What trends will impact the higher education industry in 2025?
78% of university students polled by KPMG said that the pandemic has changed their student experience expectations, and 75% believe that the “university of the future” won’t resemble today’s institutions. Does this reflect the experience of your own students?
The higher education industry is at a tipping point. In order to increase student enrollment and retention, consider these 6 emerging trends that will impact the student experience in the coming years.
6 Trends Shaping the Student Experience in 2025
1. "The University for Me"
After the pandemic took learning online, “one-size-fits-all” pre-recorded videos and lessons quickly resulted in frustration and reluctance to pay the high enrollment fees. In fact, higher education enrollment is only now experiencing growth following years of decline during the pandemic.
To combat this, focus on your students as individuals to show the value of pursuing a four-year degree. No longer will it be sufficient to give all students the same kind of education. Instead, students want the flexibility to study when, where, and how they want.
By departing from the rigid frameworks of traditional education, delivering adaptive learning can provide dynamic and personalized approaches that evolve according to the learner’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferred learning styles.
To make adaptive learning a reality, you can leverage AI to:
- Deliver tailored learning paths that adjust to each student’s needs and progress. By analyzing data, AI algorithms can identify which instructional methods are most effective for each student and what type of content is best suited for the student’s needs. This personalization can help boost engagement and retention.
- Make real-time adjustments to the learning experience based on the student’s performance. For example, more specific materials and resources can be provided if a student is struggling with a particular concept.
- Provide instant feedback and support to students through an AI-enabled chatbot, emulating one-on-one tutoring.
- Gamify the learning process to keep students motivated and engaged.
Adaptive learning is already being leveraged to help students in universities around the world. According to a study conducted by the University of Illinois, students using personalized learning technology demonstrated an average improvement of 8-11% in their learning outcomes compared to students using traditional instructional methods. And a study conducted by EdTech Review found that students using personalized learning technology demonstrated a retention rate that was 15-20% higher compared to students using traditional instructional methods.
2. A Truly Hybrid Campus
Today’s students expect a seamless, integrated experience on-campus and online. A hybrid university is not just a compromise between traditional and online learning, but must be the new paradigm to leverage the strengths of both adaptive, personalized online learning and face-to-face experiences to help students deeply connect with their community.
Undergraduates are more likely to choose a hybrid option, with 30.5% choosing to take both online and on-campus courses and 14.8% of graduate students opting for hybrid approaches.
Additionally, according to a survey conducted in 2023, of the college students who were able to choose a hybrid course, 70% of these students were satisfied with their course. Of the students who didn’t have a choice, however, only 49% were satisfied.
Learn more about what effective hybrid student experiences can look like here.
3. Digitization of All Student Processes
Even though learning may happen online, only 5% of higher education leaders say that their daily operations are digitized, according to Workday’s global survey of senior executives across different industries. This impacts all processes, including applications, enrollment, registration, and more, even reaching to teacher and staff processes around pay, benefits, and training.
This leaves students with jarring experiences; students might be able to log online to attend their classes but have to go in person to fill out an application for financial aid or use an outdated system to pay for classes.
Digitizing doesn’t just mean moving these processes online. You need to be able to deliver a seamless, unified experience from application to graduation to set up your students for success. Having a student portal that brings all these processes, resources, and tools together not only delivers a better student experience overall but also makes management easier.
4. Virtual and Augmented Technologies for More Interactive Learning
There's a tremendous opportunity to use virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies to support students. These tools can help increase student engagement and present knowledge in a way that’s more accessible and interactive. Studies show that AR improves motivation and increases attention by nearly a third. For example, medical students learning about surgical techniques can practice using AR before performing on actual patients.
Additionally, AR and VR extend outside the bounds of the classroom so that students from anywhere can get hands-on experience. Although cost and technical maintenance must be considered, AR and VR have the potential to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of higher education.
5. The University of Tomorrow
The modern student is starting their university experience during a time when it is estimated that they will hold over 12 jobs in their lifetime. Employment experts say that the rapid change in employment and technical disruptions means that individuals need to become lifelong learners to prepare for multiple career changes. In fact, half of all workers' core skills will need to be updated every five years according to the World Economic Forum.
To better prepare students, you can shift towards micro or stackable credentials and short-term courses so that students can get a broader range of education and skills. Your institution is actually best placed to take advantage of this opportunity, as you can capture the student at the start of their tertiary education and undergraduate degree and continue to provide value throughout their career. By doing so, you provide the initial value expected of you as an educational institution as well as a pathway for future career pivots. This allows you to earn revenue from that student, not just over the first 3 to 4 years of their career, but potentially the next 30 to 50 years.
Learn more about how you can continue to serve students well past graduation by extending their lifetime value here.
6. A Culture of Wellness
Especially after the pandemic, the demand for mental health treatment on campus has increased. As a university leader, you need to think creatively as to how you can help your students, especially since counselors are inundated with higher caseloads.
In addition to telehealth and group therapy, you can connect students with a range of available services that don’t require them to wait for a counselor. For example, students could create their own wellness plans through their student portal, where they can get test-taking tips, access free seminars, or even connect with other students who may also be navigating the same issues.
It is especially necessary to train your staff and faculty to identify students in distress, given that a student may never physically step foot on campus. With remote and hybrid learning, many students only ever come into contact with their professors, so faculty members must be able to detect when a student is struggling in order to direct them to the right resources.
There’s a growing recognition of the importance of mental well-being and a commitment to providing students with the support they need to be successful. Ultimately, students are more than just a grade or a number, and the way you approach students’ mental health and wellbeing will impact how engaged and committed these students are towards their education.
Success Story: Keeping Up with Student Needs
Serving over 30,000 students across seven universities and a law school throughout Maine, the University of Maine System built a unified portal that helps students, faculty, and staff find the right resources more quickly. The MyCampus Portal continues to be a vital resource for students to enroll in classes, download important documents, and access critical tools for payment, benefits, and grades.
Meeting Student Expectations in 2025 and Beyond
The future of higher education lies in providing the experience that students want, whether that is through digital channels, hybrid classrooms, or innovative technologies. Ultimately, you need to look at how you can serve and equip your students better for the changing world ahead, ensuring your own relevance and value in the evolving digital landscape.
Discover how to empower your entire campus community – faculty, staff, students, and alumni – with enhanced digital services that streamline operations and optimize costs. Learn more here.
