Higher education is at a crossroads, facing pressures from declining enrollments, rising costs, and growing demands for personalized student experiences. But today’s universities aren’t meeting these challenges with guesswork—they’re turning to cutting-edge technology. From AI-driven customer relationship management (CRM) systems to real-time data analytics, tech innovations are setting new standards for engagement, retention, and operational excellence.
I spoke with Craig Cornell, vice president for enrollment strategy at Liaison, and Zach Varga, vice president for client success, to understand how emerging technologies are helping institutions not only meet their enrollment goals, but also redefine their student success strategies.
Let’s break down how these technologies are driving change across four critical areas:
1. Personalized engagement through AI-driven systems.
The modern student experience demands personalization, and emerging technologies are delivering it. With AI-powered CRM systems, institutions can now anticipate student needs, tailor communications, and strengthen connections throughout the enrollment and academic journey.
Varga notes that efficiency is central to this transformation: “Automations give campus resources the ability to be more efficient with recurring tasks, which enables them to focus on more value-added efforts, particularly efforts that support direct relationship-building engagement with students.”
Cornell explains that AI tools allow universities to identify students most likely to enroll and adjust messaging in real time. For example, if a prospective student attends a virtual open house or requests program information, the system can instantly tailor follow-up communications for recruitment based on their behavior.
Beyond outreach, AI is also enhancing retention by analyzing engagement patterns — such as class attendance or participation in campus events — and alerting advisors when a student may be at risk of dropping out. This level of personalization drives higher enrollment rates while also fostering a deeper sense of belonging, thereby contributing to long-term student success.
2. Driving data-informed decisions for better outcomes.
In higher education, insight is power — and emerging technologies are providing it in real time. From admissions trends to student engagement metrics, data analytics tools are enabling institutions to make more informed decisions that directly impact academic and operational success.
However, Cornell warns that without a technology strategy, many institutions struggle to harness the full potential of their data. “Lack of a cohesive strategy for technology integration and adoption is one of the key challenges within higher education today. Institutions need to have an understanding of where they are now and where they want to be in the future in order to source the right technology solutions at the right time to support their mission.”
To overcome this, Varga and Cornell advocate for a “hub-and-spoke” model, where the central IT office controls technology integrations and outsourced staff supports individual offices. This approach, they explain, allows institutions to align technology with their goals while reducing redundant investments.
AI-powered data tools also enable predictive modeling, which helps universities identify patterns and forecast outcomes. For instance, by analyzing financial aid patterns alongside enrollment data, institutions can determine which aid packages are most effective in driving commitments from admitted students. These real-time insights empower leaders to make strategic adjustments that directly impact enrollment and retention.
3. Streamlining operations with technology-driven efficiency.
Behind every successful student experience is a well-oiled institutional machine — and technology is making that machine faster and more efficient. Automation tools, advanced analytics, and integrated CRM systems are simplifying administrative workflows, from recruitment and admissions to alumni engagement.
Varga emphasizes that the value of AI is not only in outreach but in freeing up staff to focus on mission-critical work. “Efficiency is the name of the game. Within CRM systems, there was already an initiative to implement automation, quicken processes, and become more efficient at engaging prospective students or current students,” he says. “AI-driven advancements within CRM systems have accelerated what automations were already achieving.”
Cornell offers a clear example of this approach in action: “Some campuses have found that card swipe technology is a good indicator for tracking student retention in the first year, or that a student recruit in a particular major is more likely to enroll if they attended a specific open house event, Cornell explains. “With the right tool, any dataset that the campus has can be integrated into the system and used as a predictor of student behaviors. A prescriptive intervention can then identify the right strategy to employ for an individual student.”
Operational efficiency also extends to academic processes. Universities are using data analytics to predict course demand, helping administrators allocate resources effectively and reduce over-enrollment or course cancellations. In addition, AI-powered chatbots are improving the student experience by providing instant answers to common questions, reducing the burden on support staff.
4. Promoting inclusion and equity by identifying biases.
Technology’s impact on higher education goes beyond efficiency and engagement — it is also a tool for promoting equity and inclusion. As Varga and Cornell note, technology itself is not biased; the information fed into it by humans has the potential to be biased.
“The role technology plays is not to directly address issues of equity and inclusion, but to give us quicker and better insights into the biases that exist,” Varga says. “Those insights, in turn, give humans the ability to make more informed decisions that proactively promote equity and inclusion.
AI-driven tools can help institutions identify which outreach strategies are most effective for different student populations, ensuring that underrepresented groups are reached with messages tailored to their needs. Predictive analytics can also identify students who may be struggling academically or financially, allowing institutions to intervene with support services before those students fall through the cracks.
The path forward: Strategy, partnership, and impact
As technology reshapes higher education, institutions that pair the right tools with the right strategies will lead the way. For Cornell, this begins with choosing a technology partner that understands the complexities of higher education and can align solutions with institutional goals. “The successful adoption of AI tools requires higher education institutions to determine the best strategy, with the help of the right partner, to maximize their impact on student recruitment and success,” he says.
Varga adds, “Just as CRMs were in the private marketplace long before higher education began to fully adopt those tools to advance their enrollment operations, AI is now the new technology at the doorstep of higher education.”
For today’s higher education leaders, the question is not whether to embrace these tools, but how quickly they can leverage them to drive meaningful, lasting change.
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