As a higher education institution, how can you deliver a service that students can both enjoy and succeed in? Learn how to engage them before they even start their academic journey and ensure they can connect with your campus, both through technology and personalized content. In this article, you will find out how to improve the prospective and first year student experience.

Prospective and future students

Here are some key steps you can follow to turn your prospects into students:

• Give your prospective students access to a personalized dashboard through a one time or social log in, delivering a single-sign on seamless process when they visit your institutions' website.
• Invite your prospects to a hybrid open day so that they can meet academics and current students.
• Showcase your digital campus: include virtual tours, course and accommodation information, tips on successful online learning, etc.
• Make your application process easier: enable prospects to apply through their personalized portal, communicating key contact information as required.
• Improve your communication: sending messages using push notifications and other communication features allow you to keep in contact and deliver personalized information on what your future students can expect once they become part of your community.
• Create dashboards for key student groups: target content and information for key student groups such as international students, commuter students, adult learners… 
• Gather key analytics from your learners to deliver the best service possible, introducing them to a first-class experience in the world of blended learning.

First year students

We believe that technology is critical to improving the first year experience and setting your students up for success:

• Accommodation: use your digital platform (whether it’s an app, an online portal or any other online community) to promote social groups and involvement in the Student’s Union. You can give access to different cohorts or groups within your university to post their own news updates, banners and dashboards.
• Onboarding week: build communities and promote events through videos, advertizement banners, news feeds and more. You can create and promote Fresher's week guides using your institution’s Content Management System (CMS).
• Learning resources:
  • Allow easy access to library, courses, tasks… through seamless integration. Make sure learners can borrow books online, check loans, reservations, and availability all through their library app.
  • Provide course module material by integrating your current LMS to work alongside other key academic sources.
• Careers fairs: support decision-making by providing information on the career pathways via the CMS. Connect your Alumni community for additional tips and resources.
• Professional training: surface information on key contacts, help desks and other stakeholders who can give students a helping hand, whenever they need it.
• Summer internships: set up online applications for internships and further curricular learning.
• Exams and assignments: engage your students right the way up to the exam period. Once they have passed, keep them in the loop over the summer period to retain them for the next year of study.

Discover more tools and concrete solutions to improve the first year student experience in our guide “Reimagine the First Year Student Experience: 6 Key Measures to Improve Your Strategy”.