In The News

New research analyzing more than 1,000 student support initiatives at 55 institutions found that 40 percent of those services demonstrated no impact on student persistence.

Looming enrollment declines and persistent equity gaps are prompting colleges to do more to help the students they have complete college. Those pressures have resulted in many institutions ramping up their student services, but it can be difficult to determine which initiatives are working and which aren’t.

According to a recent analysis from Civitas Learning, only 60 percent of student success initiatives have a measurable positive impact on student persistence. That leaves a full 40 percent of initiatives having no impact whatsoever.

One of the most innovative companies is Civitas Learning, based in Austin, Texas, which is now working with more than 300 colleges, including the University of South Florida and Utah State. Civitas’s basic thesis is that the best indicator of whether a student will graduate is not grades or test scores or demographics—it’s their behavior.

Pressure is growing for colleges to improve student outcomes, but sliding enrollment and tighter budgets threaten their ability to do so. In response, they are deploying technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics that promise to help them do more with less.

The University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa has begun working across organisational structures to establish an institutional framework for student success, according to Senior Director of Academic Affairs, Professor Diane Grayson.

With work-life balance and good benefits becoming a requirement rather than a perk, the work culture at Silicon Valley tech giants like Google or LinkedIn is always a popular topic. To attract the best talent, companies around Silicon Valley are consistently competing to provide the best working environments.

When you think of educational technology, do you picture a classroom full of teens immersed in their tablets—perhaps dissecting cyber-rats? That happens, no doubt, but edtech goes beyond K-12 classroom engagement tools, and plays an increasingly crucial role in the educational experience.

As author and educator George Couros put it, “Technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers is transformational.”

Whether it’s unique gatherings that bring employees together or showering staff with perks that promote well-being, these companies prioritize their workforce. Interested in joining them? Take a look at seven fast-growing teams from Austin tech bursting at the seams with opportunity.