University of Canberra to overhaul student CRM

The University of Canberra is set for a major upgrade its digital services to optimise and personalise student ‘touchpoints’ as it sets about implementing new engagement and retention strategies.

A spokesperson from the university told iTnews the transformation, which forms part of the Digital Student Journey project, is aimed at improving the entire student experience from before they even enrol to after they graduate.

The university will initially be using Adobe’s MarTech platform to “provide students with more timely information” and augment a number of existing systems as part of its Digital Student Journey project.

The new platform will be hosted on Adobe Experience Manager and will be “tightly integrated with existing core systems such as the Microsoft Dynamics CRM”.

The university also used Dynamics 365 to power its chatbots Bruce and Lucy which help staff and students to manage services and answer queries.

Adobe Audience Manager will also be deployed to enable the university to tailor services to an individual student’s progress, both throughout their studies and as an alumnus.

Phase one of the project is due to be completed by the end of 2018, with phase two to be informed by student-identified priorities and further developments in the university’s strategies.

“In the long term, the university will look to streamline functionality and reduce duplication where the function can be wholly managed within the Adobe stack," the spokesperson said.

The Adobe systems will be hosted on Microsoft's Azure environment in Sydney, which she said is the first instance of Adobe being hosted on Azure within Australia.

“The university has worked closely with Adobe, Isobar and Accordant to ensure the platform is architected to give greatest flexibility in the digital transformation the university is undertaking,” the spokesperson said.

Isobar Group’s Australian chief executive Konrad Spilva said the new platform will help to “ensure intelligent, personal and relevant conversations are at the fingertips of every University of Canberra stakeholder”.