With the higher education enrollment cliff looming, it’s crucial everyone, including IT, help attract and retain students. But where do you focus digital transformation efforts?
While hybrid learning is not going away anytime soon, students crave something more from their campus experience. They are seeking environments that challenge them and foster success and community. So, here is my take on how you can fulfill these needs and bring more students to your university.
Build immersive learning environments to prepare students for their careers
Real-world experiences like internships and time in the campus broadcast studio (shout out to Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois) prepared me for the job market. These opportunities let me safely explore writing, broadcasting, and video editing in real-world settings. Prospective students will look for similar hands-on experience to ensure their success.
Healthcare is an industry with highly sought after positions and roles where hands-on experience is essential.
Immersive simulation tech can give medical students that experience and possibly an extra push to call your institution home.
Medical simulation uses advanced audio visual and unified communications (AV/UC) solutions to surround students in everyday job-related tasks and challenges.
Show students they will have many opportunities to practice their passion safely by embracing state-of-the-art medical simulation tech like:
- High-fidelity manikins to practice life-like patient interaction
- Interactive digital displays for EKGs and simulation monitoring
- Projectors for life-like person and technology interaction
- AV-over-IP for seamless connection to building devices and content sharing
Aviation is another industry on the rise. Investing in cockpit simulation can get trainees flying faster. And AVI-SPL offers a modular cockpit simulation solution that can help.
Upgrade interactive learning spaces to exceed today’s student expectations
I am a 1990s millennial who did not have a mobile phone or tablet as a kid. Today’s students are savvy digital natives. So, the modern student will have higher technological expectations than previous generations.
Leverage best-in-class collaboration technologies to exceed these expectations and help your school stand out. For your classrooms, consider:
- Interactive displays and smart boards to improve student-faculty engagement
- Mobile lecture capture technology with AI cameras for engaging classroom recordings
- Video bars, speakers and assistive listening tech to promote inclusive learning
- Devices and furniture that enhance accessibility for people of all mobilities
- AI-powered UC platforms easy engagement with remote attendees
Inspire student attendance with AV/UC solutions that meet evolving standards and advocate inclusivity.
Engage and wow with immersive communal spaces
My college experience revolved around enjoying time at the student center (Chick-fil-A Express was a game changer at Bradley) or chatting in a common area discussing an assignment. However, the spaces I congregated in were just rooms with furniture.
Adding digital displays, connected to centralized content management systems, in common areas can tell stories that catch the eye of campus visitors or remind students of their goals. Imagine:
Floor-to-ceiling dvLED video walls that showcase the university experience
Displays that highlight student achievement, promote events, and guide students across campus
Huddle room displays to help students share and interact with content
Use displays to remind students, parents, and faculty that what they do or will do at your institution matters.
Expand your student pool and grow community through esports
College is known for having sports and clubs connected to culture, interests, and career goals. My “club” was a fraternity.
A sport that is growing in interest, expanding culture and community, and supporting career goals is esports.
Esports, in some cases known as gaming, was something I enjoyed playing with my fraternity brothers. Now, there are universities with dedicated programs that compete on a national scale.
Developing or updating an eSports space can attract hobbyists, influencers, and top-tier athletes. Space designs could feature:
- Video wall scoreboards and content broadcast
- Broadcast studios to cover and stream eSports competition
- Personal monitors, headsets, and systems for gaming stations
Attract students that may not have considered your school by investing in emerging programs like eSports.
Embrace ESG advocates with sustainable AV/UC tech
In the late 2000s, my primary focus was to get to college and work on my passion. Today, students and faculty are coming to campus more informed on environmental issues. A recent study shows forty-five percent of students took environmental sustainability into account when choosing a college, and twelve percent said it was a significant factor.
Many collaboration technology solutions are designed with sustainability in mind, appealing to environmentally conscious individuals.
You can reduce your carbon footprint, ensure your tech lasts longer, and draw more people to campus by selecting and promoting the use of these solutions.
Elevate higher education digital transform efforts with AVI-SPL
AV/UC tech integration and support to ease the burden on IT and attract and engage students
Investing in modern AV/UC technology is essential to ensure your campus stands out and meets the evolving needs of students and faculty.
AVI-SPL’s collaboration technology experts can provide comprehensive AV/UC design, deployment, and management of the next wave of your infrastructure. We also have the state and national discount contracts to help you make technology upgrades faster.
Contact us for a consultation to discover how we can boost your enrollment. Together, we can:
- Use VR to design immersive learning environments
- Refresh your classrooms
- Explore the benefits of eSports
- Employ sustainable AV/UC technologies to deliver more significant ROI.
Let’s work together to shape the future of higher education.
