
Improving data management & student experiences with unified data

Who they are
As one of Canada’s leading polytechnics, NAIT provides hands-on, technology-based education to more than 34,000 students from over 80 countries. With four campuses, a huge staff, and a wide range of programs, the institution generates vast amounts of data about students, employees, alumni, and donors. NAIT’s technical teams tried in-house solutions to manage this data, but their existing systems couldn’t deliver the scalable MDM solution they wanted.
Unifying identity data to eliminate silos
NAIT faced several data management challenges that hindered its ability to provide consistent, accurate information across its systems. Below are the key challenges that led them to implement Semarchy’s solution:
Siloed data
NAIT’s identity data for students, staff, alumni, and donors was fragmented across multiple systems, leading to duplication and outdated information.
Inconsistent definitions
Different systems had varying definitions of identities and affiliations, causing discrepancies and difficulties in reporting.
Application proliferation
With increasing numbers of systems, new applications created additional silos, making data management increasingly complex.
Complex integrations
Each time a new application was introduced, manual decisions about data integration had to be made, which consumed valuable time and created inconsistencies across systems.
Building a unified data foundation through data management software
To solve these challenges, NAIT chose Semarchy’s Data Management platform to consolidate identity data, improve data quality, and streamline integrations across their systems. Key strategies included:
- Centralizing data: Semarchy DM helped NAIT consolidate fragmented data into a single, trusted source, eliminating duplication and verifying accurate, up-to-date information.
- Standardizing definitions: With Semarchy’s flexible data model, NAIT could define consistent data rules so all systems use the same definitions for identity and affiliation.
- Streamlining integrations: The platform enabled real-time data flow, speeding up integrations and reducing the complexity of adding new applications to the ecosystem.
Achieving data accuracy, operational efficiency, and seamless user experiences
As a result of implementing Semarchy, NAIT experienced significant improvements in various areas:
- Improved data quality: By consolidating and validating identity data, NAIT significantly improved data accuracy and consistency, creating a reliable foundation for decision-making.
- Faster integrations: The real-time data flow enabled quicker integrations with new systems, saving time and boosting efficiency in data management.
- Enhanced student experience: Students, staff, alumni, and donors benefited from a consistent, seamless experience across NAIT’s digital platforms, improving overall satisfaction and reducing support requests.
- Operational efficiency: NAIT eliminated redundant processes, saving time and resources previously spent managing inconsistent data across multiple systems.