Student Management is at the very core of the success of higher education institutions. Not only does student management affect student experience, but it also significantly impacts the administrative and back-office operations and processes. If you consider that many higher education institutions have hundreds if not thousands of students, managing each student’s enrolment process, course registration, finances and timetables is incredibly complex. Many institutions are turning to innovative student management software solutions to simplify this complexity. We deep dive into what a student management system is, its benefits, and how Adapt IT’s ITS Integrator software ticks all the student management boxes.
What is the importance of a student management system?
To understand the benefits of student management system software, we first need to understand what this system does. A student management system is often also referred to as a student information management system. This innovative software organises and coordinates all student data through one centralised data management system accessible by all departments. With an on premise or cloud-based student management system, lecturers can input, manage, and access student data, and the institution can meet regulatory compliance needs. This system also enables institutions to:
- Seamlessly manage the student registration process.
- Keep track of all student data and attendance.
- Provide students with easy access to their information.
- Make it easy for your academic staff to manage marks.
- Track student finances (payments, bursaries, loans etc.).
The above capabilities translate into the below benefits that higher education institutions can experience:
- Simplifies and automates complex processes.
- Saves costs due to less time spent on manual tasks.
- Enhanced organisation of data.
- Ensures compliance to statutory requirements, including audit trail.
Students can also experience several benefits from implementing this kind of solution. These include:
- With the self-service capabilities, students can complete registration faster.
- Less frustration for students who can find what they need quickly and efficiently.
- Provides a better student experience.
- Enhances accessibility with self-service capabilities that are available via mobile devices, which makes it convenient for the student.
How do student management systems address the biggest challenges of higher education institutions?
One of the biggest challenges higher education institutions faces is the effective management of student data and information. How does an institution ensure accurate and correct data collection and management? Usually, this would require a number of different systems that work in a siloed way to provide different elements related to student management. These include:
- Student result management system.
- Online student attendance management system.
- Student admissions management system.
- Student database management system software.
- Student success management system.
- Learning management system.
The ITS Integrator includes various modules over and above it’s core systems.
Many institutions are not only relying on outdated and siloed technologies but also manual processes that take up a lot of time and resources. With the right kind of student management technology in place, higher education institutions can access student information faster, automate processes, and enhance efficiency, which saves on time, resources, and costs. This kind of solution can reduce administrative burdens which means that it can improve staff productivity which only positively impacts the institution’s bottom line.
With so many different student management solutions on the market, choosing the right option for your institution is easier said than done. When looking for the best student management system, ensure that you:
- Look for a service provider that understands the market and your needs.
- Examine the integration capabilities of the software with your current system.
- Look for options that support integration with 3rd party vendors.
- Enquire about the usability of the system and training.
- Ensure that there are self-service platforms and options.
- Ask about automation and how the solution can enhance your procedures and operations.
One student management software solution that ticks all of these boxes and more is Adapt IT Educations ITS Integrator. This innovative software has a student management module that serves all educational institutions data management needs. Over the last 33 years, Adapt IT has been assisting institutions with moving away from siloed approaches to using solutions capable of managing the entire student lifecycle from registrations, academic data, student finances to facilitating alumni initiatives and more.
How ITS Integrator is ticking the student management boxes
ITS Integrator Student management system is software that simplifies and reduces time spent on managing student data, scheduling, and communication. Educational institutions need to use software that helps save costs, streamline complex processes, reduce errors and paperwork, and generate reports for more effective decision making. This solution offers institutions this functionality and the ability to manage student recruitment and applications, registrations, the number of students allowed for qualification, and reserving places for repeating students. It even provides a Student Education Plan, that a student might need or want, to aid during student counselling interventions. Adapt IT’s Student Management software also includes a self-service function for students. This solution features:
- Optimised workflow – Easy to implement, so that your workflow is optimised, and because of its simplicity and the fact that it makes all processes easier, you’ll get your staff’s co-operation as it adds value to their lives.
- Effortless regulatory compliance – Effortless legislative compliance from Edu.Dex and EDLES upload functionality is built into the system to accommodate the legal requirements of the location the institution is situated in.
- Student Self-Service – Student administration, plus student self-service functionality online and via mobile devices, dramatically improves and cuts down the time-consuming registration process not only for students, but employees as well.
- Lecturer self-service functionality – lecturers are able to digitally enter their marks, and the automation of the system provides quicker turnaround time and integrity to exams and graduation certificates.
- Distance Learning – The software also works with distance and cooperative education processes.
- Brandability – Institutions are able to develop their own front end (for student registrations) that fits in with their institution look and feel.
ITS Integrator Student Management Solution Case study: South African university
A South African university was aiming to improve its overall operational standards, including:
- Academic performance
- Governance
- Financial operations
- Human resources
They decided to upgrade their ERP to a system that would provide more automation of administrative tasks and some type of self-service functionality to take most of the pressure off of faculty members. They also needed improved reporting capabilities.
They chose to Adapt IT Education’s ITS Integrator, as it matched their requirements and offered greater flexibility, more functionality, end-user control, data security, and a multiple campus set-up. It also aims to enhance communication as the system allows communication to be sent directly via e-mail and SMS.
The software provides complete student information management and statistics for management to make better decisions and improve efficiency and turnaround times.
Students have also benefited, as they can easily access information related to their course registration, course work, timetables, and more via the self-service platforms. With this functionality, they can also check, validate, or update personal details, or view balances and marks.
Conclusion
Efficient and effective student management is critical to the success of higher education institutions. With the growing number of student enrolments, these institutions turn to student management software solutions to enhance operational efficiency and create an excellent student experience. ITS Integrator ticks all these boxes and more as it is designed with these specific needs in mind. For more on the importance of student management and how ITS Integrator can meet all your student management needs, download our Innovation in Higher Education Whitepaper here.
