By Professor Alejandro Armellini, Dean of Education and Digital Innovation at the University of Portsmouth.
Universities want to be at the cutting edge of knowledge creation, but many are grappling with a paradox: how to harness the potential of AI while minimising its pitfalls. Done well, generative AI can help institutions run more efficiently, enhance teaching quality and support students in new and exciting ways. Done poorly, it can generate misinformation, introduce bias and make students (and staff) over-reliant on technology they do not fully understand. The challenge is not whether to use AI but how to make it work for human-driven, high-quality education.
Across the sector, institutions are already putting AI to work in ways that go far beyond administrative efficiencies. At many universities, AI-driven analytics are helping identify students at risk of disengagement before they drop out. By analysing attendance, engagement and performance data, tutors can intervene earlier, offering personalised support before problems escalate. Others have deployed AI-powered feedback systems that provide students with instant formative feedback on their writing. The impact? Students who actually improve before their assignments are due, rather than after they’ve been graded.
Concerns about the accuracy, transparency and provenance of AI tools have been well documented. Many of them operate as ‘black boxes’, making it difficult to verify outputs or attribute sources. These challenges run counter to academic norms of evidence, citation and rigour. AI tools continue to occupy a liminal space: they promise and deliver a lot, but are not yet fully trusted. AI can get things spectacularly wrong. AI-powered recruitment tools have been found to be biased against women and minority candidates, reinforcing rather than challenging existing inequalities. AI-driven assessment tools have been criticised for amplifying bias, grading students unfairly or making errors that, when left unchallenged, can have serious consequences for academic progression.
With new applications emerging almost daily, it’s becoming harder to assess their quality, reliability and appropriateness for academic use. Some institutions rush headlong into AI adoption without considering long-term implications, while others hesitate, paralysed by the sheer number of options, risks and potential costs. Indeed, a major barrier to AI adoption at all levels in higher education is fear: fear of the unknown, fear of losing control, fear of job displacement, fear of fostering metacognitive laziness. AI challenges long-held beliefs about authorship, expertise and what constitutes meaningful engagement with learning. Its use can blur the boundaries between legitimate assistance and academic misconduct. Students express concerns about being evaluated by algorithms rather than humans. These fears are not unfounded, but they must be met with institutional transparency, clear communication, ethical guidelines and a commitment to keeping AI as an enabler, not a replacement, for human judgment and interaction. Universities are learning too.
No discussion on AI in universities would be complete without addressing the notion of ‘future-proofing’. The very idea that we can somehow freeze a moving target is, at best, naive and, at worst, an exercise in expensive futility. Universities drafting AI policies today will likely find them obsolete before the ink has dried. Many have explicitly reversed earlier AI policies. That said, having an AI policy is not without merit: it signals an institutional commitment to ethical AI use, academic integrity and responsible governance. The trick is to focus on agile, principle-based approaches that can adapt as AI continues to develop. Over-regulation risks stifling innovation, while under-regulation may lead to confusion or misuse. A good AI policy should be less about prediction and more about preparation: equipping staff and students with the skills and capabilities to navigate an AI-rich world, while creating a culture that embraces change. Large-scale curriculum and pedagogic redesign is inevitable.
Where does all this leave us? Universities must approach AI with a mix of enthusiasm and caution, ensuring that innovation does not come at the expense of academic integrity or quality. Investing in AI fluency (not just ‘literacy’) for staff and students is essential, as is institutional clarity on responsible AI use. Universities should focus on how AI can support (not replace) the fundamental principles of good teaching and learning. They must remain committed to the simple but powerful principle of teaching well, consistently well: every student, every session, every time.
AI is a tool – powerful, perhaps partly flawed, but full of potential. It is the pocket calculator of the 1970s. How universities wield it will determine whether it leads to genuine transformation or a series of expensive (and reputationally risky) missteps. The challenge, then, is to stay in control, keep the focus on successful learning experiences in their multiple manifestations, and never let AI run the show alone. After all, no algorithm has yet mastered the art of handling a seminar full of students who haven’t done the reading.
Many university leaders are uneasy about the idea of personal branding. It can feel self-promotional, even uncomfortable – and it’s often a concept that jars with their personal values, the culture of their institution, and indeed their perception of how higher education itself operates.
However, personal branding should not be about ego or marketing. It’s about clarity, authenticity, and trust. In an environment where leadership visibility, credibility, and alignment with institutional values are increasingly scrutinised, shaping how you’re understood by others isn’t merely helpful, it’s essential.
So, while we’re a bit uncomfortable with the term, personal brand, we think it’s extremely important for aspiring university leaders to think about how they go about developing one for themselves.
Personal branding – it’s not just what you say about yourself
It’s perhaps worth reflecting on what Jeff Bezos has said in this context because it’s helpful:
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
Your title and role may open doors, but it’s your values, your expertise and your contribution that leave a lasting impression. Personal brand is the space you occupy in other people’s minds: your colleagues, students, and external connections. In today’s digital world, you are visible in search results, social feeds, LinkedIn and other platforms. If you’re not actively shaping your own narrative, others will do it for you – forming opinions and perceptions that may not be accurate or aligned with your values.
Why should personal branding matter for aspirational university leaders?
Thinking about your personal branding allows you to control the narrative. Essentially, if you don’t shape your story, someone else will. It allows you to build trust and credibility authentically. This is vital, we all know that a consistent, values-led brand is consonant with reliability in times of change. Where there is so much information out there, it can be a strong signal among confusion and noise. It also gives you a better handle on future-proofing your career.
Executive search companies, partnerships, board appointments all begin with discovery, and if you can’t be found, you can’t be considered. Distilling your experience and expertise beyond the role you’re in now makes moves to other roles easier. People do their homework on you, they want to know what kind of person you are, not necessarily the nitty gritty detail (although bad social media lingers) but to know that you are real. And it’s not always about a positive career trajectory to the next job. In these times your role might be at risk, and you might need to consider your next position, even beyond your current role, institution and sector.
This is about developing a personal mark, but it’s worth noting that an authentic personal brand also benefits your institution. Visible leaders attract talent and partnerships, and can draw top academics, high-calibre students, and external funders. People will engage because of what you stand for in terms of your values and your impact. And got right, it will help your students, staff, external connections and the public to be more confident about your vision and your decisions.
Equally important, a clear and visible personal brand enables you to communicate more effectively – an essential skill for building strong teams, driving change, and leading through crisis. You are future-proofing yourself, becoming a trusted authority, so that you are known for more than just your job title and credentials.
It starts with how you present yourself in meetings, working groups, committees, stakeholder meetings, even corridor conversations and incidental interactions.
Articulating your expertise beyond your job title
To be able to develop your personal brand, you need to ask yourself several questions and answer them honestly. And bear in mind that ‘showing up’ is not showing off, you can’t make a difference if you’re invisible!
Truly understand what your goals are: who you are trying to help, and what positive difference do you want to make? Understanding your reason for doing what you do makes being visible that much easier.
Do I want to make a positive difference?
What do I want to change and how?
What do I want to be known for?
Who do I want to help?
Ask yourself these questions in the context of what you want to change or influence, such as Leadership & Change Management; Equity, Diversity & Social Mobility; Research Impact & Knowledge Exchange; Student Experience & Wellbeing; The Future of Work & Skills. These should, of course, be significant topics that reflect what you want to be known for and the people or communities you aim to support.
Before you can become an authority on your topic, you need to have a proven track record of success in that area. Your credibility is built not just on what you say, but on what you’ve delivered; your demonstrable achievements and real impact that others can recognise and rely on. Without this foundation, personal branding risks sounding empty or a promissory note rather than coming from a position of authority and authenticity.
When you are speaking to others about what you are doing, it is helpful to reflect on how you should structure what you say. Make sure, for example, that you’re clear about defining the issue: speak directly to the challenges your audience faces (e.g. navigating grant applications, improving departmental culture); position the challenges. Share frameworks, tips, or toolkits you’ve developed, and humanise your advice – weave in a short anecdote or lesson learned, for example.
Do these things in the context of people you might be able to support by being more visible: students and research students, people more junior, and those wanting to get into HE, particularly those from minoritised backgrounds. Essentially, leadership isn’t just about climbing, your role should be to hold the ladder down for others.
Practical Tips
To help you maximise your impact – here are some ideas:
1. Digital Footprint Audit
Search Yourself: Google your name in incognito mode. Note the top 10 results.
Review Social Profiles: Ensure consistency of photo, headline, and bio across LinkedIn, Twitter, ResearchGate, etc.
Clean Up: Archive or delete outdated posts or profiles that conflict with your current values.
2. Think about Content, Calendar & Cadence
Plan regular outputs (blog posts, LinkedIn articles, micro-posts) aligned to your expertise, but don’t worry if you can’t maintain a consistent frequency right away.
It is important that they are insightful, add value and contribute.
Use simple tools (e.g. Trello or a shared spreadsheet) or agentive AI to track ideas, deadlines, and performance.
3. Collect Metrics & Evaluation
Engagement: Likes, comments, shares on social platforms.
Opportunities: Invitations to speak, consult, sit on panels or boards.
Search Trends: Monitor Google Analytics (if you host a blog) or LinkedIn analytics for profile views and keyword searches.
4. Network Activation
Identify, say, 10 key contacts (internal & external) each quarter to reconnect with.
Offer value first. Be gracious and share – share an article, congratulate them on their achievement, propose a brief call.
Leverage your network to co-author articles, co-host webinars, or nominate others for awards.
And avoid:
Oversharing: While transparency is good, avoid extraneous personal detail that can detract from your message.
Inconsistency: Mixed messaging erodes trust. Align every post and presentation with your core values.
Neglecting Offline Presence: A strong digital brand should be backed up by consistent behaviour in meetings and events.
Ignoring Feedback: Listen to comments, direct messages, and 360-degree reviews to refine your approach.
What Leaders Say
Professor Shân Wareing, Vice-Chancellor and CEO, Middlesex University
People are always going to draw conclusions from what they see you do, so you always need to be aware of that. I don’t use personal brand with the goal of ‘selling’ me. However, I do want to consistently communicate important and specific aspects of how I work – such as that I care about other people’s growth – and I try to align all my social media and other communications with that message.”
Professor Simon Biggs Vice Chancellor and President, James Cooke University
Senior leaders represent their organisation externally. A strong personal brand helps amplify and align their values with the organisation in public forums, industry discussions, and policy advocacy. Personal branding signals what a leader stands for ethically, strategically, and culturally. It helps align teams and attract talent who resonate with that leadership style.
Professor Theo Farrell, Vice-Chancellor, Latrobe University, Australia
I think aspiring leaders need to think carefully about the kind of leader they want to be – and this will involve reflecting on their own values, the ambitions they have for the organisation or unit they lead, and their aspiring leadership journey. For me, personal brand is simply the outward expression of this leadership ethos and style. It is expressed in communications, including social media, and also in every interaction with people inside and outside the organisation. Being consistent with your personal brand, in everything you do is important for authentic leadership. In terms of social media, the goal is to communicate your values. Being consistent is obviously important. At the same time, my experience is one of posting fewer personal reflections and more corporate content as I have become more senior, and in these senior roles increasingly represent my organisation.
And finally
Leadership and personal branding are inseparable in today’s higher education landscape. Your brand is not a luxury. It’s your strategic asset made up of your values, your story, your impact on others and ultimately your legacy.
As of 2023, more than 464 million people listen to podcasts regularly, and this number is growing each year. And with over 70% of parents listening with their children, podcasts are a communication channel your school can’t afford to overlook.
Why does this matter for education marketing?
Because parents, students, and alumni increasingly expect content that’s on demand, easy to consume, and aligned with how they already engage with other brands. A podcast offers exactly that. It provides a way to humanize your institution, give voice to your values, and build stronger relationships with your audience, all without requiring a massive budget or full production studio.
Is a school podcast worth the effort?
Here’s the reality: Schools that use podcasting strategically are finding new ways to connect with prospective families, boost engagement, and increase brand awareness. Whether you’re trying to showcase your faculty, highlight student achievements, or simply keep your community informed, a podcast gives you a direct line to your audience’s attention.
First things first, what is a podcast in school? A school podcast is an audio series created by educators, students, or staff to share news, stories, or educational content. It can highlight campus life, feature interviews, or support learning, helping schools connect with their communities in an accessible, on-demand format.
This blog post breaks down seven clear steps for launching a school podcast, from planning and production to promotion and measurement.
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Step 1: Define Your Podcast’s Purpose
Before you record a single second of audio, it’s important to answer one key question: Why are we starting this podcast?
A well-defined purpose ensures your content stays focused and impactful. Are you hoping to:
Attract and engage prospective families?
Showcase student life and culture?
Build thought leadership through staff and faculty interviews?
Strengthen alumni connections?
The most successful school podcasts have a clear audience and goal. For example, a private school may want to build trust with prospective families by featuring authentic stories from teachers and students. A language institute might use a podcast to demonstrate teaching methods or highlight student success stories. A university could aim to strengthen alumni ties through interviews and updates.
Whatever the goal, be specific. Broad intentions like “we want to communicate better” are too vague. Instead, anchor your podcast in a focused objective, be it enhancing recruitment, increasing transparency, or offering value-added resources to your community.
Once the purpose is clear, ensure leadership is aligned. Gaining buy-in from school administrators and relevant departments will give your project momentum, credibility, and cross-functional support.
Example: Yale University’s admissions office launched an official podcast called Inside the Yale Admissions Office to pull back the curtain on their application process. Their goal was to demystify college admissions for prospective students by sharing firsthand insights from actual admissions officers. Because the project aligned perfectly with Yale’s outreach goals, it had strong internal buy-in. Admissions staff themselves host the show, with support from the Dean.
Pro tip: Avoid trying to appeal to everyone. Tailor your podcast to a specific listener group and let that clarity shape your voice, content, and messaging.
Step 2: Choose the Right Format
The best podcast format is the one that plays to your strengths and fits your resources. You don’t need to copy what others are doing. What matters most is that your format fits your team and speaks to your audience.
Popular school-friendly formats include:
Interviews with staff, students, or alumni to spotlight personalities and accomplishments
Thematic episodes exploring topics like student life, curriculum innovations, or study tips.
Student-produced episodes that give learners ownership and boost engagement, or other types of user-generated content
Roundtable discussions where multiple voices weigh in on a key theme.
Example: A great illustration of a defined concept is Stanford University’s The Future of Everything podcast, produced by its School of Engineering. The show’s premise is crystal clear – each episode explores how technology, science, and medicine are shaping our lives and future. Hosted by a Stanford bioengineering professor, it follows an interview format where experts discuss innovations in fields from AI to health care. This distinctive theme and structure leverage Stanford’s academic strengths and consistently deliver on what the title promises.
Whatever you choose, aim for consistency in tone and structure. A 20-minute interview series sounds very different from a 10-minute solo voice memo, but either can be powerful if well-executed.
Remember: A podcast is more than a recording; it’s a conversation. Make space for authenticity and spontaneity to shine through.
Step 3: Build a Content Plan and Plan Episodes in Advance
Now that you’ve defined your purpose and format, it’s time to think long-term. One of the biggest mistakes new podcasters make is launching without a content roadmap. Jumping into production without a plan can lead to burnout or disjointed messaging.
Ask yourself:
What themes or topics will we cover across the season?
Which internal experts or guests should we feature?
Are there recurring segments that can anchor each episode?
A solid content calendar will help you avoid scrambling for ideas and ensure your messaging supports broader marketing campaigns (like admissions deadlines, open houses, or graduation season).
Here’s an example of a 6-episode launch plan for a K–12 school podcast:
Welcome from the Head of School
A Day in the Life of a Student
Meet Our Parent Community
Inside the Classroom: A Faculty Roundtable
From Our Alumni: Life After Graduation
How We Support Student Wellbeing
Example: At Kent State University, the Division of Student Affairs took a strategic approach when launching its podcast. They deliberately planned the first season of the podcast to coincide with the university’s virtual orientation program for new students. Because orientation had moved online (due to the pandemic), the podcast team organized a series of episodes addressing topics incoming freshmen needed, essentially turning the podcast into a fun, on-demand extension of orientation. They collaborated with the orientation staff (Destination Kent State) to ensure content was relevant and even gathered feedback from that partnership to improve the show.
Bonus tip: Batch-record your first few episodes in advance so you can launch with momentum and buffer time.
Step 4: Set Up Your Equipment and Software
Worried about needing a full recording studio? Don’t be. Getting started doesn’t require expensive equipment. Here’s a basic setup to launch your podcast with professional quality:
Essentials:
Microphone: A USB mic like the Blue Yeti or Samson Q2U delivers clear, studio-like audio.
Headphones: Avoid audio bleed and ensure consistent sound levels during editing.
Recording Software: Tools like Audacity (free) or Descript (freemium) let you easily record and edit.
Hosting Platform: Services like Buzzsprout, Podbean, or Anchor distribute your podcast to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
Tip for schools on a budget: Consider using your media or IT lab for recordings. You may already have access to podcast-friendly tools through student programs.
Example: At UC Berkeley, staff in the communications department use a variety of clever do-it-yourself strategies to produce high-quality podcasts on a tight budget, proving that high production value is possible even without a fancy studio or expensive equipment.
Step 5: Record and Edit With Your Audience in Mind
Now it’s time to hit “record.” As you begin, remember that quality matters, not just in audio clarity, but in tone, pacing, and structure.
Keep your episodes:
Concise. Aim for 15 to 30 minutes per episode. That’s long enough to deliver substance, but short enough to fit into a morning commute or lunchtime walk.
Focused. Each episode should revolve around a single topic or theme. If you have more to say, turn it into a two-part series.
Natural. Avoid reading from a script word-for-word. Outline your key points, then speak conversationally.
Editing is where your podcast becomes polished. Using editing software, you can tighten up the conversation, remove umms/uhs, add intro music or segues, and generally polish the recording. Aim to balance the sound levels between speakers and cut any extraneous digressions to keep the episode flowing. The goal is an episode that sounds natural but also stays on topic and within your desired length.
Don’t be discouraged if the first few recordings feel rough. Podcasting has a learning curve for everyone, and you’ll get more comfortable and skilled with each episode. Incorporate feedback from early listeners and continuously improve your technique.
Example: The team behind Bucknell University, which produces the College Admissions Insider podcast, began with two co-hosts from the admissions office and communications staff who had no prior podcasting experience. They weren’t trained radio personalities, but their deep knowledge of the admissions process and ability to communicate enabled them to create engaging episodes from the get-go. In their case, the hosts’ confidence and skill grew quickly as they recorded more sessions. After the first few episodes, they found their rhythm in interviewing guests and editing the content into a polished final product.
Pro tip: If editing feels overwhelming, explore student help or freelance editors. Podcast production is a great opportunity for cross-department collaboration.
Step 6: Publish and Distribute Your Podcast
With a finished episode in hand, it’s time to share it with the world. This step involves uploading your episode to your chosen podcast hosting platform and ensuring it gets distributed to all the major listening apps. The good news: once set up, this process is straightforward.
Start by choosing a podcast hosting service (if you haven’t already). There are many options – from free platforms like Anchor (Spotify for Podcasters) to paid hosts like Libsyn, Podbean, or Buzzsprout. The host is essentially where your audio files live and where your podcast’s RSS feed is generated. When you upload a new episode, your host will update the RSS feed, which in turn notifies podcast directories (like Apple Podcasts) to pull the new content.
Upload your MP3 file to the host and fill in the episode details: title, description, episode number, season (if applicable), etc. Use this metadata to attract listeners – write a clear, engaging description and include relevant keywords (e.g., “STEM education chat with our Science Department” or “Tips for college admissions interviews”). Also, upload your cover art if you haven’t already, as it will display on players.
Next, distribute your podcast. Submit the RSS feed to major platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Many hosts provide one-click distribution or guides to do this. Usually, you only need to do the submission once for each platform; after that, new episodes will appear automatically. Don’t forget any niche or regional platforms popular with your audience. Essentially, you want your school’s podcast to be available wherever listeners might look.
Example: The University of Chicago hosts its award-winning Big Brains podcast on a platform that syndicates it widely – on the official UChicago site, the podcast page prominently offers subscribe buttons for Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and even YouTube. Once UChicago uploaded episodes and submitted their feed, their content became available across all those apps. In practice, this means a parent commuting to work can pull up Apple Podcasts and find the school’s show, while a student on Android might use Spotify to listen – the experience is seamless.
“If you build it, they will come” doesn’t quite apply in podcasting. After creating a podcast for students and other members of your school’s community, you have to actively promote your school podcast so that your community (and beyond) know it exists. Promotion is an ongoing step, not a one-time task.
Here’s how to promote your school podcast effectively:
Website: Create a dedicated podcast page with episode archives and show notes.
Social Media: Share episode clips, quotes, or audiograms on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Email Marketing: Feature new episodes in newsletters or nurture campaigns.
Admissions Materials: Mention your podcast in brochures or application confirmation emails.
Student Portals and Alumni Networks: Make your episodes discoverable for internal and extended communities.
Example: Bucknell didn’t just publish episodes and hope people would find them. The university made the podcast an integral part of its outreach. They promoted it vigorously by including podcast links in emails to prospective students and parents, sharing episode clips on social media, and even running targeted online ads to reach more listeners.
Think beyond downloads: Use the podcast to reinforce messaging in other marketing assets like blog posts, webinars, or virtual tours.
Bonus Tip: Track Performance and Evolve
Like any marketing initiative, measurement is key. Use analytics tools (often provided by your podcast host) to track:
Number of downloads
Listener demographics
Episode drop-off points
Subscription growth
But don’t stop at the numbers. Solicit feedback from listeners. What do they want to hear more of? Which episodes resonated most?
Note: Your podcast will evolve. You might tweak your format, test new topics, or expand your production team. That’s a good thing. Podcasting, like all great content marketing, thrives on iteration.
Partner With HEM to Create an Authentic Podcast That Stands Out
Starting a school podcast isn’t about jumping on a trend. It’s about creating a platform to tell your school’s story in a compelling, authentic way.
Why are podcasts good for school?Podcasts are engaging, cost-effective, and easy to access. They help schools build trust, highlight culture, and communicate more personally with students, parents, and alumni, especially in today’s mobile-first world where audio content fits busy lifestyles.
In today’s crowded education market, families crave meaningful connections. They want to hear directly from your community, not just what you offer, but who you are. A podcast helps you do exactly that.
It’s a platform that humanizes your brand, showcases your values, and builds real relationships with your audience. In short, it allows your community to hear your voice, quite literally.
In a nutshell, the answer to the question “How do I make an academic podcast?” can be summed up in a few crucial steps. Start by defining your goal and audience. Choose a format, plan episodes, and use basic recording equipment or software. Feature faculty or students, keep episodes concise, edit for clarity, and publish on platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Promote it across your school’s channels.
Ready to bring your school’s story to life through podcasting? Start by defining your audience and recording a pilot episode. With each step, you’ll gain clarity and momentum.
If you’d like support planning your podcast strategy, identifying compelling topics, or aligning the content with your admissions goals, HEM is here to help.
Would you like to learn how to create a podcast for students?
Contact HEM for more information.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is a podcast in school? Answer: A school podcast is an audio series created by educators, students, or staff to share news, stories, or educational content. It can highlight campus life, feature interviews, or support learning, helping schools connect with their communities in an accessible, on-demand format.
Question: Why are podcasts good for school? Answer: Podcasts are engaging, cost-effective, and easy to access. They help schools build trust, highlight culture, and communicate more personally with students, parents, and alumni, especially in today’s mobile-first world where audio content fits busy lifestyles.
Question: How do I make an academic podcast? Answer: Start by defining your goal and audience. Choose a format, plan episodes, and use basic recording equipment or software. Feature faculty or students, keep episodes concise, edit for clarity, and publish on platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Promote it across your school’s channels.
By Sidharth Oberoi, VP of Global Strategy at Instructure.
Imagine a world where anyone who wants to work in a different city or country can simply share all their skills and learning achievements – including those obtained through formal and informal settings – in a unified, digital format with a prospective employer. Imagine employers having an easy way to verify a candidate’s diverse skills and clearly being able to identify the applicable competencies across international boundaries.
For anyone who has ever tried to work abroad and navigated all the paperwork and certification processes, this could sound like a very futuristic idea. However, this is precisely what digital learning portfolios are making possible – fostering student mobility and facilitating cross-institutional collaboration among universities worldwide to dynamise the global workforce.
A digital learning portfolio is an online collection of a student’s verified skills, qualifications and learning experiences, often captured across various formal and informal settings. By functioning as a form of digital credentialling, this portfolio allows students to document and present their learning achievements in a unified, digital format. Students can seamlessly showcase a combination of academic degrees, microcredentials, short courses and experiential learning, giving domestic or international prospective employers a more comprehensive view of their capabilities.
As more educational institutions look to expand their international reach, digital credentials present a transformational opportunity to track learning experiences and position students more competitively in the global job markets. With a structured, verifiable digital portfolio, students can demonstrate their formal and informal learning experiences in real time and highlight an array of microcredentials, skills and qualifications.
Enabling cross-institution collaboration
Global collaboration in higher education is growing steadily, marking a crucial step for universities – even as countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia impose tighter restrictions on international students. This trend highlights the increasing importance of cross-border partnerships in advancing research, innovation, and academic excellence.
Students continue to seek study-abroad opportunities and universities are increasingly partnering across borders to offer joint programmes and exchange initiatives. This has been highlighted in Europe with programmes like the European Universities Initiative. However, differing approaches to credentialling can often pose challenges. These challenges are further compounded by the fact that some institutions still rely on traditional methods—such as print and paper—to manage and distribute official transcripts and certificates. This not only slows down the process but also hinders the seamless exchange of academic records across borders.
Digital credentials and badges can help address these issues by offering a consistent and verifiable way for students to record their achievements. This consistency simplifies joint programmes, exchange students and curriculum alignment across countries. With a universal standard, students can more easily navigate international educational pathways and access opportunities that may have been limited by varying credentialing systems.
For institutions, investing in technology to leverage digital credentials and badges will streamline the process of building and strengthening global partnerships. They can provide a reliable way to attract international students, create robust pathways to global learning opportunities and ensure smooth credit transfers between institutions in different countries. This can significantly prevent credential fraud and enhance an institution’s global appeal, as students can trust that their academic achievements and skills will be recognised no matter where they go.
Transforming the global workforce
Today’s employers are gradually favouring skills over traditional degrees and looking for agility and flexibility in their hiring processes. Digital credentialling supports a skills-driven hiring process that’s more responsive to the needs of a global, fast-evolving workforce.
Digital credentials and badges will become essential for documenting and validating shorter, targeted learning experiences such as microcredentials, apprenticeships and other skill-focused learning experiences that may not necessarily fit within traditional degree frameworks. This transparency helps employers better assess candidates based on relevant, demonstrated competencies.
Supporting global workforce readiness
One of the key benefits of digital credentials is their ability to support lifelong career mobility. As people change roles, industries, and even countries throughout their careers, having the opportunity to access 24/7 digital credentials will provide them with an adaptable, portable record of qualifications. This flexibility empowers students to carry their skills and experiences with them, regardless of where their careers take them.
For these students, a digital portfolio that evolves with them throughout their lives opens doors to greater global mobility and ensures that achievements from one part of the world are recognised and respected in another, strengthening graduates’ ability to apply to job opportunities abroad, or pursue additional international degrees, short courses or microcredentials and thrive in diverse job markets.
While AI is reshaping industries by automating routine tasks, leading to the evolution of existing roles and the creation of new ones, higher education institutions must focus on the importance of lifelong learning, as continuous skill development becomes essential in an AI-driven economy.
More than ever, universities need to invest in modern cloud-based virtual learning environments that can support and scale a lifelong learning strategy, including microcredentials and digital credentials. By offering students the tools to maintain dynamic portfolios throughout their careers, institutions can better prepare graduates to succeed in an interconnected and global workforce and stay relevant.
Lifelong recognition
Education is no longer confined to traditional phases of life; it’s a continual journey of growth and adaptation. By enabling seamless transitions between learning opportunities and career stages, universities can empower individuals to thrive in a world where constant upskilling is essential, and skill recognition should go beyond the boundaries of traditional learning.
In today’s interconnected world, digital credentials and learning portfolios provide a structured way to document and share skills, supporting both students’ career ambitions and employers’ workforce needs across the globe. Institutions and employers must collaborate to integrate digital credentials into the skills journey, ensuring a seamless link between education and workforce readiness to dynamically prepare students for a global economy, paving the way for a more adaptable, skilled and mobile workforce.
By Somayeh Aghnia, Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of Governors at the London School of Innovation.
University rankings have long been a trusted, if controversial, proxy for quality. Students use them to decide where to study. Policymakers use them to shape funding. Universities use them to benchmark themselves against competitors. But in an AI-powered world, are these rankings still measuring what matters?
If we’ve learned anything from the world of business over the last decade, it’s this: measuring the wrong things can lead even the most successful organisations astray. The tech industry, in particular, has seen numerous examples of companies optimising for vanity metrics (likes, downloads, growth at all costs) only to realise too late that these metrics didn’t align with real value creation.
The metrics we choose to measure today will shape the universities we get tomorrow.
The Problem with Today’s Rankings
Current university ranking systems, whether national or global, tend to rely on a familiar set of indicators:
Research volume and citations
Academic and employer reputation surveys
Faculty-student ratios
International staff and student presence
Graduate salary data
Student satisfaction and completion rates
While these factors offer a snapshot of institutional performance, they often fail to reflect the complex reality of the world. A university may rise in the rankings even as it fails to respond to student needs, workforce realities, or societal challenges.
For example, graduate salary data may tell us something about economic outcomes, but very little about the long-term adaptability or purpose-driven success of those graduates or their impact on improving society. Research citations measure academic influence, but not whether the research is solving real-world problems. Reputation surveys tend to reward legacy and visibility, not innovation or inclusivity.
In short, they anchor universities to a model optimised for the industrial era, not the intelligence era.
Ready for the AI paradigm?
Artificial Intelligence is a paradigm shift that is changing what we value in all aspects of life including education, especially higher education, how we define learning, what we want as an outcome, and how we measure success.
In a world where knowledge is increasingly accessible, and where intelligent systems can generate information, summarise research, and tutor students, the role of a university shifts from delivering knowledge or developing skills to curating learning experiences focusing on developing humans’ adaptability, and preparing students, and society, for uncertainty.
This means the university of the future must focus less on scale, tradition, and prestige, and more on relevance, adaptability, and ethical leadership. These are harder to measure, but far more important. This demands a new value system. And with that, a new approach to how we assess institutional success.
What Should We Be Measuring?
As we rethink what universities are for, we must also rethink how we assess their impact. Inspired by the “measure what matters” philosophy from business strategy, we need new metrics that reflect AI-era priorities. These could include:
1. Adaptability: How quickly and responsibly does an institution respond to societal, technological, and labour market shifts? This could be measured by:
Curriculum renewal cycle: Time between major curriculum updates in response to new tech or societal trends.
New programme launches: Number and relevance of AI-, climate-, or digital economy-related courses introduced in the last 3 years.
Agility audits: Internal audits of response times to regulatory or industry change (e.g., how quickly AI ethics is integrated into professional courses).
Employer co-designed modules: % of programmes co-developed with industry or public sector partners.
2. Student agency: Are students empowered to shape their own learning paths, engage with interdisciplinary challenges, and co-create knowledge? This could be measured by:
Interdisciplinary enrolment: % of students engaged in flexible, cross-departmental study pathways.
Student-designed modules/projects: Number of modules that allow student-led curriculum or research projects.
Participation in governance: % of students involved in academic boards, curriculum design panels, or innovation hubs.
Satisfaction with personalisation: Student survey responses (e.g., NSS, internal pulse surveys) on flexibility and autonomy in learning.
3. AI and digital literacy: To what extent are institutions preparing their staff and their graduates for a world where AI is embedded in every profession? This could be measured by:
Curriculum integration: % of degree programmes with AI/digital fluency embedded as a learning outcome.
Staff development: Hours or participation rates in AI-focused CPD for academic and support staff.
AI usage in teaching and assessment: Extent of AI-enabled platforms, feedback systems, or tutors in active use.
Graduate outcomes: Employer feedback or destination data reflecting readiness for digital-first/AI-ready roles.
4. Contribution to local and global challenges: Are research efforts aligned with pressing societal needs amplified with advancements of AI such as social justice, or the AI divide? This could be measured by:
UN SDG alignment: % of research/publications mapped to UN Sustainable Development Goals.
AI-for-good projects: Number of AI projects tackling societal or environmental issues.
Community partnerships: Active partnerships with local authorities, civic groups, or NGOs on social challenges.
Policy influence: Instances where university research or expertise shapes public policy (e.g. citations in white papers or select committees).
5. Wellbeing and belonging: How well are staff and students supported to thrive, not just perform, within the institution? This could be measured by:
Staff/student wellbeing index: Use of validated tools like the WEMWBS (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale) in internal surveys.
Use of support services: Uptake and satisfaction rates for mental health, EDI, and financial support services.
Sense of belonging scores: Survey data on inclusion, psychological safety, and campus climate.
Staff retention and engagement: Turnover data, satisfaction from staff pulse surveys, or exit interviews.
These are not soft metrics. They are foundational indicators of whether a university is truly fit for purpose in a volatile and AI-transformed world. You could call this a “University Fitness for Future Index”, a system that doesn’t rank but reveals how well an institution is evolving, and as a result its academics, staff and students are adapting to a rapidly changing world.
From Status to Substance
Universities must now face the uncomfortable but necessary task of redefining their identity and purpose. Those who focus solely on preserving status will struggle. Those who embrace the opportunity to lead with substance – authenticity, impact, innovation – have a chance to thrive.
AI will not wait for the sector to catch up. Students, staff, employers, and communities are already asking deeper questions: Does this university prepare me for an unpredictable future? Does it care about the society I will enter after graduation? Is it equipping us to lead with courage and ethics in an AI-powered world?
These are the questions that matter. And increasingly, they should be the ones that will shape how institutions are evaluated, regardless of their position in the league tables.
It’s time we evolve our frameworks to reflect what really counts, that increasingly will be defined by usefulness, purpose, and trust.
A Call for Courage
We are not simply in an era of change. We are in a change of era.
If we are serious about preparing our learners, and our society, for a world defined by intelligent systems, we must also be serious about redesigning the system that educates them.
That means shifting from prestige to purpose. From competition to contribution. From reputation to relevance.
Because the institutions that will lead the future are not necessarily those that top today’s rankings.
They are the ones willing to ask: what truly matters now and are we brave enough to measure it?
Professor Duncan Ivison is President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester.
Almost one year into the Labour government’s term, its vision for higher education is emerging. One exciting aspect of it is the role they see universities playing in helping to drive their agenda for inclusive growth. The recently announced R&D funding commitments, including regional ‘innovation clusters’, and the Industrial Strategy, all point to the role that higher education will play in driving innovation through world-class research and producing the highly skilled graduates our life sciences, technology, defence, and creative industry sectors – among others – will require. This is good news for the sector.
Baroness Smith, Minister for Skills, and Lord Vallance, Minister for Science, have made clear that they see the core principles that will shape the UK’s higher education sector over the next five years. This includes contributing to economic growth, conducting the highest quality curiosity-driven research, helping build national capabilities in key sectors, contributing to the economic and social well-being of the regions in which we’re based, and being a global force for UK soft power through international collaborations.
This is a compelling vision and one that – at least for the University of Manchester – we are keen to support, including through our forthcoming Manchester 2035 strategy.
But in politics, vision quickly runs up against political reality, and we can also see now some of the challenges the sector will face, not least in relation to immigration and the difficult fiscal situation the government faces. The recent Immigration White Paper makes that clear.
One of the more contentious aspects of the White Paper – in addition to reducing the graduate visa route from 24 months to 18 – is the proposal for a 6% levy on international student fees.
Of course, for those of us familiar with Australian higher education policy, it is, as Yogi Bera once said, déjà vu all over again. The Australian government proposed a 2% levy on international fee income in 2023, but it was never implemented. The main purpose of that levy was to redistribute fee income from the larger, research-intensive metropolitan universities to those (mainly in the regions) who struggled to attract international students. It stalled in the Australian parliament after fierce criticism from some parts of the sector, as well as the government deciding to pursue its aims through other means.
In the UK, on the other hand, the levy seems designed to do two things. First, to generate additional revenue for the Department of Education in a very difficult fiscal environment. And second, to make manifest the contribution that international students make to the UK.
There are several things wrong with this approach if indeed these are the main justifications for it. But I recognise it’s something currently being explored, rather than already decided, and so I offer my thoughts here as part of the consultations now underway.
First, it’s striking that for a government seeking to position itself as a champion of global free trade and economic growth, they are proposing what is essentially a tax on one of the UK’s most successful export industries (worth ~£22 billion a year from higher education alone).
Second, the fact that the government doesn’t feel the public understands the contribution that international students make to the UK is deeply concerning. The short answer is that they make a massive contribution: in fact, their financial contribution and talent has been crucial not only in helping the UK maintain its global standing as a higher education powerhouse, but also to the regional and local economies in which universities are based.
There are other more specific problems with the levy too, at least for a university like mine.
For one thing, a levy assumes universities can simply pass on the additional cost to our students. But this neglects the fact that we are operating in a highly competitive international market, and a significant price increase will make us less attractive to some of the fastest-growing parts of it. Moreover, many international students might not appreciate that they are now being asked to cross-subsidise other parts of the UK’s education system, in addition to the significant contribution they are already making. One perverse consequence of a 6% increase in fees might be that we end up abandoning our efforts to diversify the countries from which we recruit and focus only on those who can afford higher fees. This will only deepen the risk that successive governments have been keen for us to mitigate.
Moreover, at Manchester at least, we have already factored in increases to our international fees to account for rising costs over the next five years. Adding 6% on top of that would be unworkable. So, we would either have to absorb most, if not all, of the levy (plus inflation), or increase our fees substantially and lose market share. Assuming that we would see very little of the levy come back to us – the history of hypothecated funding is not encouraging in this regard – this would be a major financial blow. It would also, as a result, likely generate much less income than the Department hopes. For a sector already teetering on the edge of fiscal implosion, this could be the tipping point. To put it into context: for the University of Manchester, a 6% levy would mean a potential loss of ~£43M of revenue p.a by 2029/30, wiping out the slim margin we have for reinvesting in our teaching and research. The levy does nothing to address the structural challenges facing the higher education sector. In fact, it is likely to make things worse.
But it would also undermine our ability to do the very things the government wants us to do more of. Already, international student fees help us bridge the financial gap between what we receive to teach all our students and what it actually costs, as well as the gap between the full costs of research and what funding councils and charities provide. This is under threat if we get our higher education policy settings wrong. And let’s be clear: it would hurt local students and local economies most. Almost half our students remain in Manchester after they graduate, contributing hugely to our city and region.
We are keen to contribute to the government’s vision for higher education. For example, we are spending ~£21M p.a. on helping disadvantaged students with their cost of living and studies. And from this year, we will be investing more than ever before in accelerating the commercialisation of our research and generating more student and staff start-ups, scale-ups and job creation for Greater Manchester and the country.
I understand the challenges the government faces on immigration and funding higher education. There should be no tolerance of shonky providers serving as a front for migration workarounds. And universities need to prove they are operating as efficiently as possible and collaborating in new and transformative ways – as I’ve argued elsewhere and as we’re doing with Liverpool and Cambridge.
An alternative approach to a levy would be to develop specific compacts with clusters of universities based on delivering against the government’s core priorities for HE in concrete ways – building on the new ‘innovation clusters’ in the recent R&D announcement. We’re already doing this in Greater Manchester, given the excellent collaborative culture that exists between the universities, further education colleges, and the Combined Authority. It’s a model we could scale nationally. I look forward to the discussions to come in the weeks ahead.
Nearly five years after the 2020 Universities UK report on racial harassment, the experiences of careers services staff, who shoulder the heavy lifting of employability and inclusion from Graduate Outcomes to Access and Participation and other core metrics, remain unaddressed. Leena Dattani-Demirci, Head of Student Success & Professional Development at De Montfort University, and Claire Toogood, Research and Strategic Projects Manager at AGCAS, share reflections on recent and ongoing research and resources that can help to inform change, leading to action and impact.
It is clear that existing inequity can inhibit engagement with higher education careers support, creating a vicious cycle where the students with the greatest need for these services may not take up valuable opportunities. Given the wider lack of diversity in professional services leadership and staffing, there is also a risk that higher education policy and practice will continue failing to incorporate the lived experience and diverse voices that can help to drive change.
Leena Dattani-Demirci’s current doctoral studies explore the experiences of ethnically minoritised staff within university career services, an area comparatively underexplored despite extensive research on inequalities experienced by academic staff. Her research aims to address that gap, giving voice to the lived realities of those working to support students’ career aspirations. Claire is the author of What Happens Next?, the latest report in a long-running series from AGCAS that identifies and explores disabled graduates’ employment outcomes.
Barriers and burnout
Early findings from Leena’s research highlight persistent challenges faced by ethnically minoritised staff. Drawing on 37 hours of interviews over eight months, this study explored the experiences of 21 ethnically minoritised career professionals in UK higher education. Participants worked in a wide variety of institutions, and most came from working-class backgrounds, with diverse ethnicities, faiths, and, in some cases, experiences of disability. These research participants reported exhaustion, career bottlenecks, and felt forced to leave their institutions to progress. The emotional labour of supporting minoritised students disproportionately fell on minoritised staff. Many staff felt immense pressure, particularly where the diversity of careers teams did not reflect the diversity of the student body. Career professionals described feelings of guilt for not being able to meet the demand for support from minoritised students.
Microaggressions remain commonplace: Participants described mocking of accents dismissed as “jokes” and being labelled “too sensitive” when raising concerns. “People say things and don’t think about the impact on those of us from BAME families; it stays with us,” one participant noted. Others described ill-equipped managers, promoted through time served, resulting in poor trust and under-reporting of inappropriate comments.
Performative inclusion is common: initial support for Black Lives Matter faded, and universities responded swiftly to Ukraine but remained silent on Gaza, revealing that, for many, inclusion feels conditional. One research participant highlighted how inclusion and diversity are part of the conversation around students, but not staff, “We’ve had team days where diversity and recruitment have come up for students, but if the topic moves onto our teams, it’s always shut down. People get defensive.”
Addressing oversights and inequity within careers services requires accurate data on staff demographics. Gathering the data on who works inside HE careers services is a crucial first step towards meaningful change. AGCAS recently came together with other higher education sector membership bodies to highlight why professional services staff should be included in the HESA staff record; this would support better understanding at a sector level, and lead the way for institutions.
Intersectional identity
The AGCAS “What Happens Next?” report underscores the complexity of student identities and outcomes, revealing how intersectional disadvantage can further compound employment challenges for many individuals. This year, the report included outcome evaluations incorporating ethnic background and gender alongside disability status and type. The report showed that while disabled graduates have lower rates of full-time employment than graduates with no known disability across all ethnic backgrounds, White disabled graduates are more likely to be in full-time employment than disabled graduates from any other ethnic background.
The need for joined-up approaches to careers and employability delivered by a diverse staff team is clear. We need to recognise that each individual’s identity is complex and multi-faceted, and to model equity and inclusion for students.
Looking forward
AGCAS has been working with careers professionals in their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Party, Disability Task Group, and Social Mobility, Widening Participation and Regional Inequality Working Party to develop provision that supports genuine sector-wide action in this space. A recent positive action toolkit for members offers clear insights into relevant legislation across the UK and Ireland, including practical examples of how universities and careers services can apply positive action principles. Upcoming drop-in networking sessions support AGCAS members who identify as having Black, Asian and Ethnic heritage to build contacts and develop their network. AGCAS are keen to encourage members and wider higher education stakeholders to be part of our work towards much-needed change, whilst also championing and supporting individual projects like Leena’s that move the conversation forward.
We are a collaboration between UK research-focused universities with a common purpose – to advance economic growth, prosperity, and societal wellbeing for the benefit of the places where we are located and for the wider world. Our aim in collaborating is to achieve this through excellence in research and innovation, pursued in conjunction with excellence in research-informed education and advanced skills development.
ResearchPlus is a new collaboration bringing together long-established and highly regarded research-focused universities that constitute a critical element of the broad foundation upon which the UK’s globally leading research and innovation system is built. Each of us has outstanding research teams and specialist areas that are recognised as being amongst the very best in the world, attracting global talent in staff and students, and we are essential to the success of the industrial and business ecosystems, public services, and community and cultural life in the places where we operate.
ResearchPlus universities provide a wide range of the most important UK research capabilities, as well as a number of distinctive specialisms. There are many areas in which, to drive ongoing economic, social, and technological development and to secure national interests, the UK must maintain and grow the research capacity, the related specialist education, and the advanced skills development that we provide. Most ResearchPlus universities have our foundations in successive initiatives by government and industry to invest in economic growth, through the advancement of technology and public services, and the expansion of educational opportunity and social mobility. We remain true to those missions, and we are key partners for government, businesses, and communities in re-imagining the contribution of universities to the public good as we enter the second quarter of the 21st century. We will play a vital role in delivering the ambitions of the Industrial Strategy across all eight high-growth sectors.
The need for a new voice
The UK has achieved its world-leading position in research and innovation because it has a diverse higher education system, but it needs to hear the voices of all parts of that sector if it is to maintain that position. Over the past 30 years, the sector has organised itself around representative groups with distinct missions focused on advancing specific agendas and interests. By articulating policy positions, and through their organised interventions, these groups have engaged government and have enabled understanding of their various strengths amongst a range of stakeholders, including government departments, industry research partners, inward investors, students, and others. Higher education in the UK is stronger as a consequence.
However, there is no collective voice or visibility for the research-focused universities outside the Russell Group. We see this as a problematic gap and a weakness in the system. Our collaboration seeks to address this in a complementary way that will enable us to work better with each other and with existing groups across the national research and innovation system. Several universities in our collaboration are categorised as ‘large, highly research intensive and broad-discipline universities’ by Research England, and demonstrate high levels of excellence in research, knowledge exchange, and research-informed and inclusive education. Others are more specialised, delivering excellent research in particular subject areas, or are oriented to technological research and innovation, in combination with research-informed skills education.
In bringing many of the universities of this type together, we have huge potential to deliver the UK’s research, innovation, and advanced skills agenda. We have substantial strength in these areas, and we possess both great agility and capacity for growth: we are ready and able to do much more to serve the public good. We attract a substantial proportion of public funding for research and innovation and span the UK’s cities and regions. Together we offer research that is competitive nationally and globally, that is recognised across the full breadth of disciplines and interdisciplinary fields, and much more. We provide excellent research, education, and knowledge exchange to many areas beyond the major cities across the country.
In addition to the research we conduct, we are making distinctive contributions to:
Innovation and impact
Industry partnerships and knowledge exchange
Research-informed education and advanced skills development
Civic life and community development
Cultural life and creativity
Social inclusion and social mobility
It is for this reason that we are calling our collaborative partnership ResearchPlus.
ResearchPlus will contribute to the flourishing of our communities and their people through our comprehensive collective higher education and research capabilities. By working together, we will further enhance the national research, innovation, and higher education system. We believe that collaboration and proactive engagement across our universities can drive the change and strategic coordination that is so urgently needed in the higher education system, as well as in the wider world, and we intend both to support each other and our distinctive contributions, and to be a positive voice for the whole sector and for the public good.
We are establishing ResearchPlus as a national university collaborative committed to strengthening the UK higher education sector and working together, as a partner for government, to drive UK growth, prosperity, and societal wellbeing through excellence in research, innovation, and engagement, and in research-informed education and advanced skills development.
The ResearchPlus collaborative will enable research-focused universities that are currently under-represented in the national conversation to marshal enhanced visibility and a coherent augmented voice with government and the wider public, including the media, schools, colleges, prospective students, industry, and third sector partners. The establishment of ResearchPlus will provide a collective source of information, advocacy and expertise which will aim to strengthen the whole UK higher education and research and innovation system, and public and governmental interaction with it.
ResearchPlus will be formally launched at a parliamentary event in October.
Brunel University of London
City St George’s, University of London
Keele University
Royal Holloway, University of London
SOAS, University of London
The University of Essex
The University of Hull
The Open University
The University of Sussex
Ulster University
Welcoming the formation of ResearchPlus, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP, said:
‘The UK is home to some of the best universities in the world, making ResearchPlus an exciting opportunity to bring that top talent together to solve challenges and unlock new innovations that improve lives across our country.
‘By strengthening collaboration between universities, industry and government we can break down barriers to opportunity and work together to drive the economic growth that is central to the Government’s Plan for Change.‘
Higher education enrollment no longer begins with a handshake on campus; it starts the moment a student finds your website. That first digital interaction sets the tone for everything that follows. If the process feels outdated, impersonal, or clunky, students move on.
Modern applicants are tech-native. They expect fast responses, personalized support, and mobile-first tools that feel like the apps they use every day. Schools that deliver that level of experience build trust and convert more students. Those that don’t? They lose out, often silently.
A well-built student portal is your opportunity to meet those expectations head-on. It centralizes the entire admissions process, from initial inquiry to application to enrollment, into one streamlined, student-friendly platform. It also reduces stress, automates admin work, and gives admissions teams the tools they need to focus on students instead of paperwork.
This blog post breaks down how a modern portal transforms the student experience and what your institution needs to build one that works.
Looking for an all-in-one student information and CRM solution tailored to the education sector?
Try the HEM Student Portal!
What Is a Student Portal?
A student portal is more than an application tool. It’s a fully integrated digital experience that connects prospective students with your institution at every stage of their journey. The best portals:
Guide students through applying, uploading documents, paying fees, and accepting offers
Offer real-time updates and personalized communication
Integrate with back-end systems to eliminate double entry and bottlenecks
In short, it simplifies life for students while maximizing your admissions team’s productivity.
What is the purpose of a student portal application tool? A student portal provides a centralized, secure platform for applicants and students to access essential services, like submitting documents, tracking applications, receiving updates, and completing enrollment tasks, streamlining communication between the institution and the student.
Why Student Portals Matter More Than Ever
The rise of Gen Z and Gen Alpha has transformed expectations. These are digital natives. They don’t tolerate friction, and they certainly don’t want to print forms or play email tag with admissions.
To put this into context, nearly 70% of students believe their university’s digital experience should match the quality of commercial platforms like Amazon or Facebook.
And it’s not just about convenience. A poor online experience can actively damage your brand and lead to lost enrollments. Whether you’re a large research university or a small career college, students expect you to meet them where they already are: online, on-demand, and on mobile.
A New Standard: Digital-First From First Click
The student journey doesn’t begin with an application form. It starts at the moment of first contact; usually a website visit, ad click, or social media link. A well-designed student portal captures this moment and turns it into momentum.
Replicating the admissions process online is all about providing prospective students with a valuable experience from the moment they land on your website until the day they start their courses.
That starts with smart lead capture tools:
“Download a brochure.”
“Schedule a virtual tour.”
“Chat with our admissions team.”
“Apply now.”
Each of these CTAs feeds into a connected CRM. That’s where the magic happens: the CRM begins tracking the prospect’s interests and behaviors and triggers follow-ups that feel personal, not automated.
Example: London Business School attracts applicants worldwide to its MBA program, so it streamlines the process by funneling everything through its online system. In fact, the school states that its “preferred format for receiving applications is via our online portal.” London Business School sends accepted candidates a series of email workflows that highlight unique aspects of the LBS experience, including video messages from faculty. These aren’t generic updates; they’re trust-building touchpoints.
From Interest to Application: Streamlining the Process
How does a student portal improve the admissions process? A student portal automates manual tasks, improves application visibility, accelerates document collection, and enhances communication. This reduces staff workload and provides a seamless experience for students, resulting in higher conversion rates and faster admissions cycles.
Once a student decides to apply, the expectations only grow. They want simplicity. They want speed. And they want control.
A modern student portal delivers all three by centralizing the application process into a single, intuitive interface. Students can:
Create an account
Save progress and return later
Upload documents (transcripts, ID, essays)
Track their application status in real-time
Pay application fees securely
Example: Keio Academy of New York (a boarding school with students from over 30 countries) manages its intake via a dedicated Admissions Portal. Applicants create an account and complete all steps through the portal, downloading required forms and submitting their documents online. Importantly, exam results and admission decisions are posted on Keio’s portal as well; they do not send results by postal mail.
What students expect in a digital application portal:
A secure login system
A mobile-friendly design
Dynamic forms with autosave
Document upload support
Progress tracking
In-portal or multi-channel messaging
Transparent decision notifications
Example: University of British Columbia’s Applicant Service Centre provides a 24/7 window into one’s application. Applicants can log in to see real-time status updates, upcoming deadlines, and any outstanding items or fees needed to complete their file. Once admitted, UBC uses the same portal to guide students through the next steps: from accepting the offer online to planning finances and registering for courses, each step is laid out in order.
Portals also cut down administrative chaos on the backend. Admissions teams benefit from CRM and SIS integration, automated workflows, and centralized communication tools. Instead of wasting time on data entry or chasing down missing documents, staff can focus on what matters: building relationships.
With centralized, automated workflows, institutions can save time and resources and improve tracking and reporting for better decision-making.
Beyond the Application: Supporting Students After Acceptance
Here’s a critical truth: admissions doesn’t end with an acceptance letter.
There’s a critical period between “You’re in!” and “I’m enrolled.” This is where many institutions experience summer melt: when admitted students silently drift away before showing up on campus.
A modern portal helps close that gap. Once accepted, students often get access to a new-student dashboard with a personalized checklist:
Confirm acceptance
Pay deposit
Submit housing preferences
Sign up for orientation
Upload immunization records
Apply for financial aid
The portal handles checklists, deadlines, and reminders, so students stay on track and don’t ghost between acceptance and enrollment.
Schools that automate this process don’t just reduce summer melt. They create a sense of structure, confidence, and connection before students even arrive.
Each task is tracked. Each deadline is visible. And the portal nudges students forward with timely reminders via email, text, or even WhatsApp.
And it’s not just about logistics. Portals can foster community through:
Access to student forums
Links to private social groups
Welcome videos from faculty or alumni
Example: Loyola Marymount University takes engagement a step further with its “Future Lions” portal for admitted students. LMU’s portal serves as a one-stop welcome platform: new Lions are reminded to log in regularly for important enrollment information, access orientation resources, and even find roommates through a dedicated matching system. By consolidating these tools, LMU’s portal is actively building a community, connecting future classmates and helping them feel at home before they even set foot on campus.
What features should I look for in a student portal? Look for CRM and SIS integration, mobile optimization, multilingual support, payment processing, real-time messaging, automated reminders, customizable dashboards, and secure document uploads.
These are the features you can’t compromise on:
1. Mobile-Optimized Application Forms
Students are on their phones, and your application process better be, too. Forms should adapt to any screen size, load quickly, and allow uploads and progress saving without hassle.
Example: Concordia University (Canada) recently replaced its old applicant site with a unified Student Hub that offers single sign-on access to all student services – from applications to course registration – in one convenient interface. This new portal features a more modern user interface and is fully mobile-responsive.
Your portal should talk to your CRM in real time. Every form submission, download, or contact should create or update a record automatically, so no prospect slips through the cracks.
Example: Georgia State University’s admissions portal doesn’t stop at the acceptance letter; it presents each admitted student with a personalized “Next Steps” checklist to smoothly transition them toward enrollment. Upon acceptance, students unlock an Intent to Enroll form in their status checklist, allowing them to confirm their enrollment online without delay. All subsequent requirements – from submitting final transcripts to signing up for orientation – are tracked through the same portal, so nothing falls through the cracks.
From applicant to enrolled student, data should flow seamlessly. Integration with your SIS means no double entry and a smoother transition into class registration, billing, and campus life.
Example: The University of Melbourne provides a one-stop solution through its portal. This student portal provides a single place for students to manage course administration and university life. In practice, that means a student logs into one dashboard for everything: enrolling in classes, viewing schedules, checking financials, and accessing support resources.
Set up triggers for missing documents, incomplete applications, or upcoming deadlines. Automated nudges keep students moving forward and reduce the load on your staff.
5. Multichannel Communication Tools
Meet students where they are: email, SMS, chat, ideally all three. Your portal should support direct messaging, automatic confirmations, and personalized updates through multiple channels.
6. Live Application Tracking
Students hate waiting in the dark. Let them see whether their application is submitted, under review, or accepted, along with their checklist status and next steps.
Example: The University of Toronto directs every applicant to its “Join U of T” portal, where they can track application status, upload documents, and receive admission decisions all in one place. About a week after applying, students get instructions to access the portal and are told to check it regularly for status updates, required documents, and eventual offers. In fact, U of T applicants even accept their offers of admission through the portal instead of mailing forms.
From transcripts to ID cards and essays: make it simple and safe for students to submit everything online. Support all common file formats and include e-signing where needed.
8. Role-Based Access for Staff
Admissions, faculty reviewers, and financial aid each group needs the right level of access. Role-based permissions let your team collaborate efficiently without compromising security.
9. Internationalization Support
If you’re enrolling global students, your portal should handle different time zones, document types, phone number formats, and (ideally) multiple languages.
Example: The International Language Academy of Canada (ILAC), which enrolls students from dozens of countries in its English programs, emphasizes a fully digital application. Prospects are invited to “start your journey” by completing ILAC’s online form and making a payment, after which they receive an electronic letter of acceptance needed for visa processing; no paper forms or international mail delays.
The portal shouldn’t stop working after admission. Use it for onboarding: orientation sign-ups, housing applications, deposit payments, and beyond. A one-stop platform improves both experience and yield.
A quick rule of thumb is, the more customizable and connected your system, the more you can reduce friction and boost results.
Example: Northwest Career College in Las Vegas is a more intimate vocational school that prides itself on personal guidance. Their admissions process blends human interaction with digital convenience: a prospective student first speaks with an admissions advisor (often by phone or in person) and only then receives an invite to the online student portal to formally apply. In doing so, Northwest ensures that every applicant gets one-on-one support in navigating requirements, while the portal handles the data capture, document uploads, and progress tracking in the background.
At Higher Education Marketing, we’ve built HEM-SP. A purpose-built student portal that integrates CRM for higher education, student enrollment systems, and behavioral analytics. It enables institutions to centralize data, improve the student experience, and meet digital expectations.
Implementing a student portal isn’t just a digital transformation; it’s a mindset shift.
You’re not just moving forms online. You’re creating a student-centric experience that matches the speed and personalization of the rest of their digital life. That makes your school more attractive, more trustworthy, and ultimately more successful.
In the era of digital admissions, a student portal is no longer a luxury; it’s rapidly becoming a standard. Institutions that modernize are already seeing:
Higher completion rates
Lower melt
Better data
More efficient staff workflows
Stronger enrollment outcomes
Those that don’t? Risk losing applicants to schools that are simply easier to work with.
Partner With Hem for Success
From the first click to the first day, every moment matters. A student portal connects those moments into one seamless experience.
It’s the digital front door. The application guide. The welcome mat. The checklist. The counselor. The map.
When built right, it becomes more than software; it becomes part of your institutional promise: we’re here to make your education journey clear, personal, and achievable. Do you want help evaluating or implementing a student enrollment system that works for your institution? Get a free demo and see what HEM’s Student Portal can do for you today!
Looking for an all-in-one student information and CRM solution tailored to the education sector?
Try the HEM Student Portal!
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is the purpose of a student portal? Answer: A student portal provides a centralized, secure platform for applicants and students to access essential services, like submitting documents, tracking applications, receiving updates, and completing enrollment tasks, streamlining communication between the institution and the student.
Question: How does a student portal improve the admissions process? Answer: A student portal automates manual tasks, improves application visibility, accelerates document collection, and enhances communication. This reduces staff workload and provides a seamless experience for students, resulting in higher conversion rates and faster admissions cycles.
Question: What features should I look for in a student portal? Answer: Look for CRM and SIS integration, mobile optimization, multilingual support, payment processing, real-time messaging, automated reminders, customizable dashboards, and secure document uploads.
How much harder are university courses than school? Do you have to be naturally gifted to excel at university? For example, can you do well in scientific or mathematical degrees through just hard work, or is there more to it? Do some courses require complex skills that you may not have from school, such as high levels of intricate practical skills for medicine or engineering, which you may not have needed for your GCSE or A-Level exams?
How are lectures or seminars different to typical school lessons? How are you taught at university? How much of the learning process is taking notes, doing activities, researching, and so on? What is the environment like? For example, what are the class sizes like?
How are you assessed at university? Most assessments at school nowadays are done in an exam at the end of the course. How different is the process at a university? For example, how much of it is exams, and how much is marked work throughout the course? Does this vary with the course?
How do I pick the right course? Some people know exactly which career path they want to take, and this can be quite an easy decision for them, but many have no idea. What factors are the most important when picking a university and subject to study? Does a university’s prestige always correspond to its value to a student?
How do different courses vary from each other? Many seem to believe that some courses are easier or require less work than others, or some are much more enjoyable. Is this the case? How do contact hours with your professors differ from course to course?
What are the advantages of different types of degrees? How do hands-on qualifications such as apprenticeships compare to standard degrees? What are the benefits of part-time degrees or ‘sandwich’ courses?
What is life at a university like? What are the pros and cons of living in student accommodation? How much space and freedom do you have? Is it easy to get distracted from your studies when living amongst all your friends? What are the most important factors when choosing accommodation?
What is the work-life balance at university like? I would assume that university courses require a lot more effort than GCSEs or A-Levels. Is that always true? How much more (or less) time do you spend studying than at school? Do you have to sacrifice a social life to get good grades? Can you easily get burnt out at university? Does this vary with the course?
Are campus or non-campus universities better? What are the advantages of each? Are they better for different types of people, or the different courses that they take? Are there noticeably different atmospheres between them? For example, do you get a better sense of community at a campus university, or do you grow more independent at a non-campus university?
Is studying abroad a good idea? Most people stay in their home country to study. Is looking at universities in other countries a good idea, especially when doing a course such as languages? What are the advantages of studying abroad? Are single years abroad or exchanges a better alternative to this?
* To declare an interest, Ben Hillman is the son of Nick Hillman, HEPI’s Director.
