Nottingham Trent University

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is on a mission to become the UK’s most digitally advanced university. Today’s students expect seamless, intuitive digital-first experiences that support both academic and social life. To meet that expectation, the university set out to transform its digital ecosystem.

Partnering with NTU, we launched an extensive UX research programme, speaking with all student types - from undergrads to apprentices and mature-learners - to uncover critical pain points in the student journey. This first-hand insight shaped a roadmap of 25 innovative solutions over five focus areas to improve student life, visualised in a living experience map to track progress in real time.

One of the most ambitious solutions was Aida – an AI-powered student companion designed to be the first thing a student looks at in the morning and the last thing they see at night. Aida uses AI to seamlessly integrate NTU’s many systems into a single, personalised interface, embodied in a cheerful, intuitive character always ready to support students beyond expectations.

Core features include onboarding tools to help students check off vital tasks, navigate campus life and integrate into communities before arrival. But Aida goes further: AI nudges students toward better academic performance; quick-click seat bookings streamline access to campus spaces; and mental and physical wellness support, including counselling referrals and help with functional tasks like council tax exemption.

Aida was rapidly developed into a high-fidelity prototype, allowing students to experience first-hand before full-scale development. The results spoke for themselves: NTU’s existing student portal had a user rating of 5/10. In testing, Aida achieved 8.8/10, demonstrating a massive leap in usability, engagement and satisfaction.

To future-proof the platform, we proposed a software development kit (SDK), enabling NTU departments to build apps within the Aida ecosystem. This plug-and-play framework ensures seamless integration and long-term scalability.

By turning real insight into a test-and-learn roadmap for innovation, NTU is shaping the future of higher education. With a commitment to ongoing digital innovation, the university is empowering the next generation of students to thrive.