#12: The Role and Evolution of Data, Analytics, and AI Agents in Higher Education

Miguel Molina (0:00)

If we're talking about retention, we've been relying on someone actually picking up the phone and calling the kid that is at risk. This is not scalable. There's no way to democratize advanced analytics if the human has to be there at the very end.

Chris Harrison (0:15)

Hello, everybody. Thanks for turning into another episode of the Chris Tech Chat. Today, we will focus on the role and evolution of data, analytics, and AI agents in higher education. I'm Chris Harrison, CEO of Talentos Globo. We are a U.S.-based BPO and top-near shore outsourcing provider of Tech Talent's software services with deep expertise on higher ed and the X sector with a global footprint across Latin America and Europe. Today, we're joined by Miguel Molina, who is the founder and CEO of Analytikus, which is a net tech company focused on personalizing education by enabling AI solutions in order to improve learning, teaching, and student success. Miguel has over 20 years of experience in advanced analytics, AI and digital transformation. Back in 2015, he founded Analytikus, a company specialized in advanced analytics and AI apply to higher education with the presence in Latin America, the US, and Europe. Through Analytikus, Miguel has championed a clear vision to help institutions and educations turn data into action. The company works with universities and higher education institutions to integrate academic, administrative, and learning data, converting to actionable intelligence and drive decision using predictive models, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence agents. Miguel is a strong advocate for a more personalized, predictive, and human-centered education, where technology does not replace human judgment, but rather amplifies institutions' ability to better support each student. His work focuses on, particularly on how AI can help universities and academic teams make better decisions to intervene in a timely manner, and create more relevant educational experiences. Before founding Analytikus, Miguel held key positions at Intellego USA, and World Climate Credit in Switzerland, where he deepened his expertise in information management, technology, and analytical models applied to various sectors. He holds a degree in information systems from Tecnologico de Monterey, and also has pursued studies in leadership and entrepreneurship at institutions such as University of Essex, Berkley, and ESC.

Lastly, for those that do know Miguel, Miguel is fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian. He currently resides in Spain with his family. And as his personal side, he is passionate about genealogy and has a lifelong interest in history, education, and the impact of technology on society. So with this in mind, Miguel, welcome to the podcast. And by the way, congrats on your 10-year university with Analytikus.

Miguel Molina (2:49)

Thank you, Chris, and thank you for having me. It's great seeing you.

Chris Harrison (2:53)

Absolutely, absolutely. I think you and I go back in our previous lives, you know, a number of years. We crossed our path in the past in higher ed, both having, you know, have had great experience in the sector and both of us being passionate about what we do and the impact that we provide in higher ed through, you know, student success and other subjects. So today, I think we got some great questions for you. I think the audience will appreciate your perspective specifically on the role of and the evolution of data analytics, any agents and higher education. The first sort of question to trigger the thought process in you and us is how, from your perspective, how are higher ed institutions moving from dashboards and reporting to actionable decision making outcomes, which is something that if you see the evolution of the last 10 years is really where it started. They build the dashboards, they build the reporting on it, but there was no action behind it. So from your perspective, how has that actionable decision making outcomes evolved over the last decade or so?

Miguel Molina (3:59)

Yeah, that's a great question. Thank you, Chris.

I think my company and every single company that is in the space of analytics, we've been overusing records and dashboards. That's been our deliverable at the end of the road for a decade or more. GRTBI is here to change that because we've been relying in order to have an impact with advanced analytics, we've been relying on the human component. And a couple of examples, if we're talking about retention, we've been relying on someone actually picking up the phone and calling the kid that is at risk. This is not scalable. There is no way to democratize advanced analytics if the human has to be there at the very end. So GRTBI, and now, as we've all heard, this is the era of agents, is simplifying, reaching the end of the road, is reaching the prospect, is reaching the faculty member, is reaching the student at risk, is jumpstarting a workflow that is going to end up with a meeting. So the closer we get to the impact line, the better our analytics are going to be in actually making or having an impact.