A guide to CRM in higher education

UK universities are home to millions of students and a truly global alumni community. Each year, university fundraising generates significant philanthropic support - with UK and Irish institutions reporting total philanthropic income running into the billions of pounds in recent years. 

But participation remains a challenge. In CASE Insights on Philanthropy key findings, only 0.7% of reported alumni made a contribution. Over the same period:

• £1.52bn in new funds were raised (UK & Ireland HE, latest year) 
• Alumni donors fell by 3.9% (among institutions able to report trend data).

This is exactly where CRM in higher education earns its keep.

With the right strategy, universities can use data more intelligently to segment communications, personalise stewardship, and build sustained support from a broader base of alumni and supporters, not just the loyal few.

At its heart, CRM in higher education is more than just software: it’s a strategic platform that helps institutions gather and unify data across multiple functions, from admissions and student support to alumni relations and development.

This unified view isn’t just a “nice-to-have”; it’s foundational to delivering personalised experiences throughout the lifecycle:

• Track prospective student engagement from first enquiry
• Personalise support throughout study
• Maintain life-long connections with alumni
• Support fundraising and institutional advancement

Academic research confirms the growing importance of CRM strategies in universities, particularly as institutions seek efficient ways to manage diverse stakeholder groups and align CRM with broader strategic goals.

"Customer relationship management (CRM) has become a critical strategy for higher education institutions (HEIs) to enhance student engagement, institutional efficiency and digital transformation.”

- Mapping Customer Relationship Management Research in Higher Education: Trends and Future Directions 

Of course, relationships don’t end with graduation. Alumni giving is an essential part of any university’s income portfolio, and there’s more than enough space to grow. 

CRM systems in higher education are there to help you:

Connect and engage with your alumni

Good fundraising is all about relationships. A CRM helps universities stay in touch with graduates and build deep, long-lasting relationships by:

• Centralising alumni data: Keep track of graduate locations and log interactions in a single, central hub – with powerful search tools making it easy to quickly surface key data.
• Segment and group your donors: Use smart segmentation and prospect management tools to identify and nurture relationships with the most potential.
• Tailor communications and campaigns: Capture the hearts and minds of your donors by creating targeted campaigns based on alumni interests, history and engagement.

Read more: how alumni engagement can transform university philanthropy

Run events and build an active community

For many alumni giving back is more than a transaction. It is chance to stay connected with their alma mater and the people who made their university experience one to remember. Whether it’s a guest lecture, class reunion or family fun day, events can be a great way to raise money and build an active alumni community. 

With you every step of the way, you can use your CRM to: 

• Plan your event: From date and location to attendee types, budgets and registration fees, our dedicated event tools have everything you need to get your event moving.
• Draw a crowd: Send personalised invitations, track registrations and payments, as well as deliver automatic notes and reminders. 
• Deliver a gold-star experience: Link your CRM to third-party apps that log and track event attendance and make it quick and easy to send LIVE updates on the day.

Read more: how an alumni CRM brings your event ideas to life

Create links that support broader university philanthropy

Don’t stop there. Good university fundraising draws on a variety of income streams, with trusts and foundations another great way to raise essential funds. CRM systems in higher education can help you evolve your university’s fundraising by:

• Joining the dots: As open application opportunities become harder to find, use your CRM to spot connections, such as alumni working for a foundation or serving on its Board.
• Enhancing your prospect research: Create detailed profiles for potential funders, logging their priorities and giving histories – just like you do for individual donors.
• Keeping track of applications and grants: Track application status, outcomes, and key dates – using automatic reminders to make sure you never miss a deadline.

Read more: how you can use a CRM to build your university’s trust fundraising

The University of Roehampton recognises the value of strong alumni relationships — but like many institutions, managing a large, global alumni base was complex and time-consuming. They knew they needed a specific CRM for higher education and came to us here at Access; now they've transformed how they engage graduates and support fundraising activity.

"Alumni CRM has enabled us to build a stronger relationship with our graduates."

- Louis Lovegrove, Alumni Relations & Development Officer

Roehampton’s alumni team now benefits from a centralised platform that brings alumni profiles, engagement activity and fundraising data together in one place - making it easier to personalise communications, track interactions and make informed decisions. The intuitive CRM interface helped the team get up to speed quickly, while powerful reporting and analytics tools revealed new fundraising opportunities and improved strategy.

No two universities are exactly the same - which means the right CRM in higher education solution needs to flex around your institution, not the other way around.

When assessing CRM platforms, UK universities should look beyond features and consider how the system will support real-world teams and long-term goals. Key questions include:

• Integration with existing systems
  Can the CRM connect seamlessly with student records, finance, marketing and fundraising platforms — without creating more silos?
  
  
• Scalability and future-proofing
  Will it grow with your institution, adapt to new priorities and support long-term digital transformation?
  
  
• Flexibility for different teams
  Can admissions, alumni relations, fundraising and engagement teams all use the system in ways that align with their specific objectives?
  
  
• Support, training and sector expertise
  Does the provider offer UK-based support, higher education experience and guidance to help teams get value quickly?

Ultimately, CRM isn’t just software. It’s a long-term investment in how your institution builds, manages and nurtures relationships at every stage.

Final Thought

In 2026 and beyond, CRM systems in higher education will increasingly shape how well universities deliver joined-up, meaningful experiences, for students, alumni, donors and partners alike.

As a foundation for modern constituent relationship management in higher education, CRM empowers teams to work with shared insight, personalise engagement at scale and turn data into lasting relationships.

If you’re ready to see how CRM could support your institution’s next chapter, let’s start the conversation.