Communications in college: Not just a degree

As we look towards a hopeful post-pandemic future, academia is one of those areas that not only provides unique case studies in showing how technology can advance education but can also be used as an example of what to do to prepare for a new world in work — one in which mobile learning and communication from any device, anywhere, is imperative.

What is the key to future success? The answer lies in the strategic use of technology to meet certain goals, like improved learning experiences, and improved communication between students and staff alike, resulting in a more cohesive campus environment and a better overall college experience. When it comes to communications solutions, such improved experiences have a wide span, from students dealing with staff and administration to using communications solutions with learning management systems. For institutions, finding a vendor to put this strategy in place is the first step.

Avaya OneCloud™ and Layered Technology

A vendor that will help enable success beyond just implementing the coolest and newest technology is what you should look for first. For example, Avaya OneCloud, including Avaya Cloud Office® by RingCentral, provides cloud-based solutions for academic institutions which integrate with third-party applications and Learning Management Systems (LMS), and can be easily customized to deliver value to various departments, faculty, staff, and students. Avaya is a world-class leader in connecting people and delivering experiences that matter.

What Does Avaya Do?

Avaya offers public, private, and hybrid cloud platforms that were made to support robust communications at any scale. The inherent flexibility of scale means that anything from small campuses to massive educational institutions can be easily supported. In addition, through application integration, and the use of Application Programing Interfaces (APIs) and microservices, customization is possible, allowing you to build your ideal campus communications experience. That’s the beauty of the cloud; the things that were hard to do in the past with traditional systems are easy to do with today’s cloud architecture, and that is particularly valuable to educational institutions competing for students.

Using Cloud-Based Solutions

Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) enables everyone to interact and connect, leveraging applications and networks that deliver communications through virtually any modality: calling, meeting including video, and messaging are the most prevalent. Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) expands those capabilities and follows the customer journey across multiple channels and can be integrated with UCaaS. Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) lets organizations embed voice, messaging, and video capabilities into existing channels and is the secret sauce for building great experiences.

When we talk about “layered technology,” we’re talking about combining the above solutions and more through the API economy. It’s like if you already had an amazing LEGO® set, and we gave you some shiny, new pieces to continue building your world — making it even better (and the new LEGOs fit, too!). And you get entire pre-built LEGO structures that snap together with your solution. You can imagine that in academia, having a robustly built solution — and one that works well — is important to faculty, staff, and student experiences. The cloud also provides the security and reliability we all need right now to protect data, information, and intellectual property.

Innovation in the Cloud

Innovation in the cloud happens more naturally because of its connected nature. All of the tools that comprise the platform are built for the cloud. Getting a bit technical, APIs are used to integrate the various different apps and services available to the communication platform. For education that means integration to LMS and planning systems, and empowering those solutions with communications technology. Smack dab in the middle of all of that, you can also have an AI orchestrator, whether it’s IBM Watson or another solution. This way, universities and colleges are able to create an AI-based workflow within their communications processes.

For example, college institutions can send students personalized recommendations that guide them through their enrollment; a communication could go out that says, “Tuition is due in three days — click here to pay.” By integrating messaging with your already established e-commerce software, students can easily pay their tuition online after receiving that alert. This is just an example of one transaction, but you get the idea of the flexibility and improved experience it enables.

Students can also receive congratulatory messages to increase engagement and provide positive reinforcement. For example, if a student is nailing their Economics 101 class, through Avaya Cloud Office, a message is sent saying, “Hi Brian! Congrats on your A on that Econ test! Here’s what to work on next,” while providing a link to the next assignment for Brian to complete (hopefully on-time or ahead of schedule). It is easy to integrate a solid communications foundation into a student’s world.

How Avaya Can Help

Are you looking for a cloud-based platform to unite the communications for your school? Look no further than Avaya OneCloud and Avaya Cloud Office. We’re here to help! With a solution that offers multiple tools to engage existing and would-be students, and to make their college experiences more unique, Avaya gives you many options to drive enrollment and technological advancement. Reach out today to discover how we can help you build new experiences and improve student outcomes.

Learn how Avaya OneCloud is enhancing the education experience for everyone.