Harnessing data and technology: How smart campuses are shaping the future of education
February 25, 2025
How are universities using data and technology to create smarter, more adaptable campuses for enhanced learning and student engagement?
Right now, university campuses are evolving. And new educational technology is leading the way. When considered early in the design process, technology can have a profound effect on a building. This includes the building’s physical form, which enables new business models for occupants and smarter use for organisations.
That’s why the way we design, build, and use campuses is changing. Universities want smarter, more flexible spaces that improve the student experience and streamline operations. They are using technology to create smart campuses that attract students, staff, and researchers and keep them engaged and productive.
Let’s dig into these four important points:
- What is the digital transformation in higher education?
- How is technology reshaping campus life?
- The power of data in campus design. And how it makes for a smart campus.
- How to provide holistic campus solutions.
Introducing the smart campus: Digital transformation in higher education
Universities must keep pace with technology’s rapid changes if they are to prepare students for their careers. It’s essential that they integrate new educational technology and other digital tools across their campus. When they do so, it enhances the quality of education and expands access to knowledge.
The shift to hybrid learning requires a campus to be flexible, with technology that supports in-person and online learning.
Digital resources and remote learning options give students greater flexibility in how, when, and where they learn. They also cater to diverse learning styles. Connected campuses make it easier for students, researchers, and faculty members to collaborate and share knowledge around the world.
Smart campuses can also play a pivotal role in economic growth beyond their walls. Universities are often at the forefront of research and development. When they embrace new technologies, universities can make important discoveries that lead to new industries and jobs. For example, Wi-Fi and the polymer contact lens were developed in partnership with CSIRO, Macquarie University, and UNSW.
The connected campus: Educational technology reshaping campus life
Students don’t spend as much time on campus as they did in the past. Attendance is high in the first few weeks of the term, but it often drops off after that. Research by the University of Western Australia found lecture attendance peaked at the beginning of the semester, with 57 percent attendance. It then dropped off in the middle to 26 percent attendance. As the semester neared the end, it rebounds to about 35 percent.
Hybrid learning—a mix of in-person and online classes—is now common. This shift requires flexible classrooms that can support both types of learning. With fewer students on campus full-time, universities are rethinking their spaces and how they deliver education.
Universities are rethinking their spaces and how they deliver education.
A smart campus leverages data and technology.
Future-thinking: How data drives smarter campus design
A smart campus isn’t just about high-tech classrooms. It uses data to improve the entire campus experience. A study by PwC found that data-driven organisations are three times more likely to make better decisions. Universities need to consider both current and future needs in student behaviour. By using data early in the design process, they can build flexible spaces that adapt over time.
Smart campuses now collect data from sources like sensors, which can monitor everything from foot traffic to building temperatures. This data allows them to adjust spaces to meet the needs of students and staff.
Data insights like foot-traffic patterns show which areas are overcrowded or underused. This guides decisions about whether to redesign, expand, or relocate spaces. The result? It helps campuses save on operational costs while improving how people move around. It’s important to monitor activity across spaces over time. It gives universities insights that support planning for both current needs and long-term strategies.
Room temperature and indoor air quality data also play a role. Studies show that warmer rooms reduce focus. Student performance also drops around 1 percent for each degree increase above 23–24 degrees Celsius at 50 percent relative humidity. Better temperature control can help engage students, while also keeping them comfortable.
Universities might also track the condition and availability of teaching tools in each room. Knowing this ahead of time makes it easier for teachers to plan classes so technology issues don’t disrupt learning.
Holistic campus solutions: Broader uses for smart campus data
Data insights can go beyond an efficient operation. A smart campus can set and measure sustainability and wellness goals that they make visible on campus. They can also check how well their digital tools work across the campus to help provide seamless connectivity.
By incorporating data early in the design process, universities can build flexible spaces that adapt over time.
Instead of viewing these as just operation systems, universities can use data for holistic planning. They can help craft a personalised student journey. This uses technology to support facility management and to enhance a student’s experience, now and in the future.
One example is our team’s work with Flinders University. We used digital twin technology to test hundreds of design scenarios in early concept phases. What happened? Flinders was able to find the best possible design, reducing costs while improving the functionality of its buildings. This data-driven approach will help the university continue to meet the needs of students and staff in the years to come.
Forward-thinking: Preparing universities for the future
As universities collect more data, they will be better equipped to handle the changing needs of students and the evolving trends in education.
Using technology in education can improve efficiency. It helps create an engaging, flexible, and sustainable smart campus. This will help universities to stay competitive. And it will help provide their students and staff with a connected, adaptable environment that supports learning and research.