AI assistant boosts college enrolments by 18% in Wales
Welsh College Coleg y Cymoedd, in collaboration with ICS.AI, has achieved £5.9 million in financial benefits through the introduction of 'ARNY', a bilingual AI assistant aimed at student recruitment.
The AI assistant has introduced significant efficiencies within the college, leading to a record 18% increase in enrolments and substantial cost savings. The AI assistant named ARNY was developed to operate in both English and Welsh, in line with the requirements of the Welsh Language Act, and was implemented to handle the college's high volume of enquiries, many of which occur outside regular office hours.
ARNY was designed in collaboration with staff and students to specifically address recruitment challenges faced by Coleg y Cymoedd, which serves over 10,000 students across its four campuses in Aberdare, Rhondda, Nantgarw, and Ystrad Mynach. The introduction of this AI technology allows for streamlined engagement processes and operational efficiencies, ultimately enabling staff to focus on more personalised interactions with potential students. Over 46% of ARNY's managed enquiries occurred outside traditional hours, reflecting its round-the-clock accessibility.
In the year since its deployment, ARNY has engaged in over 3,000 conversations and successfully managed over 5,000 queries, significantly easing the administrative load. The college has seen enrolment rise by 523 students, an 18% increase from the previous year. Conversion rates have risen to 80.21% from 72.68%, resulting in 443 more successful applications. Retention rates have also improved, with 66 fewer early withdrawals.
Rory Meredith, Director of Digital Strategy and Innovation at Coleg y Cymoedd, stated, "Working with ICS AI, we've totally overhauled and improved the student recruitment journey, offering 24/7 bilingual support that ensures no student enquiry goes unanswered. This innovation has transformed the way we engage with prospective students while significantly reducing administrative pressures on our team. It's led to the type of engagement we've never seen before."
Martin Neale, CEO of ICS.AI, reinforced the impact of the partnership, remarking, "Our partnership with Coleg y Cymoedd is a significant step forward in demonstrating the power of AI within education, an area that we at ICS.AI take incredibly seriously. By integrating advanced AI solutions into recruitment and student engagement, we are setting a new standard for efficiency and user experience in the education sector. The financial benefits this partnership has delivered are a tangible example of how this crucial sector can improve service but also cut costs."
The successful deployment of ARNY has attracted Government funding through the D2030 FE Capital Fund. This funding supports the college's wider AI adoption strategy, now expanding with a new course recommendation service that uses GPT-4 technology. This service offers personalised course guidance based on students' interests, academic level, and campus preferences. Further AI initiatives are also being piloted to enhance educational delivery and administrative efficiency.
