The Hidden Costs of Outdated T&E Systems in Higher Education — Why Digital Transformation is the Key to Staying Ahead

In today’s fast-paced academic environment, universities face increasing pressure to streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve transparency—particularly when it comes to travel and expense (T&E) management. Yet, many institutions are still grappling with outdated, inefficient, and sometimes homegrown systems that burden faculty, staff, and administrators alike.

From managing research trips, athletic travel, and academic conferences to organizing student travel abroad, higher education institutions juggle complex T&E processes that can be time-consuming and costly. These challenges not only affect productivity but also expose institutions to risks like budget mismanagement and compliance issues.

The solution? Embracing digital transformation to modernize T&E systems and implement more efficient, automated processes that save time, reduce costs, and enhance the overall travel experience for everyone involved. Let’s explore how the right approach to digital change management can revolutionize travel and expense processes in higher education.

Change Management in Higher Education: Core Adoption Challenges

T&E management is especially challenging in higher education. Colleges and universities typically handle a broader range of travel needs compared to corporations, including:

• Faculty attending academic conferences
• Staff conducting field research
• Administrators recruiting international students
• Student groups participating in study abroad programs
• Athletic teams competing at other schools

Each of these scenarios often involves different funding sources, compliance rules, and reporting requirements. Higher education institutions also often operate under tight budgets and intense scrutiny from government bodies, donors, and the public. A high level of transparency and accountability in all financial matters, including travel expenses, is imperative.

Make no mistake—the stakes are high and the time is right. According to a recent survey, 67% of U.S. business traveler in higher education feel that business travel is key to career advancement, and 94% of travelers have experienced travel cutbacks. Finding the right solution to help your faculty and staff efficiently meet their goals in this environment is crucial.

Navigating Faculty and Staff Adoption

Adding to the complexity of T&E modernization in higher education, academic institutions operate under principles of shared governance and academic freedom, making system changes even more difficult to implement. Faculty and staff are often resistant to new systems, and without early buy-in, change efforts can stall.

To overcome this, successful change management involves engaging key stakeholders—like faculty senates and staff committees—early in the process. Get your faculty and staff engaged early to gain buy-in and preemptively address concerns before they build into serious issues.

It’s also important to tie any new T&E system to a greater institutional purpose, such as improving efficiency, supporting research, and advancing academic excellence. This helps build support and prevents resistance to the change.

Remember, people don't often change for change's sake—they must believe in it. This underscores the importance of connecting any new T&E solution to a higher purpose. When you take the time to explain the benefits and show faculty and staff how it will make their lives easier, it can ease the transition.

Transform your university’s T&E processes:

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The Benefits of Modern T&E Solutions in Higher Education

Connecting your financial data and taking control of your T&E produces significant benefits, including:

• Empowering staff and faculty to manage T&E expenses quickly and easily
• Moving to a digital environment and eliminating paper
• Automating your spending process and reconciliation
• Streamlining your workflow and saving time and money processing expense reports.
• Minimizing risks by increasing accuracy and managing compliance

A comprehensive T&E solution that can integrate with ERP, CRM, HR, and accounting systems creates a single platform that brings your data together for a more accurate, timely view of your university’s spend.

Driving Faculty and Staff Adoption: A Path to Success

Introducing a new T&E system can be daunting, especially in higher education where travel needs are diverse, and workloads are heavy. But when done right, digital transformation can significantly improve efficiency and ease the burden on faculty and staff.

Offering user-friendly tools, like mobile apps for quick receipt submissions or AI-powered systems that automatically categorize expenses, can help increase adoption rates. Providing sufficient training and support, and acknowledging the varying levels of comfort with technology across different faculty members, are also crucial.

For example, technology like optical character recognition (OCR) automates receipt reconciliation, and AI-based systems can flag policy violations, easing the burden on administrators. Faculty and staff are increasingly open to using these tools—in fact, 91% of staff and faculty in a recent survey said they would consider using AI-enabled travel booking tools.

By focusing on user experience and ease of use, universities can make T&E systems more appealing, driving higher adoption rates and reducing compliance issues.

Why SAP Concur?

SAP Concur is a market leader in T&E management and provides tailored solutions designed for the unique needs of higher education. Its features include:

• Automated Workflows: Simplify approvals and reduce administrative bottlenecks.
• Mobile-Friendly Platforms: Enable on-the-go receipt capture and expense submission.
• Real-Time Budget Tracking: Offer clear visibility into departmental spending.
• Robust Security: Protect sensitive financial data.
• Seamless Integration: Ensure smooth implementation with existing university systems.

By embracing a modern T&E solution, higher education institutions can reduce costs, enhance compliance, and improve the overall experience for faculty and staff. In a world of increasing financial pressures, adopting a more efficient T&E system isn’t just about convenience—it’s a strategic necessity.

Ready to Transform?

The time for digital transformation in higher education is now. By modernizing T&E processes, institutions can drive efficiency, reduce costs, and support their academic missions.

Explore how SAP Concur can meet the unique needs of your university and revolutionize your approach to T&E management.