Colleges are navigating enrollment pressures, financial constraints and rapid technological change while trying to remain responsive to the needs of today’s learners. Meaningful modernization requires more than adopting new tools. It calls for a human-centered culture, dedicated capacity for transformation and a willingness to experiment, learn and continuously improve. In this interview, Kin Choi discusses how colleges can bring people, culture and technology together to build more agile institutions, and how dedicated leadership, experimentation and support can create more connected learner experiences.
The EvoLLLution (Evo): How can colleges bring people, culture and technology together to build a more agile institution that is equipped to serve today’s learners?
Kin Choi (KC): Like many institutions, Algonquin has been facing challenges around enrollment, infrastructure and finances, while trying to keep pace with AI. As we looked at the speed and scale of AI adoption, we realized we needed a different way of organizing ourselves.
I have a background leading both HR and technology, so bringing those portfolios together felt like a natural opportunity. Rather than treating technology and people as separate functions, we wanted them to work together to drive digital transformation in a human-centered way. AI isn’t just a technology challenge. It’s a people challenge.
Our approach has three key pillars. First, we focus on equipping our staff, faculty and students with the knowledge, tools and confidence to use AI responsibly through training, speaker series and experimentation. We’ve invested $1 million annually over the next three years to support AI governance and innovation. At the same time, there’s an opportunity to address concerns about academic integrity and students graduating with the skills they’ll need in an AI-enabled workforce.
Evo: What are the cultural conditions that need to be in place for your faculty and staff to really embrace change and use the technology effectively?
KC: Change is always multifaceted. My view is that people eventually get there once they move past fear and resistance. I often use the example of banking. Years ago, you had to go to your home branch to deposit a cheque and, when ATMs arrived, people questioned whether they could trust them. Today, it’s the opposite. Most of us avoid going to a teller unless we have to. The technology didn’t just change overnight. Trust developed over time. We’re in a similar place with AI.
Higher education is a traditional environment, and many faculty have been teaching for a long time, so it’s important to respect where people are. Our role is to create a safe space for experimentation. Right now, we’re focused on engagement by giving people permission to explore. We’re building an AI hub where staff can ask questions, get hands-on support and experiment in a secure sandbox without worrying about breaking something or creating risk. The goal is to make AI feel approachable and give people confidence that they can guide the technology—not the other way around. Every institution will move at its own pace, and that’s okay.
Evo: How can technology strengthen collaboration across departments and help institutions create a connected learner experience?
KC: At the end of the day, what we’re all trying to achieve is student success, not just graduation but helping learners build fulfilling careers. At Algonquin, our mission is to transform hopes and dreams into lifelong success, and AI has the potential to make that experience much more personalized. We’re looking at tools that provide tutoring and 24/7 learning support that adapt to how each student learns best. Some students are visual learners, others prefer a more Socratic approach, and many are balancing work and family, so they may only be available late at night.
AI can adjust to those individual needs in ways traditional support can’t. AI can help faculty identify struggling students much earlier. Instead of waiting until test results arrive, instructors can use AI-driven insights to see who’s falling behind and why, then step in with targeted support. That early intervention can make a real difference, especially in the first term when many students decide whether they’ll persist. Rather than focusing only on preventing misuse of AI, we should be asking how we can use it to help students learn more effectively and succeed.
Evo: What can colleges do to ensure that modernization improves the experience for learners and staff, not just institutional efficiency?
KC: We’re at a real point of inflection, not just in higher education but in society. Institutions need to ask themselves whether they’re structured for the future or still operating for the past. Some areas, like the trades and health programs, may require hands-on learning, while others can benefit from more digital and virtual approaches. The challenge is finding the right balance. With nearly 200 programs across multiple campuses, that takes thoughtful planning and broad collaboration. Every institution needs to ask where it wants to be, whether its current structure supports that vision and what roadmap will get it there, recognizing that meaningful change takes time.
Evo: What will it take for colleges to build a culture of continuous improvement that will keep up with demands?
KC: One of the biggest challenges is that most institutions don’t have a dedicated place for transformation. Too often, it’s treated as an add-on: “Can you lead this major change on top of your regular job?” I’ve seen that throughout my career, and it’s incredibly difficult. When I worked at the Canada Border Services Agency after 9/11, my full-time role was leading major transformation projects. That focus made a difference. Today, many colleges ask their CIO or another executive to drive AI and innovation while running day-to-day operations. There’s only so much capacity. That’s why we invested in a dedicated director of AI. If transformation is truly a priority, it needs focused leadership and resources. Higher education can learn from organizations that invest in change as a core capability. If you want to be successful at something, you have to give it the attention it deserves.
Evo: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
KC: We’re at the beginning of a really exciting journey. One thing institutions need to embrace is the ability to fail fast and learn from those experiences. Every meaningful innovation is built on experimentation, but too often we wait for perfection instead of moving forward. At the same time, we need to be thoughtful. AI has incredible potential, but it also raises important questions. We should pay attention to those concerns and make sure governments, institutions and industry work together to put the right guardrails in place. If we guide AI intentionally, it can help create the future we want. I hope conversations like this encourage more dialogue across higher education.