Empowering Student Success through AI-Driven Collaboration

Higher education is in the midst of a pivotal transformation. Rapid technological advancements, shifting student demographics, rising mental health concerns, and growing demand for personalized learning experiences are reshaping the mission of colleges and universities around the globe. In this dynamic environment, student success has become a guiding principle that influences every aspect of academic life—from how courses are designed and delivered to how support services are structured and accessed. In response to these changes, many institutions are turning to cross-functional collaborations that blend expertise from various departments and units to meet students' complex and evolving needs. Among the most promising collaborations are those that bring together the power of artificial intelligence (AI), the inclusive accessibility of modern academic libraries, and the human-centered support strategies of student success initiatives. At the Shri Vishnu Engineering College for Women (SVECW) in India, the Department of Artificial Intelligence, the University Library, and the Student Success Center have partnered to create a synergistic model for fostering holistic student success.

Interdisciplinary teams at SVECW are reimagining student support by integrating data-driven decision-making, AI-enhanced tools, and empathetic, personalized guidance. The institution has deployed AI-driven chatbots to proactively engage with students, and cross-functional teams are using AI to monitor and address potential obstacles to student achievement. AI applications have helped SVECW improve communication and support and enhance student engagement and academic performance.^Footnote1 By aligning technological innovation with inclusive learning environments and personalized support systems, SVECW is not only responding to today's challenges but also helping to shape the future of higher education.

Meeting Students' Expectations

Students bring various experiences, expectations, and challenges to the college and university setting. First-generation college students, adult learners, neurodiverse students, and students balancing work and family responsibilities navigate higher education in distinct ways. While this diversity enriches the learning environment, it also demands a more flexible and responsive institutional approach. Student expectations are also shifting. "Digital natives," who are accustomed to personalized technology experiences, expect their educational experience to mirror their other digital interactions. This shift presents an opportunity for higher education to embrace similar technologies and methods without compromising academic integrity or the deeply human dimensions of learning and growth.^Footnote2

The student experience has become more complex in the digital age. With the exponential growth of online resources and tools, students face a paradox of choice. Many students struggle to discern credible information from misinformation or get lost in abundant resources. Others struggle with navigating college or university systems, managing their mental health, or envisioning their post-graduation pathways. These challenges require a holistic, coordinated response that blends the precision and scalability of AI with the mentorship and support of skilled professionals.

Harnessing Cross-Departmental Collaborations to Deepen the Digital Learning Ecosystem

Recognizing this imperative, higher education institutions are breaking down silos between academic support departments and fostering a culture of collaborative innovation. At SVECW, for example, the Department of Artificial Intelligence is partnering with the University Library and the Student Success Center to create an academic support ecosystem that is both data-informed and student-centered. The Department of Artificial Intelligence uses advanced data analytics, machine learning tools, and expertise in ethical AI development to predict student needs and power personalized interventions. The University Library serves as a dynamic hub for digital literacy, skill-building, information curation, discovery, community engagement, and access to inclusive, high-quality academic resources. The Student Success Center provides the relationship and coaching infrastructure for guiding students through academic, emotional, and career challenges. This partnership is not just conceptual; it is deeply embedded in practice. These institutional units meet regularly to share insights, co-design initiatives, align goals, develop pilot programs, create interoperable systems for sharing data ethically and securely, and establish shared metrics for evaluating impact.

Using AI to Support Student Success

AI offers unique capabilities for enhancing the higher education experience.^Footnote3 From predictive modeling and early alert systems to personalized learning pathways and smart recommendation engines, AI tools can transform raw data into actionable insights. When designed thoughtfully, AI does not displace the human elements of teaching and advising—it enhances them by freeing up staff time, uncovering hidden patterns, and enabling timely, tailored interventions. At SVECW, the Department of Artificial Intelligence works closely with the University Library and Student Success Center to ensure these tools are accurate, interpretable, and grounded in principles of equity and inclusion.

University Library

Modern academic libraries play a critical role in the digital learning ecosystem. They have "an unprecedented opportunity to lead in technology adoption, demonstrating not only adaptability but ingenuity in serving evolving academic needs."^Footnote4 No longer limited to physical collections, today's libraries are interactive learning spaces where students develop essential skills in research, critical thinking, data literacy, and intellectual property awareness.^Footnote5 The SVECW University Library has embraced this evolution by incorporating AI tools into resource discovery, offering workshops on digital ethics, and supporting students through personalized research assistance. Our librarians are actively developing AI literacy programs to help students and faculty navigate the complexities of AI technologies.^Footnote6 They also serve as bridge-builders between students and faculty, helping to align resources with course objectives, co-develop learning modules, and foster a culture of inquiry and discovery. The contributions of the SVECW University Library ensure that students receive personalized recommendations and learn how to critically evaluate, apply, and ethically use the information they access.

Student Success Center

Technology alone cannot meet students' full range of academic and emotional needs. At the core of every student's journey is the need for authentic connection, encouragement, and guidance. Professional success coaches in the SVECW Student Success Center address this need by working closely with students from enrollment to graduation. These coaches help students set goals, navigate academic policies, manage stress, and develop the habits they need to be lifelong learners.

The collaborative framework being developed at SVECW represents a scalable and sustainable model for institutions seeking to advance student success in the digital age. By integrating cutting-edge technology with inclusive pedagogy and compassionate support, institutions can build resilient academic communities that adapt to change, value diversity, and place student well-being at the center of their mission.

Reimagining Academic Support Through AI

In the twenty-first-century academic environment, the role of AI is transitioning from that of a supplementary tool to a central pillar of student support and academic services. With growing student populations, diverse learning needs, and complex institutional challenges, AI has the potential to transform academic support services—making them more proactive, personalized, and data-driven. Interdisciplinary collaborations can place AI at the heart of academic support—not as a replacement for human mentorship but as a powerful enabler of human-centered services.^Footnote7

Traditional academic support systems often rely on students initiating contact when they encounter difficulties. Unfortunately, many students do not reach out in time (or at all), leading to preventable academic decline and even attrition. AI flips this model on its head. SVECW has leveraged historical academic records, engagement data (such as learning management system [LMS] logins, library visits, and tutoring appointments), and behavioral patterns to develop an early alert system powered by machine learning. This system identifies students who are at risk of falling behind before midterms, allowing academic advisors and the Student Success Center to intervene early. For instance, a student who stops accessing course materials or misses multiple assignment deadlines may trigger a flag in the system. Rather than waiting for the student to ask for help, support staff can reach out proactively, offering assistance, resources, or wellness checks. The personalization and timeliness of such interventions can significantly increase a student's chance of academic success.

Personalized Learning Pathways

Beyond early alerts, the AI system at SVECW also supports personalized learning pathways. Every student learns differently. Some excel with visual materials, while others benefit from hands-on activities or collaborative discussions. The SVECW AI system can suggest learning resources tailored to individual preferences, and staff can review performance trends to determine whether further support is needed. For example, suppose a student struggles with calculus-based problems in an engineering course. The AI system might suggest specific video tutorials, supplementary readings available through the University Library, or workshops conducted by peer tutors. These recommendations are curated using collaborative filtering algorithms, similar to those used in streaming platforms but adapted for academic content and rigorously vetted by our faculty and librarians. In addition, SVECW has integrated AI tools with adaptive learning platforms, which dynamically adjust the difficulty level of exercises in real time based on student responses. These tools help prevent frustration and boredom by maintaining an optimal challenge level. Students using these platforms have shown increased retention of complex concepts and greater self-efficacy in their learning.

Writing Assistance

One key academic challenge students face is articulating ideas clearly and effectively in writing—whether for term papers, lab reports, or research proposals. AI-based writing assistants, powered by natural language processing (NLP), can provide contextual grammar corrections, suggestions on paraphrasing materials, and even feedback on tone and structure. To support writing development at SVECW, the Student Success Center is piloting an AI-driven writing assistant platform that is specifically tuned for academic language. Unlike generic grammar tools, this system can be trained on academic writing samples to detect discipline-specific errors. For instance, it can flag misused technical jargon in engineering reports or citation inconsistencies in psychology essays. This platform provides another opportunity to teach students the ethical boundaries of AI-assisted learning. Librarians can conduct sessions on understanding the boundary between assistance and plagiarism, reinforcing the message that AI is a mentor, not a shortcut.

24/7 Support

AI-powered chatbots are another tool institutions can use to address common student queries around the clock. An institution-wide academic support chatbot can be programmed to answer a broad range of questions such as these:

• What is the due date for assignment three in CS101?
• How can I book a session with a tutor?
• Where can I find materials on AI ethics?

SVECW has deployed AskU, a chatbot that integrates data from the course catalog, the LMS, library databases, and student support resources. It uses a hybrid retrieval-generation approach to deliver precise answers and natural-sounding interactions. Notably, AskU is not just a passive responder—it can also send email reminders, book appointments, and flag questions for human follow-up when needed.

Transparency and Consent

The increased use of AI in academic support naturally raises concerns about data ethics, student privacy, and the potential for algorithmic bias. Thus, transparency and consent are needed for the implementation of this model. Students need to be informed about what data will be collected, how it will be used, and the limitations of automated decision-making. A human professional should review every AI-generated recommendation or alert before taking any action. At SVECW, an interdisciplinary ethics board—comprising AI faculty, librarians, student representatives, and administrators—has been formed to audit algorithms for fairness and ensure that the models do not inadvertently disadvantage students from marginalized and non-traditional groups. This inclusive approach fosters trust and creates a model for the responsible use of AI in education.

Actionable Insights for Faculty

While AI-based academic support is largely student-facing, empowering SVECW faculty members with actionable insights is also important. Dashboards can be created to help instructors understand how students are engaging with their course materials. Instructors can use AI tools to see which topics are the most challenging for students, which resources are underutilized, and where students spend the most time. This feedback loop allows faculty to adjust pacing, recommend additional materials, or modify assessments. It also creates new opportunities for collaboration between faculty and librarians, especially when integrating open educational resources (OER) or custom research guides. For instance, faculty and librarians can collaborate on the development of dynamic research guides tailored to students' needs. In parallel, librarians and AI researchers can work with faculty to embed digital and data literacy into the curriculum. Students not only benefit from AI-based tools but also gain an understanding of how these systems work, fostering critical thinking and preparing them for an AI-rich workplace.

Transformative Support

The SVECW journey in reimagining academic support through AI is still evolving. As we scale these solutions, we remain committed to inclusivity, student agency, and continuous evaluation. The ultimate goal of the SVECW model is to create an academic ecosystem where every student—regardless of background, major, or learning style—receives the right support at the right time. By integrating AI into the fabric of academic support services, we can enhance outcomes and redefine what it means to support student success in the digital age.

Libraries as Hubs of Digital Literacy and Access

In an age where information is abundant but often overwhelming, academic libraries are redefining their roles from quiet study spaces to dynamic digital access, literacy, and engagement hubs. They are no longer passive warehouses of books but vibrant partners in the educational process, offering students and faculty curated access to digital resources, technology-enhanced learning tools, and critical information literacy skills. College and university libraries have embraced this evolution by integrating AI tools, collaborating across departments, and serving as a central pillar in the institutional mission to support student success. Historically, libraries measured their value in volumes—how many books were on the shelves, how many journals were archived, and how many microfilms were available. Today, the success metric has shifted toward impact—how effectively the library connects students to the right information, fosters critical thinking, and supports academic achievement. In this context, libraries have positioned themselves not only as providers of information but as navigators of the digital sea. With students accessing a growing percentage of their materials online, the role of the librarian has changed. Librarians are now educators, technologists, and digital mentors. They collaborate with faculty to embed research and digital literacy modules into coursework, helping students learn how to locate, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information. These skills are essential not only for academic success but also for responsible citizenship in the digital age.

Streamlined Research Support

The vastness of online academic content presents both an opportunity and a challenge. Students often find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer volume of results when searching scholarly articles, datasets, or multimedia materials. At SVECW, the University Library has partnered with the Department of Artificial Intelligence to develop AI-powered discovery tools that personalize and streamline the research process. One such innovation is an intelligent recommendation engine integrated into the library's digital catalog. Drawing on user behavior, course enrollment data, and previously accessed materials, this system suggests resources aligned with a student's academic profile. For example, a computer science student working on a machine-learning project might receive automated suggestions for recent IEEE papers, relevant datasets, and technical handbooks. By delivering these resources proactively, the system reduces the time the student spends searching and improves the quality of sources consulted. The system uses NLP to interpret query intent more effectively, allowing students to search using conversational language rather than rigid Boolean terms. This capability helps democratize research, particularly for undergraduates and first-generation college students who may not be familiar with advanced search strategies.

Digital Literacy Education

As students navigate a complex information ecosystem, the role of the library in promoting digital literacy has become even more critical. Beyond knowing how to access scholarly resources, students must be able to discern credible information from misinformation, understand the implications of digital footprints, and appreciate issues of privacy, bias, and algorithmic transparency. The SVECW library has launched a series of workshops and credit-bearing seminars focused on digital literacy. These sessions address topics such as evaluating online sources for credibility and bias, understanding data ethics and responsible use of personal data, using citation tools and avoiding plagiarism, navigating academic publishing and open access, and understanding how algorithms influence search results and social media feeds. These programs were developed collaboratively by faculty and staff in the Student Affairs department and the Student Success Center to ensure alignment with curriculum goals and student development outcomes. By equipping students with these competencies, the University Library supports academic integrity and prepares learners for a rapidly changing workforce and civic life.

Open-Access Resources

Equity and inclusion are central to the academic library's mission. As the cost of textbooks and scholarly publications continues to rise, access to essential learning materials can become a barrier for many students. Libraries can take a proactive stance by advocating for open-access resources and investing in digital repositories that support equitable access to knowledge. At SVECW, the library has partnered with  faculty and leadership to develop an institutional open-access policy, encouraging faculty to add their publications to the institution's digital archive. The open-access initiative also provides funding and support for faculty who wish to publish in open-access journals or create OER for their courses. The impact of this initiative is tangible: Students in high-enrollment courses gain free access to textbooks and supplemental materials that once cost hundreds of dollars.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

The SVECW library's open data repository also serves as a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration, enabling students and researchers to share datasets and collaborate across disciplines. The library is uniquely positioned to support students across all stages of their educational journey—from onboarding and first-year seminars to capstone projects and postgraduate research—collaborating with the Student Success Center to support students from day one. During orientation, students participate in interactive sessions that familiarize them with library services, research tools, and digital platforms. First-year students receive curated research guides tailored to their academic programs, personalized library tours, and introductions to subject librarians. As students advance, the library supports deeper engagement through discipline-specific research consultations: Expert librarians guide students through complex projects, literature reviews, and thesis preparation. The library offers workshops on data visualization, geospatial tools (GIS), and statistical software like R and SPSS, helping students analyze and present their work effectively. Digital labs with advanced workstations support multimedia creation, 3D modeling, and virtual reality for research and course projects. Through these touchpoints, the library supports academic rigor, creativity, and innovation.

Inclusive Space

The SVECW library was designed as an inclusive space where students of all backgrounds, disciplines, and identities feel welcome and supported. It is both a physical and intellectual commons—offering quiet study zones, collaborative workspaces, and 24/7 digital access. The library team prioritizes inclusive design in both digital and physical spaces. Accessible formats, multilingual resources, and adaptive technologies ensure that all students—including those with disabilities—can fully engage with materials. Special collections and cultural programming highlight diverse voices and histories, fostering a more inclusive academic dialogue.

Future Initiatives

As the future of learning continues to evolve, libraries can serve as "living labs" for experimentation and exploration. Future initiatives at SVECW include AI and digital ethics literacy badges that students can earn and display on professional platforms, student-led data-curation projects that contribute to open research repositories, and collaborative teaching residencies where faculty, librarians, and technologists work collaboratively to design courses that blend information literacy and AI awareness. The goal is to provide resources and empower students as knowledge creators, critical thinkers, and responsible digital citizens.

Student Success Through Personalized Guidance

Student success is no longer confined to grades and graduation rates; it now reflects a holistic view of the student experience—from academic achievement and career readiness to mental health and a sense of belonging. At the heart of this evolving paradigm is the recognition that each student's journey is unique and one-size-fits-all solutions are no longer sufficient. The SVECW Student Success Center, in collaboration with the Department of Artificial Intelligence and the University Library, has embraced a cross-functional approach that combines data-informed practices, human-centered support, and digital innovation to ensure every student receives the tailored assistance they need to thrive. Traditionally, support services such as academic advising, counseling, and tutoring operated in silos. Students navigated these services independently, often only after encountering a problem. This reactive model placed the burden of seeking help on students—many of whom were unaware of available resources or hesitant to use them due to stigma, scheduling conflicts, or cultural factors. Recognizing these challenges, the SVECW Student Success Center shifted toward a proactive, integrated model. Leveraging data and insights from AI systems, student usage patterns from library resources, and feedback from faculty, this model creates a framework where students receive timely, relevant, and personalized interventions—often before they ask for help.

Early Alert System

One of the key tools driving the transformation of student support services at SVECW is the development of an early alert system (EAS). Developed in collaboration with AI researchers and academic advisors, the EAS uses a predictive analytics model to identify students who may be struggling academically or are at risk of falling behind. The model considers a range of indicators, including course performance trends (e.g., declining quiz scores or missed assignments), attendance and LMS activity logs, drop-off in library usage or canceled tutoring appointments, and behavioral markers (e.g., stress and engagement). Once a student is flagged by the EAS, the system notifies their assigned success coach or academic advisor, who initiates a personalized outreach. Importantly, these outreach efforts are framed as supportive check-ins rather than punitive messages. Coaches reach out with empathy and actionable support, such as scheduling a tutoring session, recommending wellness workshops, or connecting students to financial aid counseling. Central to this approach is the creation of individualized student success plans. Each student is assigned a success coach who works with them to map out academic, personal, and career goals. These plans are living documents that are updated regularly during coaching sessions and based on student self-assessments.

Personalized Milestones

AI tools play a key role in this outreach model. The platform generates personalized milestones and action items by analyzing students' academic records, preferred learning styles, and career interests. For example, a student majoring in AI with an interest in health care might be guided toward specific electives, relevant student organizations, internship opportunities, and library resources on AI in medicine. Moreover, integrating AI with the library catalog and co-curricular tracking means that students receive timely nudges: "A workshop on data ethics is available next week—it aligns with your interest in AI policy." Or, "Consider scheduling a mock interview session; your career goal survey shows you're preparing for job applications this semester." Such tailored prompts empower students to make informed decisions while fostering a sense of ownership over their academic journey.

Wellness Support

Mental health and overall well-being are crucial to students' academic success, and the SVECW Student Success Center prioritizes integrating wellness support into its academic guidance framework. Recognizing that students often hesitate to seek mental health counseling, implementing a system where well-being check-ins are part of regular coaching sessions is crucial. Students complete brief self-assessments through a mobile app. The surveys include questions about stress levels, sleep patterns, and emotional health. If a student's responses are concerning, success coaches can gently suggest wellness resources, including peer support groups, counseling services, and mindfulness workshops facilitated in part by library learning spaces. AI tools track patterns over time and flag concerning trends. AI complements professional mental health services by ensuring support is timely and accessible, especially for students who may not otherwise seek help.

Career Mapping

Preparing students for life after graduation is a critical aspect of student success. A personalized guidance model connects students to career development opportunities aligned with their academic and personal goals. At key innovation at SVECW has been the integration of AI career mapping tools. These tools analyze labor market trends, student interests, and skill development to suggest potential career paths. Students receive personalized dashboards showing recommended internships, certifications, alumni mentors, and even relevant library databases to explore industry research. SVECW Career Services team members and librarians collaborate with faculty to embed career readiness modules into general education and major-specific courses. These modules—several of which are already in use—include résumé-building workshops, interview preparation sessions, and information-literacy assignments that teach students how to use library databases to research companies and industry trends. Students also benefit from digital portfolios, which they curate over time with support from librarians and career advisors. These portfolios showcase their academic projects, extracurricular involvement, and certifications, making them valuable tools for academic and professional reflection and job applications.

Inclusive Guidance

The inclusive guidance framework at SVECW incorporates inclusive, personalized guidance. Like most colleges and universities, SVECW serves diverse populations, including first-generation students, international students, adult learners, and students from underrepresented communities. To ensure that support is equitable and culturally responsive, the institution invests in cultural humility training for success coaches and offers additional resources, such as multilingual support, peer mentoring, and culturally responsive programming. AI systems are designed with inclusivity in mind. These systems are programmed to conduct regular audits to ensure that predictive models are not biased against any groups. SVECW's AI design includes explainable techniques that help students and staff understand how recommendations are made and allows them to provide feedback.

Personalized student guidance is a journey. As technology advances and student needs change, so too must institutional support systems. Future initiatives at SVECW include AI-driven peer-mentoring platforms that match students based on shared goals, sentiment analysis tools that provide real-time emotional context to student surveys, integration of virtual reality for immersive career exploration experiences, and enhanced library dashboards that recommend academic resources aligned with success plans. By continuing to foster collaboration among academic departments, AI researchers, librarians, and student affairs professionals, SVECW is building a robust ecosystem where personalized support is the norm, not the exception.

Conclusion

As higher education continues to evolve in the face of technological advancements, student diversity, and complex societal challenges, student success initiatives must become more adaptive, inclusive, and collaborative. Intentional partnerships between academic departments, libraries, and student support services can transform the institutional environment into one that empowers every learner to thrive. No single department or office holds all the answers. True innovation in student success requires a convergence of technological, academic, humanistic, and practical perspectives and expertise. At SVECW, the Department of Artificial Intelligence contributes the ability to process and analyze vast datasets, enabling timely interventions and highly personalized learning experiences. The University Library brings a deep commitment to equitable access to knowledge, critical literacy, and intellectual development. The Student Success Center grounds these innovations in compassionate, student-centered practices, ensuring that all interventions are responsive to human needs and aspirations.

The success of the SVECW integrated model lies not in the novelty of the tools but in how the institution uses them—thoughtfully, ethically, and with a deep commitment to inclusion. Technology is not a panacea but a tool that supports human relationships, augments institutional responsiveness, and improves the student experience in meaningful ways. Librarians, success coaches, and faculty are empowered by AI, not replaced by it. Students, in turn, benefit from receiving personalized guidance and having the agency to co-create their learning journeys. When academic support is proactive rather than reactive, students are more likely to feel engaged, motivated, and connected to their institutions. Early alerts, targeted outreach, and contextual resource recommendations allow educational professionals to reach students with the right support at the right time. AI-enhanced dashboards and recommendation systems reveal struggles that might otherwise go unnoticed and provide scalable strategies to address them. The result is a more effective system where student do not slip through the cracks because they don't know where to turn.

The collaborative framework at SVECW is a model for institutions seeking to unify technology, library science, and student-centered services. This model is built on trust, respect, and a shared vision: that every student deserves the opportunity to succeed and that it is our collective responsibility to make that opportunity real. By embracing innovation, empathy, data, and dialogue, higher education professionals can build institutions that not only educate—but truly empower—the next generation of learners.

Notes

1. Thomas Miller and Melissa Irvin, "Using Artificial Intelligence with Human Intelligence for Student Success," EDUCAUSE Review, December 9, 2019; Angela Mihaela Vieriu and Gabriel Petrea, "The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Students' Academic Development," Education Sciences 15, no. 3 (February 2025). Jump back to footnote 1 in the text.↩
2. Georgia State University's Pounce chatbot, for example, has improved student engagement and retention. See Jason Fife, "Human-AI Collaboration for Student Success: Transforming Advising," Mainstay Blog, November 25, 2024. Jump back to footnote 2 in the text.↩
3. Samuel Ocen et al., "Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education Institutions: Review of Innovations, Opportunities and Challenges," Frontiers in Education, March 2, 2025. Jump back to footnote 3 in the text.↩
4. Ex Libris, "Harnessing the Power of AI in Academic Libraries," Ex Libris Blog. March 18, 2025. Jump back to footnote 4 in the text.↩
5. Ashley Mowreader, "Report: Defining AI Literacy for Librarians," Inside Higher Ed, February 10, 2025. Jump back to footnote 5 in the text.↩
6. Karen Steiger, "Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education and Academic Libraries: A Literature Review," Endnotes: The Journal of the New Members Round Table 12, no. 1 (2024): 25–36. Jump back to footnote 6 in the text.↩
7. Tara Zirkel, "Student Success Teams Are Already Using AI on a Daily Basis—Here's What Institutions Need to Know," EAB Blog, July 25, 2024. Jump back to footnote 7 in the text.↩

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Bharat Khushalani is a Professor in the Department of Artificial Intelligence at Shri Vishnu Engineering College for Women.