Key points:
- Universities that master data integration will be best positioned to thrive
- What K-20 leaders should know about building resilient campuses
- How small colleges can build a data-driven enrollment engine that lasts
- For more on higher ed and data, visit eSN’s Campus Leadership hub
Universities are struggling to meet the demands of today’s students. With enrollment spiraling, aging infrastructure, insufficient funds, and students questioning the purpose of higher education, it’s no wonder that academic institutions struggle to keep up. Gut feelings and traditional thinking won’t cut it anymore.
Strategic planning for the future needs to be grounded in something more sound for both the board of trustees and the state boards of education. Professionals in academia are not unfamiliar with data; the issue is merging integrated data, which provides the visibility needed to connect what students experience with how campus spaces function and where future investments should be allocated.
Without that clarity, sustainable progress remains out of reach.
Separate systems, shared consequences
In any given university setting, there are several ecosystems–IT, security, faculty, various departments, staff, student services, and more–and each of these ecosystems works simultaneously on its own and in cooperation with others. The amount of data each ecosystem has access to is potentially vast, and when brought together, it’s almost insurmountable.
However, too often, all that data is locked away, not shared with everyone at the universities. For example, a facilities team may track building performance while student services monitor engagement trends. Both datasets matter, but without someone horizontally and vertically aligning the data, each group misses the opportunity to shape decisions in a meaningful way.
This results in a series of blind spots. Leadership might approve a major renovation or project based on one group’s reports without realizing the necessities of others. That kind of disconnect leads to misaligned priorities and wasted capital.
Fragmented data slows down innovation and can lead to strategic misalignment between space, experience, and educational delivery.
What happens when systems actually talk
Some universities are already showing what’s possible. For example, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David leadership uses an AI-powered occupancy dashboard to track campus usage throughout the day.
Other universities are earlier in the journey, relying on periodic data reviews or consultant-led assessments, but they’re showing promise. These real-time insights help inform decisions around space consolidation, energy efficiency, and student experience.
What’s setting apart institutions that are embracing a cohesive data alignment and AI is their ability to act on the data, not just collect it. Real-time analytics can flag underused spaces within weeks, allowing institutions to repurpose them mid-semester rather than waiting years for a more comprehensive master plan.
Integrated systems also improve transparency across departments, fostering collaboration between IT, facilities, and academic leadership. When everyone is working from the same source of information, better decisions follow.
Resilience depends on better visibility
With the struggles universities and colleges are facing, integrated data shouldn’t be a “nice to have” but a strategic necessity that can help with disconnected communication among departments. While an interconnected higher education system can’t solve every problem, it can help leadership take control of some issues.
Resilience is no longer about simply enduring hardship; it’s about adapting quickly. Integrated, shared data allows institutions to notice early shifts in student behavior or space usage and respond before problems escalate. Therefore, keeping them out of the media and back where they should be: a safe place for students to move forward and improve their lives.
Moving from fragmentation to focus
Universities that master data integration will be best positioned to thrive. They’ll design more adaptable, student-centered campuses and make investment decisions with confidence. Whether they build in-house analytics teams or partner with external experts, the goal is the same: Break down the silos, connect the evidence, and plan with clarity.
What matters most is momentum. Even small steps (i.e., creating cross-departmental data councils or piloting a single integrated dashboard) can signal a culture shift. The long-term payoff is a campus that evolves in sync with its community. As conditions change, universities that see the whole picture can respond with agility–optimizing space, enhancing experience, and securing their place in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Albert Fravel is a Strategy Director focused on user strategy for the global place brand ERA-co. Albert is an education strategist with a wealth of experience working in the education sector. Albert has worked closely with University and TAFE clients on a range of different projects including return briefs, stakeholder engagement and asset planning activities. Trained and registered as an architect, Albert has a firm understanding of the spatial implications that affect learning environments and is passionate about helping to create spaces that enrich the user experience whilst on campus. A successful project often relies on meaningful engagement with a broad range of stakeholders. Albert thrives when collaborating with stakeholder groups and seeks to understand their vision and work with them to create a clear strategic plan to realise these aspirations.
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