AI agents + SIS integration: How to power more personalized student engagement
Colleges and universities want to engage students with modern, unified and personalized communications. An institution’s Student Information System (SIS) can be a key part of this effort.
Yet, it can be hard to leverage an SIS—typically the largest, most frequently used business system that an institution has—to meet this goal. The SIS was never intended to be the “hub” for personalized student communications and it can be costly in terms of both time and money to upgrade it to effectively do so.
Enter the AI agent
The answer lies in pairing AI agents for higher education like Ivy & Ocelot from Gravyty with an SIS to access personalized data and deliver the modern communication and engagement that is needed to drive enrollment and retention goals.
The upside: low cost and low lift. If your goal is to make progress toward personalized student communications in the short and medium term, it’s much more efficient to go this route than to try and move away from a legacy system.
See Ivy & Ocelot in action
Why SIS modernization alone isn’t enough
Prior to 2020, higher education institutions began to digitally transform and modernize their enterprise legacy systems, in particular their student information systems.
As a result of the pandemic transforming the learning environment, many higher education institutions became more open to change and gained an understanding of why digital transformation is so important.
Now, many institutions are embracing change and modernizing where time and resources allow. Most institutions would like to update their SIS but many don’t have the resources to do so, making SIS integration with AI agents a practical alternative.
The importance of virtual student engagement
College students of all ages expect and need 24/7 service and support from their institutions and an increasing number of these students are “digital natives.” This means they are more used to connecting via digital technology interfaces.
However, understanding on how to navigate college (i.e. how to enroll, how to get financial aid, fill out a FAFSA, etc) is an acquired skill for many new college students. Their digital journey and user experience need to be considered with every existing (and new) system that an institution uses.
AI agents that are always available aid in building rapport, trust and familiarity—and are key to building engagement throughout the student journey.
How AI agents + SIS integration drive personalization
Integrating AI agents with SIS platforms helps drive elevated, personalized student engagement by leveraging and extending the information from both legacy and modernized systems.
AI chatbots and virtual assistants provide a consistent interface in the student’s natural language. They don’t duplicate sensitive information. Instead, they tap into SIS data and other institutional knowledge sources (knowledge bases, websites, FAQs) to give the student a seamless, unified experience.
Ease of implementation and maintenance
AI agent technology is lightweight, flexible and easy to integrate with larger enterprise systems. The implementation is simple, since the integrations are available in both pre-built configurations and APIs. At Gravyty, compliance with federal and state content regulations is included in our AI agent platform, ensuring institutions remain compliant while modernizing.
Going this route enables an institution to use what it has now, improve student experience and engagement, and empower staff to be more efficient with their time.
Real-world examples of common SIS integrations
Ivy & Ocelot from Gravyty integrates directly into these two common SIS platforms for streamlined student engagement.
1. Ivy & Ocelot + PeopleSoft SIS Integration
This integration is pre-built and ready to configure and tailor to an institution’s instance. It provides prospects and current students answers to common questions such as: When do I register?, How much is my bill?, and What is my financial aid award?
2. Ivy & Ocelot + Ellucian Banner Integration
This integration extends the usefulness of your Banner instance allowing students to securely access their information in a context that they understand, without having to make a phone call or stop by an office.
Why SIS + AI is the future of student experience in higher ed
There are many ways to drive student engagement. Some institutions rely on portals, mobile apps, AI chatbots, text messaging, or a combination of these. The set of tools that works best for each college or university is likely a little different for what best suits their needs.
But AI agents for higher education are emerging as a cornerstone of communication strategy. They:
- Access data directly from Student Information Systems for real-time support.
- Provide a consistent, personalized experience at scale.
- Learn from every interaction to continuously improve responses.
If you are exploring new ways to engage with your students, consider reflecting on these four questions:
- Do you ask your prospects and students to “switch systems” to track and store their critical information?
- Does the interface consistently understand their questions?
- Does the interface suggest and nudge users, leading them to action, and more importantly the information they were looking for?
- Does the interface learn every user interaction from your students and students at hundreds of other higher education institutions in order to better understand the myriad ways students converse and ask questions?
If these questions resonate with challenges at your institution, it may be time to explore how AI agents integrated with your SIS can transform student engagement, enrollment, and retention.
Ready to see Gravyty’s AI agent in action, and how it can seamlessly integrate with your SIS? Connect with us to see how Ivy & Ocelot can help deliver personalized conversations and drive enrollment success.
