Tag: Bridging

  • AI and Student Recruitment: Bridging Technology and Human Connection 

    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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  • Bridging borders in knowledge: the internationalisation of Chinese social sciences

    Bridging borders in knowledge: the internationalisation of Chinese social sciences

    by Márton Demeter, Manuel Goyanes, Gergő Háló and Xin Xu

    The dynamics of Chinese social sciences are shifting rapidly. As policies aim to balance domestic priorities with global integration, the interplay between China’s academic output and its international reception highlights critical challenges and opportunities. In a recent study published in Policy Reviews in Higher Education, we analyzed 8,962 publications by the top 500 most productive China-affiliated scholars in Economics, Education, and Political Science between 2016 and 2020.

    Uneven impacts across disciplines

    Our analysis reveals that most Chinese-authored works in these disciplines are published in Western-edited journals. Political Science publications often focus on China-specific topics, creating what may be interpreted as intellectual silos.

    By contrast, Economics stands out for its significant global impact, with Chinese scholars’ publications frequently outpacing the citation rates of their Western peers. Meanwhile, Education and Political Science publications from China generally attract fewer citations compared to those from the U.S., U.K., and Germany.

    Why does Economics perform so well? The field’s emphasis on data-driven, globally relevant research – addressing topics like economic policy, market dynamics, and financial crises – positions it effectively within international discourse. Substantial funding and resources further strengthen Economics’ visibility and impact.

    In contrast, Education often highlights region-specific practices that may resonate less with a global audience, while Political Science is constrained by political sensitivities and limited opportunities for broad international collaboration.

    Patterns of collaboration

    Collaboration offers another perspective of Chinese academia’s strengths and limitations. Scholars in Economics and Education often engage in diverse partnerships, with strong connections to both Western and Asian institutions. In contrast, Political Science remains more insular, with most co-authorships occurring within mainland China. This inward focus may restrict the field’s integration into global academic conversations.

    At an institutional level, hybrid collaborations – combining domestic and international partnerships – highlight China’s strategic approach to bridging local and global aspirations. However, the predominance of Western collaborators, particularly from the United States, underscores a continued reliance on established academic hubs.

    The duality of “siloed internationalisation”

    A significant finding of our study is the duality evident in Political Science research: while these publications often appear in international journals, their focus on China-specific issues reflects a form of “scientific nationalism”. This approach limits their global engagement, confining them to niche scholarly communities rather than positioning them as contributors to broader, international dialogues.

    The “international in format but national in essence” approach underscores a broader challenge for Chinese academia. It must navigate the tension between adhering to global visibility standards while championing non-Western perspectives and priorities.

    Policy and practical implications

    Our findings also carry critical implications for policymakers, institutions, and global academic networks. For China, fostering more diverse collaborations – beyond traditional Western partners – can reduce overreliance on dominant paradigms and contribute to a more equitable global knowledge production system. Initiatives with an emphasis on partnerships with Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Eastern Europe, could play a key role in reshaping these dynamics.

    We believe that, for the global academic community, greater inclusivity requires deliberate efforts to decenter Western paradigms. Platforms that ensure equitable participation and strategies to protect collaborations from geopolitical tensions are vital for sustaining open and impactful scientific exchange.

    Looking forward

    The field of Economics exemplifies how targeted investment and international integration can amplify visibility and impact. To replicate this success in Education and Political Science, expanding international collaboration and addressing thematic silos are essential. At the same time, global academic networks must also embrace diverse perspectives to ensure that voices from regions like China enrich rather than merely adapt to dominant discourses.

    Importantly, in an era of geopolitical uncertainty, research can serve as a vital conduit for mutual understanding and collaboration. By prioritising equitable partnerships and sustaining global dialogue, we can work toward a more inclusive and, therefore, more resilient academic ecosystem.

    Our study offers practical guidance for addressing the challenges of internationalization in Chinese social sciences, providing valuable tools for scholars, institutions, and policymakers working to advance global knowledge production.

    For more details, explore our full paper:

    Demeter, M, Goyanes, M. Háló, G and Xu, X (2024) ‘The Internationalisation of Chinese Social Sciences Research: Publication, Collaboration, and Citation Patterns in Economics, Education, and Political Science’ https://doi.org/10.1080/23322969.2024.2438240.

    Márton Demeter is a Full Professor at the University of Public Service, Budapest at the Department of Social Communication, and he is the Head of Department for Science Strategy. He has extensively published on academic knowledge production in communication studies and beyond.

    Manuel Goyanes serves as Associate Professor of Research Methods at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. His interdisciplinary work revolves around theoretically designing, and empirically testing, cutting-edge quantitative and qualitative methodological procedures to scientifically address challenging aspects of social science inquiry 

    Gergő Háló, an assistant professor at the National University of Public Service Budapest, specialises in socio-critical studies of geopolitical and gender inequalities in science, academic performance, research assessment frameworks, and higher education policies.

    Xin Xu is a Departmental Lecturer in Higher/Tertiary Education at the Department of Education, University of Oxford, and the deputy director of the Centre for Skills, Knowledge, and Organisational Performance (SKOPE). Her research focuses on tertiary education and the research on research.

    Author: SRHE News Blog

    An international learned society, concerned with supporting research and researchers into Higher Education

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