How Educational Institutions Can Use RPA?

Educational institutions, like many other types of businesses, are starting to leverage digital transformation to address business challenges and obstacles. RPA especially is a form of digital transformation that can help benefit educational institutions. Educational institutions, public or private, face many of the same obstacles and challenges that the rest of the business community faces. In this article, we will cover some of the challenges for educational institutions, digital transformation and the education sector, RPA for educational institutions, RPA managed service for educational institutions, and more.

Challenges for Educational Institutions

Educational institutions can be challenged by the same increase in operating expenses as other types of businesses. Budgeting and funding are key in the education sector. When educational institutions have to deal with limited resources and budget, it can affect the quality of education as well as facility maintenance. Technology integration can also be a challenge. Integrating and adapting to new technologies and teaching methods can be a challenge when technology is not the core strength of an institution. Regulatory compliance can also be very strict in the educational sector. Ensuring compliance with various state, local, and federal education regulations can be challenging. Security and privacy protection is also critical, and protecting the privacy of student data and maintaining physical security on campus for students and staff are very high priorities. Maintaining strong enrollment can also be a challenge for educational institutions. Some may struggle attracting, retaining, and managing student enrollments. Monitoring student performance can also be arduous for educational institutions, and maintaining student interests and participation both inside and outside of the classroom is important.

Digital Transformation in Education

Educational institutions can benefit from all forms of digital transformation. However, using RPA for the automation of back office tasks, IT workflows, and student interaction can really make a big difference. Conversational AI and Intelligent Document Processing also have their place in educational institutions. Combining these forms of digital transformation with RPA results in hyper automation. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on RPA for educational institutions. We will highlight some top RPA use cases. We will also cover some effective ways to get started with RPA quickly and economically.

RPA for educational institutions

Valenta educational institution clients have found many uses for RPA in their day-to-day operations. The following list comprises some of the most common uses among our customers

• RPA can significantly reduce staff workload by automating bookkeeping functions such as bank reconciliations.
• The procurement process can be streamlined by employing RPA to handle tasks from creating purchase orders to processing invoices.
• Automation of payroll calculations can lead to a decrease in errors and ensure accurate, timely payments.
• RPA can aid in the automated generation of various reports, from financial summaries to student performance evaluations.
• Facility management becomes more efficient with RPA, enabling optimal usage of classrooms, labs, sports complexes, etc.
• Compliance-related tasks can be automated, reducing the risk of non-compliance with educational laws and regulations. RPA can ensure everything is done the same way every time.
• RPA can simplify and expedite the student admissions process by handling form submissions, document verification, and fee payments.
• Large volumes of student data can be managed more efficiently and with fewer errors through automation.
• The workload of educators can be reduced by automating the grading of assignments or online tests.
• Attendance tracking becomes streamlined and error-free with automation, ensuring accurate student attendance records.
• Course registration can be managed more efficiently using RPA to register students for their preferred courses.
• The management of financial aid applications, including processing, eligibility determination, and disbursement, can be automated.
• Collecting, organizing, and analyzing student feedback becomes easier with RPA, contributing to continuous improvement in teaching methodologies.
• Class scheduling becomes more efficient and less prone to conflicts with the help of RPA.
• Library processes like checking books in and out, inventory management, and sending notifications for overdue books can be automated.
• Keeping track of alumni, managing communications, and organizing events can be streamlined through RPA.

RPA strategies for educational institutions

Educational institutions can choose to implement RPA in a number of ways. One option is to hire staff and maintain a department for digital transformation and automation. This can be expensive and sometimes that expense as well as the scarcity of skilled people can be a blocking factor. Hiring outside consulting firms is also an option for many educational institutions to pursue. Consulting firms can often provide valuable advice about what technologies and RPA workflows benefit an institution. Not all consulting firms will be able to implement those strategies, however, or run them for educational institutions. A third popular option for educational institutions to implement an RPA strategy is to work with a managed service provider. Managed service providers will provide consulting up front and then implement and run on an ongoing basis RPA bots as a service.

RPA Managed Serviced for Educational Institutions

Leveraging a managed service provider can be a quick and effective way to get going with RPA. Many educational institutions are embracing MSP’s to launch projects they might not have started on their own. Valenta is an MSP for RPA. Our educational clients have found a lot of value in using MSPs.

After talking with our customers, we have developed the below list of the “Top 10 reasons to use an MSP for RPA in the Educational Sector”.

1. MSPs offer in-depth knowledge and experience with RPA, ensuring a smooth and effective implementation.
2. Institutions can enjoy cost savings by avoiding the expenses of recruiting and training an internal team for RPA, thanks to outsourcing to an MSP.
3. MSPs provide the flexibility to scale RPA initiatives up or down as per the organization’s needs, minimizing effort and cost.
4. With their knowledge of potential pitfalls and challenges in RPA implementation, MSPs help in reducing risk.
5. Continuous support and regular maintenance from MSPs ensure the optimal functioning of RPA tools.
6. MSPs keep abreast of the latest RPA trends, technologies, and best practices, bringing innovative solutions to the institutions they work with.
7. Thanks to their extensive expertise, MSPs can often implement RPA solutions faster than an internal team.
8. MSPs offer necessary training to staff, ensuring a smooth transition and effective use of RPA tools.
9. Outsourcing RPA implementation and management allows institutions to focus more on their primary mission – education.
10. MSPs deliver solutions that are tailored to the specific needs and challenges of the institution, rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach.

Want to Learn More

Valenta has a lot of experience in the area of digital transformation and RPA. We have managing partners located in cities across the world. Many of our managing partners have experience in the educational space. Our managing partners work with onshore staff as well as offshore staff to deliver leading edge RPA solutions for our clients. To learn more about RPA, please visit the highlighted webpage. To contact one of our managing partners and discuss if RPA might be a fit for your educational institution, please reach out here.