JISC pilots AI-powered support services for students across 15 institutions

Background

Providing students with efficient, easy-to-access support in higher education is one of the most challenging tasks in large institutions, especially as digital learning landscapes become more complex to navigate, with many different knowledge sources that are often disconnected and lack unified ownership. Jisc, a United Kingdom organization providing network and IT services for higher education, partnered with LearnWise to pilot a transformative support system across 15 educational institutions in the country. The collaboration aims to simplify access to information, improve student support, and deliver data-driven insights, marking a significant step forward in how universities and colleges interact with and support their students.

The Challenge

Educational institutions face a common challenge: delivering timely, relevant answers to students without overwhelming support staff. Traditional support models often involve navigating complex websites, creating ticket requests, or waiting in line for responses, which can cause frustration and delays. LearnWise addresses these issues by providing AI-powered assistance that answers questions instantly. By drawing on each institution’s specific resources, policies, and procedures, LearnWise tailors its responses, making it easy for students to get precise, context-specific information anytime.

This capability appealed to Jisc, as it enables students to interact with an AI that “knows” their university. Additionally, LearnWise seamlessly escalates complex issues to human support when needed, maintaining a high personal touch. The data-driven insights generated by the platform help institutions proactively identify and address gaps in support and content—making it not just an assistant but also a continuous improvement tool.

The Solution

The pilot program, running from October to December 2024, includes a variety of institutions, ranging from further education colleges to universities, each with unique objectives for using LearnWise.

• Increasing Enrollments and Informing Prospective Students: Many prospective students struggle with finding relevant program information on institutional websites. Colleges such as NPTC Group of Colleges, Roehampton College, and Gloucestershire College have placed LearnWise on their websites to simplify this process. Prospective students can now instantly access information on courses and offerings, matched to their interests, without navigating through endless pages. This feature has also helped improve enrollment rates by ensuring prospective students feel informed and confident in their choice of institution.
• Supporting New Students During Induction: Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) has integrated LearnWise into a specialized Canvas course for new students. This integration allows students to ask questions anytime and receive instant responses, helping them feel supported and informed right from the start. By embedding LearnWise directly into the Canvas environment, LJMU has made it easier for students to access answers to common questions without needing to consult multiple resources.
• Reducing Support Ticket Volume with Smart Escalation: Bath Spa University has successfully linked its ticketing system with LearnWise, creating a seamless pathway for students who need additional assistance. By addressing straightforward questions through AI-generated answers first, Bath Spa can expect a significant reduction in support tickets, allowing its support team to focus on more complex issues that require human expertise.
• Providing Context-Specific Resources Within the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE): Westminster College and North West Regional College are both leveraging LearnWise within their VLEs, where students access all their course resources. By making support available directly within these environments, students no longer need to switch platforms to get help, creating a more cohesive, less distracting study experience.
• Serving Staff and Streamlining Faculty Support: While student support remains the primary focus, some institutions are experimenting with using LearnWise to enhance staff services as well. South Staffordshire College has deployed LearnWise to support faculty by providing easy-to-access information on CPD (Continuing Professional Development) opportunities. Meanwhile, Kirklees College has integrated LearnWise within its SharePoint environment, where it assists staff with implementing the Teacher Excellence framework. These creative applications have further demonstrated LearnWise’s versatility, expanding its use beyond student-facing support to meet broader institutional needs.

The Results

The pilot’s early results are promising. Some participating institutions have reported a decrease in support escalations, reflecting LearnWise’s effectiveness in addressing student inquiries independently. Feedback highlights satisfaction with the platform’s ease of use and adaptability, with many institutions expressing interest in deeper, long-term integration.

For Jisc and its pilot partners, this partnership with LearnWise represents a meaningful step forward in student support and institutional efficiency. 

Looking Ahead

As the program continues and a comprehensive evaluation is conducted, both Jisc and LearnWise are optimistic about scaling this solution further. Through the combined power of AI and institutional collaboration, they aim to set a new standard for accessible, reliable student support in the digital age.