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Coventry University developing AI tool to help identify students who may need support
Coventry University is helping learners through its Early Student Support project
University news / Student news / Business news / AI and Digital Technologies
Wednesday 07 October 2026
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Coventry University is using AI to help identify students who may benefit from additional support earlier in their studies.
The university's Early Student Support project analyses attendance records and activity on Aula - Coventry University's online learning platform - to help staff spot potential issues sooner and start supportive conversations before challenges become bigger problems.
Led by Professor James Brusey from Coventry University's Research Centre for Computational Science and Mathematical Modelling, the project builds on ongoing successful work to enhance student progression and has been evaluated using more than 9,000 student records across the first two teaching blocks of the 2025-26 academic year. Additional historical datasets are also being reviewed as the project develops.
If successful, the university hopes the AI tool it is developing could further improve how support is targeted and delivered, ensuring students receive help at the right time while allowing staff to focus their efforts where they can have the greatest impact.
The project is being delivered through Coventry University's AI Adoption Lab, which explores how AI can be used to solve real-world challenges and improve services across the university.
Every university wants to ensure students get support when they need it but identifying who may be struggling and when to intervene is not always straightforward.
This project is examining whether AI can help us identify patterns in attendance and engagement data that might otherwise be missed, giving staff more time to have meaningful conversations with students before challenges escalate.
What excites us is the potential to use AI to support real-world decision-making. We're not interested in technology for technology's sake. We're investigating whether AI can help target support more effectively, reduce pressure on teams and ultimately improve student outcomes.
The project is still at an early stage but the initial results are encouraging and are helping us better understand how AI can be applied responsibly in an educational setting.
Professor James Brusey from the Research Centre for Computational Science and Mathematical Modelling
Students are not contacted by AI however - if the system identifies someone who may need support, a member of staff reaches out to discuss their circumstances and any help they may need.
Coventry University has a student support offering that covers academic skills and career support, wellbeing and personal development opportunities. From enrolment to graduation, students have access to a success coach who will be there to help them throughout their university journey. They connect students to experiences and opportunities to help them maximise their potential.
Student success is at the heart of everything we do and this project is about helping staff identify and support students who may need additional help at the earliest possible stage.
The technology is not there to replace people or make decisions about students. The human element remains essential. Our staff will always be responsible for understanding individual circumstances, having conversations with students and determining the most appropriate support.
What AI can do is help us spot patterns earlier and focus our efforts where they can make the biggest difference. By combining technology with the expertise and care of our colleagues, we're finding new ways to help more students thrive and achieve their potential.
Andrew Turner, Vice-Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) at Coventry University
Learn more about AI innovation at Coventry University.
