Student recruitment agency IDP Education has signed a deal with professional services tech-provider Cognizant to help it realise a company-wide “digital transformation”.

The deal includes a Cognizant-built online platform to support students achieve their global study and career aspirations by connecting them with universities, agents and alumni through web, mobile and social channels.

“Delivering immersive digital experiences is key to guiding digitally confident students in their educational journeys,” said IDP Education chief executive Andrew Barkla.

“Our aim is to translate the support, trust and empathy that our customers receive from our face-to-face meetings with our counsellors across all touch points with IDP.”

Neil Pearson, chief digital marketing officer at IDP Education, told The PIE News the platform was one part of the company’s broader goal of enhancing its services, with consultation underway with Cognizant on business processes and organisational change.

“While we were experts in delivering this advice and support when a student walked into one of our offices, we acknowledged this support didn’t continue once a student arrived in their new country,” he said.

“Our digital transformation centres on emulating the trusted advice from our expert counsellors across all online and offline touchpoints, so our students know they are supported to achieve their goals throughout their entire international education experience.”

Cognizant’s head of Asia Pacific, Jayajyoti Sengupta, said there was an increasing need among businesses to improve their digital processes and enhance efficiency.

“Leadership in the digital economy is about reimagining experiences and business models by balancing new technologies with human wants and needs,” he said.

“We are proud to be a part of IDP Education’s digital journey, which places students at the centre of the educational experience, while building a connected community, driving insights, and making student experiences with IDP Education more compelling and rewarding.”

The platform is currently available in five countries, with plans to roll it out to IDP’s remaining offices which cover thirty countries.

IDP has made several big announcements of late, with the company, which also owns Hotcourses and IELTS Australia, expanding operations to the Republic Ireland in July.