This blog discusses elevated student expectations and outlines how you can create better experiences by integrating the tools and platforms your university already uses.
Universities across Australia are facing a common challenge: students are raising their digital standards, and institutions are racing to keep up. A report by Great State reveals that 91% of students believe their university's digital services should match the quality of face-to-face interactions on campus.
Despite increased university investment in digital services, however, there is still a gap between student expectations and reality.
KPMG Australia’s 2024 report, Student Services in the Age of the Customer, reveals a wide gap exists between the seamless service students experience in their everyday lives and what they get from universities.
Interested in closing the gap?
In this blog, we discuss elevated student expectations and outline how you can create a seamless experience by integrating the tools and platforms your university already uses. Improving digital experiences may seem complex, but with the right tools, it’s often simpler than administrators realise.
Student Expectations in 2024 and Beyond
Today’s students expect their digital educational experiences to be simple and intuitive, looking for frictionless integration between digital and in-person learning—if they attend campus at all. UAC’s 2024 Student Lifestyle and Learning report reveals that 41% of students prefer a blended learning approach, up from 38% in 2023.
With more students studying online, even partially, the demand for a better experience increases.
On top of this, students are also raising their self-service expectations.
KPMG Australia reports that investment in an improved self-service experience is on the rise, but students are still struggling with tasks like enrolment, fees, timetabling, course and progression. These struggles stand in stark contrast to the easy self-service students experience in other areas of their lives. In fact, one study finds 70% of students say digitised universities must become as good as Amazon, Netflix, and Facebook.
How Universities Can Improve the Student Experience
Trying to keep up with tech giants might seem tough, but universities today are often more advanced in their digital journey than they realise. Covid-19 sped up digital adoption, and universities across APAC already have technology systems holding valuable data and running admin processes.
Most universities can greatly improve the student experience by taking one simple step: making information easier to access by integrating existing digital tools and platforms in one central location.
For example, right now, a student may have to navigate one platform to access course materials, another platform to submit assignments, and yet another to check their grades. By integrating these tasks into a single, intuitive digital hub, universities can make it easier for students to manage their academic lives.
In the next section, we’ll explain how you can do this.
Creating a Seamless Student Experience
A superior student experience has three ingredients:
Streamlined administration processes
Easier communication between students and faculty
Access to educational resources anytime, anywhere
Students want to log in to handle admin tasks easily, access course materials and updates quickly, stay connected with faculty and peers, and manage their academic progress with timely notifications.
As mentioned, most universities already have digital systems to manage these processes. The missing piece is integration. When systems aren’t connected, students often have to search a long time for information and log in to multiple systems just to complete simple tasks. For instance, a student might need to use one system to view assessment information and another to request an extension to the same assignment. An optimal student experience would mean this process happens from the same dashboard.
Using a Digital Experience Platform to Connect Systems
Connecting information is easy with the right digital experience platform (DXP). A DXP like Liferay DXP helps universities create, manage, and deliver personalised digital experiences across different channels, such as websites and mobile apps. Think of a DXP as a flexible tool that allows users to bring content together in the most efficient way.
For example, with Liferay DXP, universities can connect existing systems to create personalised student portals that act as hybrid learning platforms. A student portal built on Liferay DXP provides unified access to all university services through a single interface, eliminating excessive clicking and reducing confusion. This enables universities to improve their student experience instantly without completely overhauling their technology ecosystem.
Let’s take a look at some examples of how universities can use DXPs to improve three critical parts of the student experience.
Streamlining Student Administration with a DXP
Example: A first-year student navigates enrolment
Shelley, a first-year university student, is navigating the enrolment process. Traditionally, this meant using several platforms: one for filling out forms, another for uploading documents, and a different one for checking enrolment status.
A DXP like Liferay DXP simplifies this process. Shelley can create her account, enter all required information, upload documents, and track progress in one place.
The process with a DXP:
Enrolment dashboard: Shelley logs into a unified portal, where she sees a clear enrolment checklist, progress tracker, and direct links to upload required documents.
Support access: If Shelley encounters any issues, she can easily access help through the same portal, using built-in support features like chatbots or support ticket submission, ensuring quick resolution without leaving the platform.
Notifications: Shelley receives real-time notifications about important deadlines and any additional requirements.
This integration reduces the time and frustration often associated with enrolment, making the process smoother and more transparent.
Improving Communication Between Students and Faculty with a DXP
Example: Coordinating on course requirements
Emily, a student, needs to discuss a project with her professor, Dr. Smith. Traditionally, this might involve sending emails back and forth or waiting for office hours. With a digital experience platform, however, this communication can be streamlined significantly.
The process with a DXP:
Integrated messaging system: Emily and Dr. Smith use an integrated messaging feature within the university portal to exchange messages, share files, and schedule meetings.
Virtual office hours: Dr. Smith sets up virtual office hours within the platform, where Emily can book a time slot and join a video call directly from the portal.
Course updates: Emily receives notifications about course updates, assignments, and feedback through a personalised dashboard, ensuring she stays informed and can respond promptly.
By centralising communication tools within the DXP, both students and faculty can manage their interactions more efficiently, reducing delays and improving the overall educational experience.
Providing 24/7 Virtual Access to Educational Resources with a DXP
Example: Accessing lecture notes remotely
Alex is a student who needs to access lecture notes while traveling or during non-course hours. Without a centralised platform, Alex might have to navigate multiple systems or wait for email updates.
The process with a DXP:
Centralised portal: Alex logs into a single portal where all lecture notes, assignments, and course materials are organized by subject and date.
Remote access: Whether on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone, Alex can access the portal from anywhere with an internet connection.
Assignment submission: Alex can submit assignments directly through the portal, receive confirmation, and track submission status without having to switch between platforms.
This seamless access to educational resources ensures that students can continue their studies effectively, regardless of location or time constraints.
Case Study: The University of Maine System
A great example of effectively using a DXP is the University of Maine System. Serving over 40,000 students across seven universities, the University was facing challenges on a legacy version of Liferay. The University struggled with slow search functionality, lack of accessibility, and difficulty managing diverse user needs.
By upgrading to Liferay DXP, the University was able to:
Implement Single Sign-On (SSO). SSO provides secure and seamless access to internal and external resources for students, faculty, and staff.
Streamline content management. The portal enables hundreds of users to easily create, edit, and manage personalised content without technical expertise.
Enhance the user experience. Search has improved, and the platform adheres to accessibility standards.
The University of Maine System now benefits from an efficient, user-friendly portal that reduces maintenance costs and improves access to critical resources across all campuses.
Read the full case study here.
Learn More About Liferay DXP
Interested in learning more about Liferay DXP? Click here to read how we can help universities around the world transform student experiences.