Digital transformation is no longer a buzzword in higher education—it’s a necessity. Yet for many institutions, the journey from legacy systems to integrated digital ecosystems is fraught with friction. From siloed data to fragmented platforms and institutional resistance to change, the road to digital transformation is riddled with challenges.
In this article, we explore the barriers stalling digital progress and how institutions can overcome them by embracing strategic, student-focused solutions.
Covered in this article
Why Is Digital Transformation So Difficult in Higher Education?
Where RevOps Meets Higher Ed
The Role of a Higher Education CRM
Custom Software Development and Integration
Poor Engagement Is a Symptom of Fragmentation
How Velocity Supports Digital Transformation
Final Thoughts
FAQs
Why Is Digital Transformation So Difficult in Higher Education?
Despite the urgency, digital transformation in higher education is notoriously difficult to execute smoothly. Many universities and colleges still rely on outdated, disparate systems that struggle to talk to each other. The result? Fragmented operations, limited visibility into student behaviour, and poor data utilisation.
Key pain points include:
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Lack of CRM integration, leading to disjointed student journeys
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Inefficient manual processes, especially in admissions and enrolment
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Poor user experience for both students and staff
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Data silos that limit insight and strategic decision-making
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Resistance to change across departments and leadership
Institutions often underestimate the cultural shift required, thinking transformation is purely a technology upgrade. In reality, it’s an overhaul of how people, processes, and platforms interact.
Where RevOps Meets Higher Ed
RevOps (Revenue Operations) offers a framework to align admissions, marketing, and student success teams under a single data and tech strategy. For higher education institutions, this approach ensures that marketing, recruitment, and support departments aren’t operating in silos.
Implementing RevOps in higher education brings:
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Unified reporting dashboards
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End-to-end visibility of the student lifecycle
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Streamlined communication between teams
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Reduced cost per acquisition
By connecting departments through RevOps principles and leveraging a platform like HubSpot CRM, institutions can create more efficient, student-centric workflows.
The Role of a Higher Education CRM
A higher education CRM is central to successful digital transformation. HubSpot’s flexible CRM platform—combined with its Marketing, Sales, Service, CMS, and Operations Hubs—allows for a unified, agile approach to managing student relationships.
Benefits of a centralised CRM include:
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Behaviour-based lead nurturing
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Automated application follow-ups
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Personalised student engagement
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Seamless reporting across departments
HubSpot’s Breeze AI further enhances these benefits by introducing predictive insights, content suggestions, and conversational support powered by AI. It helps universities scale communications without losing the personal touch.
Custom Software Development and Integration
One size rarely fits all. Many higher ed institutions need custom software development to connect their SIS (Student Information Systems), learning platforms, and third-party tools. Without these integrations, digital transformation falls short.
Velocity works with institutions to:
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Build custom CMS solutions tailored to university needs
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Integrate SIS platforms with marketing and CRM systems
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Create real-time reporting dashboards
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Implement automation workflows that reduce admin load
This kind of tailored development ensures that transformation is not just possible—but sustainable and scalable.
Poor Engagement Is a Symptom of Fragmentation
When digital systems are disconnected, student engagement inevitably suffers. Fragmented platforms prevent institutions from gaining a single view of the student, making it impossible to deliver timely, personalised support.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
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A prospective student submits an enquiry on your website but never receives a follow-up email because the admissions team isn't notified.
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A returning student reaches out for academic support, but their request is lost in a shared inbox with no routing rules or ownership assignment.
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A student registers for an event, yet receives marketing messages urging them to register again—signalling poor data syncing between departments.
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Support teams lack visibility into student history, leading to repetitive questions and frustration.
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Communication becomes generic and mistimed, such as sending fee reminders to students who have already paid, or onboarding emails to individuals who dropped out.
These kinds of mismatches are not just inconvenient—they erode trust, diminish the student experience, and hurt your institution’s reputation.
With the right student engagement solutions, universities can avoid these missteps by integrating systems, segmenting communications, and automating key interactions—ensuring each touchpoint feels intentional and relevant.
How Velocity Supports Digital Transformation
Velocity is a certified HubSpot partner with deep experience in higher education CRM implementation, custom integrations, and RevOps strategy. We understand the nuances of student recruitment, admissions, and support—and build scalable, future-proof systems that empower institutions to thrive.
Our team helps you:
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Audit and streamline your tech stack
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Migrate to HubSpot and configure your Hubs to suit your processes
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Leverage Breeze AI for smarter, more responsive communications
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Integrate existing tools or develop new ones tailored to your needs
Whether you're just starting your digital transformation or looking to optimise an ongoing strategy, Velocity can partner with you to make it work—efficiently, affordably, and at scale.
Final Thoughts
Smooth digital transformation in higher education is challenging—but not impossible. With a CRM like HubSpot, strategic RevOps alignment, custom software development, and AI-powered tools like Breeze AI, universities can finally bridge the gaps in their student journeys.
The future belongs to institutions that are ready to adapt. Is yours?
Discover how Velocity can guide your institution through digital transformation.
Explore our Higher Education CRM Solutions
View our HubSpot Marketplace Listing
FAQs
1. What’s the first step in preparing for digital transformation in higher education?
The first step is conducting a full audit of your existing systems, workflows, and data silos. Understanding where inefficiencies exist helps define the transformation roadmap.
2. How can universities get leadership buy-in for digital transformation?
By demonstrating measurable outcomes—such as improved student retention, faster enrolment cycles, or cost savings through automation—leadership is more likely to commit.
3. Why do most digital transformation projects stall or fail in higher education?
Lack of clear strategy, resistance to change, and poor cross-department collaboration are the main culprits. Transformation must be led with a people-first, process-supported mindset.
4. How long does a full digital transformation typically take for a mid-sized university?
Depending on complexity and change management adoption, full transformation can take 12 to 24 months. However, phased implementation of CRM and automation tools can show value within the first 3 to 6 months.
5. How does digital transformation impact the student lifecycle?
It improves visibility at each touchpoint—from enquiry and application to graduation—ensuring more tailored, consistent, and timely student experiences.
6. What types of integrations are typically required in a digital transformation project?
Common integrations include linking the CRM with the SIS, LMS, finance systems, student portals, communication tools, and analytics platforms.
7. Is there a risk of losing institutional knowledge when transitioning to digital systems?
Yes, unless migration and training are well-managed. Partnering with experienced developers and CRM specialists ensures knowledge is retained and embedded in new workflows.
8. How does Breeze AI specifically assist in student support and engagement?
Breeze AI enhances responsiveness by offering predictive insights, automating content generation, and enabling conversational experiences across multiple channels.
9. What ongoing support is needed after digital transformation is implemented?
Continued optimisation, training, system monitoring, and data quality checks are essential to ensure the technology evolves alongside institutional needs.
10. Can smaller institutions with limited budgets still undergo digital transformation?
Absolutely. Platforms like HubSpot offer scalable solutions. With Velocity’s modular approach and phased rollout strategy, even smaller institutions can compete at scale.
