticipate and respond to emerging challenges.

Global perspectives

DeepSeek harnesses links with Chinese universities in talent war

Packer, H. Times Higher Education. January 31st, 2025

The success of artificial intelligence platform DeepSeek, which was developed by a relatively young team including graduates and current students from leading Chinese universities, could encourage more students to pursue opportunities at home amid a global race for talent, experts have predicted.

Teaching and learning

Trends in AI for student assessment – A roller coaster ride

MacGregor, K. University World News. January 25th, 2025

Insights from (and recording of) the University World News webinar “Trends in AI for student assessment”, held on January 21st. 6% of audience members said that they did not face significant challenges in using GenAI for assessment, 53% identified “verifying the accuracy and validity of AI-generated results” as a challenge, 49% said they lacked training or expertise in using GenAI tools, 45% identified “difficulty integrating AI tools within current assessment systems”, 41% were challenged in addressing ethical concerns, 30% found “ensuring fairness and reducing bias in AI-based assessments” challenging, 25% identified “protecting student data privacy and security” as a challenge, and 19% said “resistance to adopting AI-driven assessment” was challenging.

Open access

Charting a course for open education resources in an AI era

Wang, T. and Mishra, S. University World News. January 24th, 2025

The digital transformation of higher education has positioned open educational resources (OER) as essential digital public goods for the global knowledge commons. As emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), reshape how educational content is created, adapted and distributed, the OER movement faces both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges in fulfilling its mission of democratising knowledge access.

The Dubai Declaration on OER, released after the 3rd UNESCO World OER Congress held in November 2024, addresses pressing questions about AI’s role in open education.

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January 31, 2025
Higher education’s outlook for 2025

If January is any indication, major changes are likely coming to the higher education sector in the year ahead. President Donald Trump has taken executive actions during the first two weeks of his second term that could have big impacts on diversity and equity initiatives, immigration and Title IX, the federal law barring sex-based discrimination in federally funded colleges.

But those aren’t the only shifts that colleges are facing. Many institutions are grappling with financial strains, and the year ahead could bring challenges that are difficult to plan for, such as climate disasters, federal policy changes and cybersecurity attacks.

This year also marks the expected peak in high school graduate numbers, between 3.8 million and 3.9 million, according to projections from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Colleges will need to prepare their budgets for the expected decline in these students in the years ahead — a 10.3% drop by 2041, WICHE estimates.

The courts could also disrupt the higher ed landscape during the year. Lawsuits working their way through the legal system have targeted everything from Biden-era regulations to the academic publishing industry.

Below, we’re rounding up our outlooks for 2025 to help guide higher ed leaders through the year ahead.

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January 31, 2025
Education Department will enforce 2020 Title IX rule
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Dive Brief:
- The U.S. Department of Education has told school districts and colleges they should follow the 2020 Title IX rule for investigating sex discrimination in schools, closing the chapter on a Biden administration rule that faced much legal turmoil.
- In a Friday “Dear Colleague” letter, Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said that under the 2020 rule, the interpretation of “sex” means being born male or female.
- The letter also clarified that any open Title IX investigations initiated under the 2024 Title IX Rule should be immediately reevaluated to comply with the requirements of the 2020 rule.
Dive Insight:

Trainor said the change is based on a federal judge’s decision in early January that struck down the 2024 rule as unconstitutional across the country. That Biden administration rule for the first time extended Title IX civil rights protections to LGBTQI+ students and employees at federally funded schools and colleges — including by prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Released in April 2024, the rule drew legal challenges, and courts blocked the regulations in at least 26 states.

Trainor also stated that the 2024 rule conflicts with a Jan. 20 executive order from President Donald Trump that requires all federal agencies and departments to recognize just two sexes — male and female — when it comes to “sex-protective” laws.

“As a constitutional matter, the President’s interpretation of the law governs because he alone controls and supervises subordinate officers who exercise discretionary executive power on his behalf,” Trainor’s letter said.

Supporters of the 2020 rule, developed under the first Trump administration, praised the letter.

Chad Wolf, executive vice president of the America First Policy Institute, said that under the 2020 rule, women and girls were “unjustly and illegally” denied access to sex-segregated athletic opportunities and intimate spaces. Linda McMahon, President Trump’s nominee for U.S. education secretary, is chair of the board at AFPI.

“Female athletes were seriously injured competing against males, and many were forced to undress in front of males,” Wolf said in a statement. “It was a misguided policy that did real harm, and this new guidance puts an end to it.”

But opponents to the 2020 rule voiced concern, saying it puts students at greater risk of harassment and discrimination.

“This is an incredibly disappointing decision that will leave many survivors of sexual violence, LGBTQ+ students, and pregnant and parenting students without the accommodations critical to their ability to learn and attend class safely,” said Emma Grasso Levine, senior manager of Title IX policy and programs at Know Your IX, in a statement. “Schools must step up to protect students in the absence of adequate federal guidance.”
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January 31, 2025
The K-12 outlook for 2025: Shifting policy, tech landscapes bring new challenges

There’s no shortage of hurdles school leaders must vault over each day. Among them: an ever-evolving influx of new technologies, threats to physical and cybersecurity, spillover from culture wars, and limited budgets. On top of that, this year brings the added challenge of a shifting policy landscape as a new presidential administration takes power.

To help you map out solutions and best practices for the year ahead, K-12 Dive has gathered our 2025 outlook coverage below as a one-stop resource on the trends impacting schools.

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January 31, 2025
Florida lawmakers pass bill to roll back in-state tuition for undocumented students
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Dive Brief:
- Florida lawmakers passed an expansive immigration package this week that would remove undocumented students’ eligibility for in-state tuition rates at public colleges.
- If signed into law, the reversal would take effect July 1. However, the legislation has intensified a growing rift between the state’s Republican lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis as they compete to show their loyalty to President Donald Trump and his goal of cracking down on immigration.
- DeSantis heavily criticized the package, saying Wednesday that it “fails to honor our promises to voters, fails to meet the moment, and would actually weaken state immigration enforcement.” The governor said he would veto it unless legislators approved more restrictive immigration measures.
Dive Insight:

For a decade, Florida has permitted undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates at public colleges if they attended their last three years of high school in the state and enrolled in higher education within two years of graduation.

Republican State Sen. Randy Fine first proposed rolling back the allowance in December as a standalone bill. In January, DeSantis cited the bill as a priority when he abruptly called a special legislative session aimed at helping Trump implement tougher immigration policies.

Florida has two public higher education systems — the Florida College System and the State University System of Florida, which oversee 28 colleges and a dozen universities, respectively.

In the 2023-24 fiscal year, just over 2,000 nonresident students attending one of the university system’s institutions received a waiver to pay in-state tuition, according to an analysis of the bill prepared by the Senate appropriations committee’s staff. In the Florida College System, the number was almost 4,600 that year. The combined discounts were valued at almost $40.7 million, it said.

The analysis did not disaggregate the student data by immigration status, and it’s unclear how many undocumented students would be affected by the revocation of the tuition waiver. One report from 2023 estimated about 40,000 undocumented students attended Florida colleges in 2021.

It’s also unclear if colleges would benefit financially from the end of the waiver, the analysis said.

“Some students who are undocumented for federal immigration purposes may choose to pay the out-of-state fee while others may choose to withdraw from school,” it said. “Institutions may experience an increase in fee revenue as students pay the out-of-state fees, or experience declines in fee revenue as those students decide to withdraw from school and are not replaced by other students.”

Republican lawmakers praised the final legislative package — given the backronym title Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy, or TRUMP, Act — and said it would help the state act in partnership with the federal government.

The bill’s sponsors in the Florida House and Senate, as well as the top Republicans in both chambers, also repeatedly invoked Trump’s name in prepared statements.

“Supporting President Trump’s mission to secure our borders, Florida stands ready to act with the most aggressive immigration policy ever introduced,” said House Speaker Daniel Perez.

Senate President Ben Albritton touted the state’s previous work on immigration.

“When it comes to cracking down on illegal immigration, Florida is already so far ahead of most states,” he said.

But in a press release two days later, DeSantis’ office dismissed the legislators’ work as a half-measure.

Republicans hold a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers of the Legislature. Typically, this supercharged influence would be unlikely to matter, as the governor’s mansion is also held by a Republican.

But DeSantis’ lack of approval adds uncertainty and diminishes the odds of the package becoming law. Without his approval, it is unclear if legislators would return to the drawing board or if enough Republicans would band together to overrule his veto.

DeSantis’ popularity within his own state party has weakened recently.

The governor’s decision to call the special session did not receive unanimous support from his peers. The dissenters criticized the move as inappropriately getting ahead of Trump’s policies.

Shortly after the session began, Florida lawmakers ended it and called their own as a means of prioritizing their goals over DeSantis’. And both Reps. Perez and Fine have publicly criticized DeSantis.

Perez suggested to the Tampa Bay Times on Thursday that DeSantis hadn’t sufficiently communicated with legislators ahead of the session. He added that “all options are on the table” to get anti-immigration legislation passed — including overriding a DeSantis veto.

The $500 million package seeks to enact measures outside of the higher education sector. It would create the position of chief immigration officer to coordinate enforcement actions with the federal government. It would also mandate the death penalty for undocumented immigrants found guilty of capital crimes — a rule that would run contrary to longstanding U.S. Supreme Court precedent and could spur legal challenges.

Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, did not mince words in response to the bill’s passage Tuesday.

“Florida Republicans have lost their damn minds this week,” Fried said in a statement. “Despite attempts from Democrats to protect students, this legislation promises to kick Dreamers out of college before they can finish their degree and gives huge bonuses to local law enforcement for working with ICE to ramp up deportations. It’s an unconscionable abuse of power for a state legislature.”
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January 31, 2025
Howard University Taps Antiracist Scholar Ibram X. Kendi to Head New Advanced Studies Institute

Howard University has appointed renowned historian and bestselling author Dr. Ibram X. Kendi to lead its newly established Institute for Advanced Study, marking aDr. Ibram X. Kendi significant expansion of the historically Black university’s research capabilities. The institute will focus on interdisciplinary research addressing global African diaspora issues, including studies on race, technology, climate change, and systemic disparities.

Kendi, a MacArthur Fellowship recipient and one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people, brings considerable scholarly credentials to the position. His appointment continues Howard’s legacy of housing influential Black intellectuals and fostering groundbreaking research on racial justice.

“This is the most fulfilling career choice I have ever made,” said Kendi, who is currently a professor at Boston University but has held teaching positions at American University, University of Florida and SUNY Albany. “I have had my eye on the Mecca my entire career, studying its history and witnessing what Howard means to the culture.”

The new institute will implement a competitive residential fellowship program, bringing together international scholars to pursue research projects across various disciplines. A unique aspect of the program pairs each fellow with a Howard student, creating mentorship opportunities while advancing research goals. The fellowship program will also be available to Howard’s faculty members.

Howard’s Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Anthony K. Wutoh said there is a strong alignment between Kendi’s work and the university’s mission.

“Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s exceptional scholarship and unwavering commitment to social justice align perfectly with Howard University’s mission and values as we deepen our scholarship on the African Diaspora,” he said.

The institute’s research agenda is ambitious, targeting persistent inequities across multiple sectors including technology, healthcare, education, environmental issues, economics, governance, and the criminal legal system. This comprehensive approach reflects Howard’s historical commitment to addressing systemic racism through scholarly inquiry.

Kendi joins Howard at the height of his academic career. His work has significantly shaped contemporary discussions about racism, with his book How to Be an Antiracist achieving international bestseller status. His earlier work, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, won the National Book Award for Nonfiction and was recently adapted into an Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary.

A trained historian, Kendi has also worked as a journalist and served for many years as a contributor to Diverse.

His appointment connects to Howard’s rich tradition of housing influential scholars who have shaped American civil rights discourse. The university’s historical roster includes figures like Charles Hamilton Houston and William Hastie, who developed legal strategies against segregation, and Francis Cecil Sumner, whose research contributed to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision.

Kendi’s publication record includes sixteen books, with ten reaching The New York Times bestseller list. His recent adaptation of Howard alumna Zora Neale Hurston’s “Barracoon” and his co-edited volume Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019″ demonstrate his commitment to preserving and analyzing Black historical narratives.

The establishment of the Institute for Advanced Study under Kendi’s leadership represents Howard’s continued evolution as a center for critical research on race and society. It also positions the university as a major powerbroker who can attract well-known Black scholars. Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist is on Howard’s faculty as well as award-winning writer Ta-Nehesi Coates, who is the Sterling Brown Endowed Chair at the university. As higher education grapples with questions of equity and inclusion, Howard’s new institute positions the university to lead scholarly discourse on these crucial issues while training the next generation of researchers and thought leaders.

The institute’s focus on mentorship through its fellowship program suggests a commitment to developing future scholars while producing cutting-edge research. University leaders said that this approach aligns with Howard’s dual mission of academic excellence and community impact, creating opportunities for both established researchers and emerging scholars to contribute to the field.

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January 31, 2025
Trump’s threat to deport anti-Israel protesters is an attack on free speech

This article originally appeared in MSNBC on Jan. 31, 2025.

The campus controversies inflamed by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack against Israel and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza have reached a worrying conclusion. Now, with President Donald Trump’s promise to deport those he deems “pro-jihadist” protesters, we’re facing questions not just about which ideas and speech should be allowed on campus, but whether foreign students should be deported for expressing disfavored views.

On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order on antisemitism that directs leaders of agencies, including the secretary of homeland security, to familiarize universities with grounds for inadmissibility for foreign nationals “so that such institutions may monitor for and report activities by alien students and staff relevant to those grounds.” Those reports will then lead “to investigations and, if warranted, actions to remove such aliens.”

This development should worry all Americans, regardless of their position on the Israel-Hamas war.

The order implies that universities should be monitoring and reporting students for scrutiny by immigration officials, including for speech that is protected by the First Amendment. It follows last week’s executive order threatening denial of entry to foreign nationals, or even deportation of those currently in the country, who “espouse hateful ideology.”

Free Speech Dispatch

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The Free Speech Dispatch is a new regular series covering new and continuing censorship trends and challenges around the world. Our goal is to help readers better understand the global context of free expression.

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Student visa holders in the U.S. already risk deportation by engaging in criminal activity, and did so long before the enactment of this order. Students who commit crimes — including vandalism, threats or violence — must face consequences, including potential revocation of visas when appropriate.

The First Amendment does not protect violence, for visitors and citizens alike, and an executive order narrowly confined to targeting illegal acts would not implicate First Amendment rights.

But a fact sheet released by the White House alongside the executive order goes well beyond criminal grounds for removal of foreign nationals to instead threaten viewpoint-motivated deportations. “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” Trump said. “I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”

If that’s what the Trump White House expects agencies to read into its formal orders, this development should worry all Americans, regardless of their position on the Israel-Hamas war.

Advocates of ideological deportation today should not be surprised to see it used against ideas they support in the future.

Our nation’s campuses are intended to be places of learning and debate that facilitate a wide range of views, even ones that some consider hateful or offensive.

This openness, albeit unpleasant or controversial at times, is a defining strength of American higher education. It’s one of the features attractive to students traveling from abroad who may hope to take part in the speech protections Americans have worked so hard to preserve. These are protections that they may very well be denied in their home countries.

We won’t protect freedom on campus by making it inaccessible to the international students who study there. But, given the warning accompanying the order, international students will now be rightfully afraid that their words — not just their conduct — are under a microscope.

There are already signs that critics of campus demonstrations expect the administration will expel protesters from the country. In the lead-up to the signing of this latest order, pro-Israel advocates claimed to be in contact with officials in the incoming Trump administration concerning lists of student protesters they hope to see deported. One group, Betar, told the New York Post it’s “using a combination of facial recognition software and ‘relationship database technology’” to identify protest attendees who are foreign nationals.

Freedom of speech was never meant to be easy.

At the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), where I work, we have seen firsthand the many speech-related controversies that have plagued higher education over the decades. In every case, adhering to viewpoint-neutral principles, rather than censorship, has been the proper solution.

If we open the door to expelling foreign students who peacefully express ideas out of step with the current administration about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we should expect it to swing wider to encompass other viewpoints too. Today it may be alleged “Hamas sympathizers” facing threats of deportation for their political expression. Who could it be in four years? In eight?

Advocates of ideological deportation today should not be surprised to see it used against ideas they support in the future.

Why (most) calls for genocide are protected speech

News

Creating a “genocide” exception to free speech only opens the door to more speech restrictions and selective enforcement.

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In Bridges v. Wixon, the Supreme Court’s 1945 decision rejecting the deportation of Australian immigrant Harry Bridges over alleged Communist Party connections, Justice William Douglas wrote, “Freedom of speech and of press is accorded aliens residing in this country.”

Later decisions from the court complicate the question. The federal government retains significant authority over those who may enter and stay in the country. But the court’s reasoning in Wixon should provide lasting guidance.

In his concurring opinion, Justice Frank Murphy stated that he “cannot agree that the framers of the Constitution meant to make such an empty mockery of human freedom” by allowing the government to deport an alien over speech for which it could not imprison him.

Freedom of speech was never meant to be easy. But it allows us the space we need to work through thorny social and political challenges, even when it’s fraught with friction and discomfort. The United States should preserve this freedom on our campuses — spaces for free learning that set us apart from more authoritarian nations around the world — not make an “empty mockery” of it.

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January 31, 2025
Statement: Trump restores crucial due process rights for America’s college students

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced today it agrees with a federal court ruling that appropriately found the Biden-era Title IX rules to unconstitutionally restrict student First Amendment rights.

Those rules, effective in August 2024, infringed on constitutionally protected speech related to sex and gender. They also rolled back crucial due process rights for those accused of sexual misconduct on campus, increasing the likelihood that colleges would arrive at unreliable conclusions during those proceedings. OCR announced it will instead enforce the 2020 rules adopted during the first Trump administration which carefully considered the rights of complainants and respondents alike, while providing robust free speech and due process protections.

The following can be attributed to Tyler Coward, FIRE lead counsel for government affairs:

The return to the 2020 rules ensures that all students — whether they are the accused or the accuser — will receive fair treatment and important procedural safeguards. That includes the right of both parties to have lawyers present during hearings, the right for both attorneys to cross-examine the other party and witnesses, and the right to receive all of the evidence in the institution’s possession. Colleges are also required to adopt a speech-protective definition of sexual harassment that enables schools to punish genuine harassment instead of merely unpopular speech.

Restoring the Trump administration’s rules means that students can once again feel secure that their rights to due process and free speech will be respected while ensuring administrators have the tools they need to punish those who engage in sexual misconduct and harassment.

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January 31, 2025
UK private schools take next step in VAT policy legal row

The case will be heard at London’s High Court April 1-3, the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents private schools in the UK, revealed this week.

It’s the latest step in its furious battle to overturn a policy – key to the Labour party’s election manifesto before it regained power in July 2024 – to start levying VAT on private school fees.

The ISC said its case, led by prominent human rights barrister Lord Pannick KC, would argue that the VAT policy “impedes access to education in independent schools” and is therefore incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

In the case, the ISC is supporting six families impacted by the policy, and the defendent in UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

The case is being heard on an expedited basis following a successful argument from Lord Pannick that parents needed certainty because they are already feeling the effects of the policy.

ISC CEO Julie Robinson said the organisation’s aim was to “protect the rights” of families and young people “who are having their choice removed from them”.

“This is an unprecedented tax on education – it is right that its compatibility with human rights law is tested,” she continued. “We believe the diversity within independent schools has been ignored in the haste to implement this damaging policy, with families and, ultimately, children, bearing the brunt of the negative impacts this rushed decision is already having.”

This is an unprecedented tax on education – it is right that its compatibility with human rights law is tested
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Reeves confirmed in October that the party would be slapping a 20% tax on fees for January 2025, leading to fears from independent boarding schools that their intake of international students could plummet.

Experts predicted that although some schools would choose to swallow the loss of revenue, most would be forced to raise their fees an average of 10-15% to cover costs.

An online private school told The PIE News earlier this month that it has seen a “five-fold” surge in interest from parents since the VAT policy was announced last year.

CEO of Minerva’s Virtual Academy, Hugh Viney, credited the rise in demand to the VAT policy, as he said the school’s fees are “good value” and much less than most private schools at under £8,500 per year – a price that has always included VAT and is therefore unchanged by the new legislation.

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January 31, 2025
AI and Student Recruitment: Bridging Technology and Human Connection
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing student recruitment, offering tools to meet the growing demands of efficiency and personalization. As higher education institutions face shrinking pools of applicants and increased competition, the ability to deliver targeted, meaningful engagement is more critical than ever. AI not only enhances how a college or university understands prospective students but also how it interacts with them at every stage of the enrollment journey.

Leveraging AI for Data-Driven Decision Making

At the core of these advancements are customer relationship management (CRM) systems like TargetX and Outcomes, which centralize student data and lay the groundwork for AI-driven insights in higher education. By integrating AI with CRMs, institutions can unlock the potential of their data to deliver smarter, more effective recruitment strategies. However, the key lies in leveraging AI to augment human effort, not replace it.

Analyzing Data for Actionable Insights

Enrollment marketing thrives on data, and AI enables institutions to transform raw information into meaningful insights. With centralized student data in place, AI tools can:
- Identify high-value prospects | Predictive modeling analyzes behaviors, such as frequent visits to financial aid resources or high engagement with email campaigns, to identify students with the greatest likelihood to enroll.
- Discover growth markets | AI uncovers patterns in geographic and demographic data, highlighting regions or populations with untapped enrollment potential. For example, data analysis might reveal an increasing interest in online programs among working professionals.
- Enhance segmentation | AI’s ability to analyze large datasets allows institutions to refine audience segmentation, enabling hyper-targeted campaigns tailored to specific student profiles.
Prescriptive Strategies for Recruitment

AI doesn’t just interpret data—it help enrollment management professionals generate actionable strategies to optimize recruitment efforts:
- Financial aid optimization | By evaluating a student’s financial profile and likelihood to enroll, AI can recommend targeted aid packages that maximize yield.
- Campaign personalization | AI suggests tailored outreach strategies, such as sending event invitations to students interested in specific programs or nudging inactive prospects with relevant content.
- Continuous improvement | Enrollment marketing campaigns benefit from AI-driven feedback loops that analyze performance data and recommend iterative improvements for future campaigns.
Enhancing the Student Journey with AI

AI in the Exploration Phase

Most prospective students begin their college search online, making search engines a critical touchpoint. AI has significantly altered how search engines present results, directly impacting recruitment efforts:
- AI-enhanced search results: Tools like Google Bard or ChatGPT increasingly offer conversational responses, summarizing key information without requiring users to click on external links. For instance, a search for “top nursing programs” might yield an AI-generated list, bypassing institutional websites.
- Adapting to AI-driven search: To stay competitive, institutions should create conversational, Q&A-style content optimized for AI algorithms. Structured data and schema markup can enhance visibility, ensuring accurate representation in AI-driven search results.
Personalization Across the Enrollment Journey

Personalization is no longer a luxury—it’s an expectation. AI enables enrollment marketers to deliver individualized experiences to potential students:
- Dynamic content | Emails, ads, and landing pages can dynamically adjust based on a student’s preferences or behaviors. For example, prospective engineering students might see content highlighting research opportunities, while transfer students encounter information about credit evaluations.
- Real-time engagement | AI-driven tools monitor student interactions and trigger timely responses. If qualified students visit a program-specific webpage multiple times, marketers can automate follow-up emails with relevant resources or event invitations.
Guiding Students Through Key Milestones

AI supports students by providing actionable, personalized guidance throughout the recruitment process:
- Next-best actions | AI-driven solutions can recommend tailored next steps, such as completing an application, scheduling a virtual campus tour, or exploring scholarship options. These nudges keep students engaged and on track.
- Proactive assistance | AI can analyze behavior patterns to identify potential barriers, such as incomplete applications, and prompt intervention. For instance, a student frequently visiting pages about financial aid might trigger outreach offering a one-on-one consultation.
Navigating the Limitations of AI

The Irreplaceable Value of Human Connection

While AI excels at data analysis and automation, human interaction remains indispensable:
- Fostering relationships | Admission counselors play a vital role in addressing nuanced questions, providing reassurance, and building trust during critical decision-making moments, all of which support student success.
- In-person engagement | Face-to-face interactions, whether through campus tours, phone calls, or personalized advising sessions, create memorable experiences that AI cannot replicate.
Challenges in AI-Generated Content

AI-generated content, while efficient, has limitations that institutions must navigate carefully:
- SEO considerations | Search engines prioritize high-quality, original content with human authorship. Over-reliance on AI-generated text can harm visibility and credibility.
- Authenticity matters | Prospective students value content that reflects institutional expertise and culture, reinforcing trust and engagement.
Striking a Balance Between Technology and Humanity

AI should enhance, not replace, human efforts. While AI handles initial outreach and data-driven recommendations, human staff focus on relationship-building and addressing complex inquiries. This synergy ensures a recruitment strategy that is both efficient and personal.

Supporting the Institutional Mission

AI is reshaping student recruitment, offering powerful tools to analyze data, personalize engagement with the right student each time, and optimize strategies. However, its limitations underscore the importance of human connection and authentic communication. By leveraging an AI-driven recruitment strategy, institutions can enhance recruitment efforts and support student success while staying true to their mission of fostering meaningful connections with prospective students.

Jess Lanning began her career in higher education at a private university where she served as director of enrollment marketing on a record enrollment team. Over her decade-long career, she has focused on strategizing and implementing digital marketing campaigns as a senior vice president of strategy and senior partnership manager for higher education-specific agencies. In these roles, she served undergraduate, adult, and graduate audiences across the verticals of paid social, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, conversion rate optimization, digital PR, and user experience. Jess now serves as a Director of Digital Strategy at Liaison and we are very lucky to have her!
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January 31, 2025