Agreement with Unizin, a Consortium of 22 Leading Universities, Will Help Advisors and Faculty Identify and Support At-Risk Students
Basking Ridge, NJ (May 24, 2017) — BNED LoudCloud, a Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. company (NYSE: BNED) (“BNED”), today announced it has entered into an agreement with Unizin, Ltd. (“Unizin”) to provide its 22 member universities with BNED LoudCloud’s predictive analytics solution. As a result, faculty and advisors will have access to a customized solution that helps educators identify, monitor, and support at-risk students, with the goal of improving student success rates and retention.
Unizin, a nonprofit consortium serving hundreds of thousands of students, is dedicated to improving teaching and learning environments with digital technology. The consortium finds solutions for its members to address the biggest challenges facing higher education today – affordability, access, and learner success.
“The universities of the Unizin Consortium are working together in a radically different way, sharing knowledge and experience in the quest for a learning ecosystem that will transform higher education,” said Amin Qazi, Chief Executive Officer of Unizin. “Our agreement with Barnes & Noble Education is one of the ways our member institutions can continue to support the best possible student outcomes.”
LoudSight, BNED LoudCloud’s analytics solution, connects disparate systems on campus, builds predictive models based upon data collected by institutions, and presents advisors with a unified view of the factors that drive student success on their campus. By sharing predictive models with institutions, BNED LoudCloud promotes collaboration to ensure advisors and administrators understand what drives student performance. Additionally, LoudSight integrates with campus communication systems, allowing advisors and faculty to easily reach out to students at the exact moment they need support.
“Unizin and BNED share a passion for improving the learning experience and driving student success. We are thrilled to work with Unizin and offer analytic solutions to an even wider audience,” said Kanuj Malhotra, Chief Operating Officer, Digital, Barnes & Noble Education. “By bringing LoudSight’s analytics to Unizin’s collaborative network of universities, which include some of the largest land-grant universities in the country, we can make a meaningful impact on higher education, evolving learning environments and improving student outcomes.”
LoudSight has the ability to capture and analyze over 200 parameters across demographic, performance and participation data points. Its powerful predictive engine has the ability to support advisors, faculty and students with real-time alerts and insights into managing and improving outcomes.
“Despite the wealth of data collected by schools, it is often difficult for educators to understand and leverage data in a way that allows them to improve student success and retention,” said Manoj Kutty, Managing Director, BNED LoudCloud. “We are excited to serve and collaborate with Unizin to positively impact teaching and learning within its member institutions.”
Unizin’s member institutions include: Colorado State University, University of Florida, Indiana University, University of Michigan, Ohio State University, Oregon State University, University of Iowa, University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin, University of Nebraska, Penn State University, Florida A&M University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, Florida Polytechnic University, Florida State University, New College of Florida, University of Central Florida, University of North Florida, University of South Florida, and University of West Florida.
About Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED), one of the largest contract operators of bookstores on college and university campuses across the United States and a leading provider of digital education services, enhances the academic and social purpose of educational institutions. Through its Barnes & Noble College and MBS subsidiaries, Barnes & Noble Education operates 1,490 physical and virtual bookstores and serves more than 6 million students enrolled in higher education institutions, delivering essential educational content and tools within a dynamic retail environment. Through its Digital Education subsidiary, Barnes & Noble Education offers a suite of digital software, content and services that include a sophisticated digital learning management platform that has competency-based features, analytics capabilities, courseware offerings and a digital eTextbook reading product. Barnes & Noble Education acts as a strategic partner to drive student success; provide value and support to students and faculty; and create loyalty and improve retention, all while supporting the financial goals of college and university partners.
General information on Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. can be obtained by visiting the Company’s corporate website: www.BNED.com.
About Barnes & Noble Education LoudCloud
Barnes & Noble Education LoudCloud, a Barnes & Noble Education company (NYSE: BNED), builds software that improves learning. By focusing on four key areas – Learning Analytics, Competency Based Education, Learning Management, and Next Generation Learning Materials including advanced OER Courseware, BNED LoudCloud serves educators and students in higher education, and increasingly, K-12 institutions to address the challenges of affordability and retention.
General information on BNED LoudCloud can be obtained by visiting the company’s website: www.BNEDLoudCloud.com.
About Unizin, Ltd.
Unizin, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consortium of 22 leading universities dedicated to promoting affordability, access, and learner success in digital education. Unizin’s interoperable technology ecosystem supports the diverse teaching and learning environments across its institutions. Unizin solutions promote technology standards, enable integrations, eliminate the learner analytics black box, ensure accessibility of content and data, preserve and promote faculty choice, and support institutional collaboration. Unizin is operated by its member institutions through a Board of Directors. Unizin is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
For more on Unizin, visit www.unizin.org.
