Universities in the UK are in constant competition, needing to retain existing students until they graduate, while also needing to recruit new ones.  In 2023, the drop rate for students who have signed up for a loan before completing a course has risen by 28%. This has an impact on the institutions’ reputations, as well as future students who are looking for a place to study. 

The Challenges of Student Retention

Student retention involves numerous challenges, including academic difficulties, insufficient funds, and a lack of resources. Addressing these issues requires tailored solutions that stem from a thorough understanding of student needs and subsequent adjustments to university offerings.

What is Raffle AI?

Raffle AI is an advanced artificial intelligence framework that provides accurate information to users by utilizing natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning. It lets you build AI Searches and Chats based on your content in a matter of hours without any technical knowledge. Raffle AI has the power to understand and respond to a variety of questions and queries in different languages and it is a great way for the university's staff and students to always be up to date with current information.

Click here for a free trial 

Benefits for Staff

Fewer tickets and queries for the staff

Raffle.ai significantly reduces the workload for administrative and academic staff by handling large volumes of inquiries from students. This results in fewer tickets and queries that the staffs need to manage daily. With this reduction, staff can allocate their time more effectively to focus on complex tasks and personalized student interactions. For example, common questions about course schedules, assignment deadlines, or campus services can be efficiently handled by Raffle AI chat or search, thereby freeing up the staff’s time.

Faster search for knowledge

AI Search is a faster and more accurate method to go through a vast data set and get the right answer quickly. It uses artificial intelligence to comb through large volumes of information to give an accurate result, and that saves the staff and researchers time by giving them the information they need in such a short time.

Content gaps

With Raffle’s content gap feature, universities can get insights into what queries are most popular on their website, and which are missing an answer. This allows them to quickly address the lack of valuable information that students are searching for. You can read more about our insights dashboard here. 

Benefits for Students

For new students, going through large amounts of data and information throughout the administrative processes can be confusing and time-consuming. Not being able to find the right information on the first try can cause them to bounce from the website and seek information at another university. With Raffle AI assisting students with administrative queries—such as registration deadlines, student accommodations, campus services, financial questions, and more—the time and effort spent on bureaucratic hurdles can be significantly reduced, allowing them to focus on more important matters.

Academic Support

One of the primary reasons students drop out is academic struggle, which is where an AI Search or Chat Assistant can be invaluable by providing instant answers to students' questions about course material, assignments, and research. Its ability to offer the exact resources can help students grasp difficult concepts and improve their performance.

24/7 Availability

Students often need support outside of regular office hours. Raffle AI offers 24/7 assistance, ensuring that help is always available when needed. This round-the-clock support can be crucial for students juggling various commitments.

Administrative Support

By integrating Raffle AI to administrative resources or a helpdesk helps students save time by getting the information they need instantly without needing to talk to someone at the university or wait in a queue on the phone. 

Conclusion

Student retention is crucial, and Raffle’s AI Search and Chat offer an ideal solution for many UK universities. Implementing AI chat and AI search on their websites provides instant support, personalized answers in multiple languages, and streamlines administrative processes. This not only increases ticket deflection and saves time for both administrators and students but also enhances the overall experience by delivering more responsive support.

Read more about how Raffle AI helps universities. 

Sign up now and discover how AI can transform your university website.