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Technology Offers Opportunities to Boost Enrollment in Higher Education

Class flexibility, hands-on tech experience and streamlined communications can all be enticing to prospective students.

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Ryan Petersen has worked in publishing for more than two decades, most of it spent
creating award-winning content and strategy for CDW’s family of tech magazine brands. As
editor-in-chief, he works with his team to develop compelling and useful industry-focused
stories to share with the technology world. Outside of work, Ryan enjoys spending time with
his children, traveling, online gaming, and following Iowa Hawkeye sports and Cubs
baseball.

As higher education institutions ramp up for a new school year, many are seeing fewer students on campus than in years past. Since the pandemic, enrollment at public four-year universities has continued to drop due to a number of factors including economic challenges, a decline in youth population and fewer international students studying in the U.S.

While this information might seem discouraging, there are colleges and universities across the country using technology in innovative ways to address some of these challenges. Technology can help institutions better meet the needs and preferences of a diverse body of prospective students.

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Navigating What Higher Education Students Need

We’re telling stories of colleges and universities using technology in ways that help bring more students to campus, either online or in person.

At Oregon State University, President Jayathi Murthy has focused on growing the university’s Ecampus online learning. Ecampus welcomes learners from all 50 states and internationally and has contributed to the school being the only public university in the state to increase enrollment each year since 2020.

Students seeking flexibility in their classes might be more inclined to attend a school with remote options. At San Francisco State University, a school that helped pioneer the HyFlex learning modality, classrooms are designed to make the in-person and remote experience seamless.

Colleges and universities that offer more than just classes in in-demand fields could have a leg up when it comes to attracting students. At Fairfield University, students get hands-on experience working in the school’s security operations center, using the same technology they’ll see in the field.

At schools such as Purdue University, automation and artificial intelligence are helping make communication with prospective students easier and more efficient for all parties. Streamlining this communication can leave a positive impression on prospective students and can help deliver more information faster.

Attracting and retaining students will always be a priority for higher education institutions, and with the help of technology, colleges and universities can stay ahead of the curve.

UP NEXT: The pros, cons and unknowns of generative AI in higher education.

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