AI-Powered Student Support in Action

The Challenge: Supporting Thousands with Limited Resources

As higher education institutions grapple with rising student stress and stretched staff resources, the demand for smarter support systems is growing rapidly.

 

At Finland’s largest university of applied sciences, Metropolia (with over 17,000 students), the need to reach struggling students earlier, and more personally, was clear. Research showed that:

 

– Only 20% of students felt they received adequate guidance.

– Over 60% of students reported unmet mental health needs.

– Support staff had limited time to provide individual help.

 

Enter Annie, a text-message-based support bot designed to proactively identify student concerns and connect them with the right resources before small issues become major barriers.

 

The Solution: Annie’s Targeted and Timely Outreach

Metropolia rolled out Annie in a structured, multi-phase process:

 

– Workshops helped map key transition points like starting studies, thesis work, and nearing graduation—times when dropout risk is highest.

– Pilot campaigns were tested with small student groups and refined based on feedback.

– Institution-wide launch followed, with every degree program required to run at least one Annie support campaign per year.

 

Each student received personalized support messages via SMS. If a student responded, Annie would guide them to resources—ranging from study advisors to mental health services.

Results from Year One

The outcomes were encouraging:

 

– 2,803 messages sent, with a 52% response rate.

– 384 support needs identified, with study planning (71%) and mental wellbeing (18%) topping the list.

– Students were more responsive via SMS than traditional email outreach.

– Staff found Annie easy to use, not as a replacement, but a complement to their roles.

Why It Works: Smart Technology, Human-Centered Design

Annie doesn’t replace people – it enhances access. The support bot:

 

– Proactively reaches students at the right moments.

– Offers empathetic, low-barrier conversations.

– Connects students to real advisors when needed.

– Collects anonymized data on student needs to improve services.

 

From a single pilot to full institutional adoption, Metropolia’s experience shows how AI tools like Annie can help deliver targeted, timely, and scalable student support.

Want to Learn More?

This blog only scratches the surface. The full research report includes:

 

– Implementation steps and planning models

– Student and staff quotes

– Technical and ethical considerations

– Data-driven insights from Annie’s rollout