2. Reduce tedious manual tasks and increase application processing
For the University of Delaware’s OISS, reducing the burden of high-volume data entry while increasing SEVIS compliance and reporting and efficiency has enabled a transformation in the programs and services the office can now develop and offer.
We are now able to spend more time on program development and priority advising services as tedious manual processes such as scanning and completing forms have been automated.
Moving to a paperless workflow reduced the registration process from 3-4 weeks down to 7-10 days. Orientation productivity improvements have also been significant as students can now upload documents, and the OISS team can track the number of applications and form requests handled by staff. This reporting provides a better understanding of the staff workload and traffic flow into the office, and in turn, allows the office to allocate appropriate resources and support as needed.
3. Spend more time on creating innovative programs
To provide new international students with a smooth transition and a more welcoming campus environment, the office has implemented a scalable international “buddy” program. University staff are developing an app that matches international and domestic students based on similar interests and majors. Using a 5-star rating system on a matching questionnaire and demographic information, the buddy matching program supports compatibility and greatly reduces the staff burden usually associated with pairing students of like interests. To kick off the program, OISS has engaged a team of UD student leaders to guide the process and will launch its first international buddy program this summer to serve more than 600 incoming international students.
This technology-driven approach to international student recruitment, onboarding, and retention is already having far-reaching impacts on our international community. The automation process has resulted in enhanced immigration compliance—protecting university risk and providing peace of mind for our international students and scholars.
By reducing registration process times more than 60 percent we’ve been able to add new support programs for our international community, which helps ensure a more successful U.S. higher education experience.
Ravi Ammigan is the executive director, office for international students & scholars, at the University of Delaware.
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