Episode 34: Enhancing Student Experiences through Technology feat. Karthik Venkatesh, CIO, Walden University
In recent decades, online education has struggled to garner the same level of credibility associated with traditional brick-and-mortar institutions. These attitudes have slowly shifted in the 2020s, but the pandemic greatly accelerated this change. It became clear that many aspects of classroom learning could be replicated online. More readily available online learning opportunities also make higher education more accessible, affordable, and flexible for students of all ages.
Of course, quality online student experiences require multiple disparate technological platforms that support students, faculty, and administrative staff. Karthik Venkatesh, CIO at Walden University, joins podcast host Kiran Kodithala on this episode of Illuminate Higher Education to talk about how behind-the-scenes API integrations connect multiple platforms to streamline the student experience. Karthik began working in the higher education space after spending time consulting in mergers and acquisitions and system integrations. He spent nearly a decade at Laureate International Universities as a systems integration expert, where he learned how the connectivity of data deeply impacts how students engage with the university.
For a brief overview of their conversation, read the Q&A below. Then, listen to the full episode for a deeper dive into educational technology integration.
Q: As CIO, what are your primary areas of focus?
From a technology perspective, Walden University requires a level of focus on tech that traditional institutions may not see.
My priorities are split into three areas:
Creating a student-centric institution
We intentionally focus on this day in and day out. It is the driving force in discussions among leadership teams and academic and business partners. All of Walden’s various initiatives, technological or otherwise, are designed to enhance the student experience.
Technology operations
I focus on how the foundation of technology is driving the student experience. Again, we have made conscious decisions to move to new technologies that support this mission. We work diligently to ensure our processes are agile and nimble so we can quickly adapt to student needs.
Innovation
We strive to be innovative from both a leadership and a technological perspective. There are countless new capabilities and new technologies to explore. We are proactive about test-driving new solutions that could enhance the student experience.
Q: What role do innovative technologies like AI and machine learning have in the Walden student experience?
It is paramount for us to create an educational and technological ecosystem where our students feel like they can connect with the university rather than individual departments. Strategic API integrations help facilitate this by offering omnichannel support for students—they can contact us through email or chat, interact with multiple university platforms, and find the information they need in multiple places.
These open channels of communication help us better understand how our students are interacting with the university, what they might need or want, and what their concerns are. As we aggregate more and more data about the student experience, AI and machine learning can help us be proactive. We can anticipate students’ needs before they ask.
Q: What changes in higher education and ed-tech do you anticipate in the future?
From my perspective, higher education is going through a transformation. Particularly in the last two years, we have seen nearly every institution pivot to online and other forms of learning. There will be a need for constant innovation to continue to expand access to education and better align students’ learning outcomes with employer needs. We will continually ask ourselves, “How can we close the gap between universities and employers? How can technology facilitate those connections?”
I also think that higher education will become more personalized, especially by providing an omnichannel experience. As consumers, we expect a seamless, streamlined experience across platforms and communication channels. Generations of digital natives are the consumers of education, and they expect no less from the technologies they are using to transform their own lives.
Listen to the full podcast episode for more.
In the meantime, connect with Karthik Venkatesh on LinkedIn. Learn more about Walden University by visiting WaldenU.edu and following @WaldenU on Twitter and LinkedIn.
You may also enjoy listening to episode 19: Leading Higher Education with Empathy, Collaboration, and Social Advocacy featuring Dr. Ward Ulmer, President of Walden University.
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This episode is brought to you by N2N’s Illuminate App, the iPaaS for Higher Education.
About N2N Services
Founded in 2010, N2N is committed to serving educational institutions and helping them figure out how to serve their students, faculty, and staff using the most innovative technologies and solutions available in the marketplace. Over the last decade, N2N has served over 300 academic institutions and enabled their student success journeys.
N2N Services Inc. is a leader in enterprise application integration and strategic advisory services for higher education, At N2N, we are committed to providing the highest quality solutions and collaboratively building student-centric solutions.
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