From recruitment to retention: rethinking the student journey with AI

By Afshin Attari, Senior Director of Public Sector & Unified Platforms, Exponential-e

Universities are operating in one of the most challenging environments the sector has faced in decades and navigating in a period of unprecedented change. Persistent financial pressures, demographic shifts, evolving student expectations, and the rapid emergence of AI are forcing institutions to rethink how they recruit, engage, and support students whilst continuing to deliver high-quality education and positive outcomes. 

In this discussion, I speak with Dr Nick Moore, Director of IT and Digital at Birmingham City University and James Smith, CIO at Middlesex University to discuss the priorities shaping strategies to support student success to build a more resilient future for higher education. 

Universities are facing significant financial challenges. What are the biggest pressures today? 

Dr Nick Moore: Universities are dealing with a fundamental imbalance between rising costs and relatively static income. We are people-intensive institutions with significant estates and infrastructure to maintain, while traditional growth opportunities, particularly around international recruitment, have become more difficult. The challenge is maintaining investment in teaching, student support, and digital infrastructure while finding efficiencies across the organisation. Institutions are now having to think much more strategically about growth and efficiency. 

Afshin Attari: Across the higher education sector, we're seeing many of the same challenges faced by commercial organisations: increasing operational costs, greater competition and growing expectations from customers. In this case, students. The challenge is finding sustainable ways to improve efficiency while continuing to deliver a high-quality experience. 

Recruitment remains a critical focus. Why should this be a continuous integration rather than a clearing-focused exercise? 

Dr Nick Moore: Clearing remains important, but it shouldn't be the sole focus. Students are making one of the biggest decisions of their lives, and they need time to understand their options. Universities should be engaging with prospective students throughout the decision-making journey rather than relying on a short recruitment window. 

James Smith: Recruitment has always been a mixed picture across the sector. Some institutions depend heavily on clearing, while others recruit predominantly through the main admissions cycle. What matters is ensuring students make informed choices. It's in nobody's best interest to recruit students who quickly discover the institution isn't right for them and subsequently leave. 

Once students arrive, retention becomes the priority. What are the biggest challenges? 

Dr Nick Moore: Retention starts with understanding students as individuals. The transition from school to university can be challenging, and students often lose the structured feedback they're used to receiving. Data and learning analytics can help identify students who may be disengaging so institutions can intervene early and provide the right support. 

James Smith: One of the challenges is scale. Universities simply don't operate like schools where staff know every student personally. We need mechanisms that help us identify who needs support and ensure the right information reaches the right people. At the same time, we have to avoid creating situations where students repeatedly explain their circumstances to multiple teams, which can be frustrating and discouraging. 

Can technology help universities provide more personalised support? 

James Smith: It can, but only if used carefully. We need specialist support services for areas such as welfare, finance and mental health, and technology should help direct students to the right expertise rather than replace it. The real challenge is often identifying students who need help but aren't actively asking for it. 

Dr Nick Moore: This is where AI can be valuable. AI has significant potential to help universities identify patterns that would otherwise remain hidden, enabling earlier intervention and more informed decision-making. However, institutions also need robust governance, transparency and appropriate safeguards to ensure AI supports rather than undermines trust.  

Used well, it can help personal tutors and support teams quickly identify students who may be at risk and understand the factors contributing to disengagement. The technology is assistive - it helps staff focus their attention where it can have the greatest impact. 

AI is dominating conversations across every sector. What role should it play in higher education? 

James Smith: I think there's a danger in assuming AI is a solution to every problem. Many organisational challenges stem from poorly defined or inconsistently executed processes. Before introducing AI, institutions need to understand and improve those processes. Otherwise, you're simply automating inefficiency. 

Dr Nick Moore: That's an important point. AI can be incredibly useful in supporting staff, but students still want human interaction. If a student wants a conversation, our responsibility is to make that conversation possible rather than automatically directing them to technology. 

Afshin Attari: The most successful AI deployments are those that augment people rather than replace them. Whether in education, healthcare or other sectors, AI is at its best when it helps organisations turn data into actionable insight and frees professionals to focus on higher-value interactions. 

Communication preferences are changing. How should universities adapt? 

James Smith: Students increasingly expect flexibility. Some want to self-serve, some prefer email, others messaging platforms. The challenge is ensuring technology supports those different preferences without creating barriers for students with more complex needs. 

Afshin Attari: Universities need to think about the entire student journey rather than individual communication channels. Students increasingly compare their university experience with the digital services they use every day. While higher education is fundamentally different from the commercial sector, there are lessons around reducing friction, improving accessibility, and providing consistent communication across the student journey. The institutions that succeed will be those that can connect those touchpoints and gain a better understanding of student needs throughout the lifecycle. 

Looking ahead, what should universities prioritise to remain resilient while continuing to deliver excellent student outcomes? 

Dr Nick Moore: Universities should focus on creating joined-up systems that support the entire student journey rather than treating recruitment, admissions and support as separate activities. The most effective solutions will be those that scale across the institution and evolve alongside student expectations. 

James Smith: My advice is simple: understand the problem before buying the technology. Too often organisations invest in a solution and only afterwards try to work out what challenge they were trying to address. A clear understanding of the problem should always come first. 

Afshin Attari: Technology has an important role to play in helping universities navigate financial pressures and rising expectations, but success depends on balancing innovation with human connection. The institutions that thrive will be those that use technology to empower staff, strengthen engagement, and ultimately improve outcomes for students. 

Building resilience for the future 

Financial pressures are unlikely to ease in the near term, making it essential for universities to invest strategically rather than simply reduce costs. As this discussion highlights, technology - including AI - can play an important role in improving efficiency, strengthening student engagement and supporting earlier intervention.  

However, long-term success will depend on maintaining trust through transparent governance, protecting meaningful human interaction, and ensuring digital innovation remains firmly focused on improving outcomes for students. Institutions that strike this balance will be best placed to meet rising expectations to enable more meaningful, personalised and effective human interactions while building resilience for the future.