Deloitte & UC: Navigating the Digital Frontier

2026-06-18 · Source: AI Magazine · Field: Technology & Digital — Cloud Computing & IT Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Data Science & Analytics · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, quick

Summary

Deloitte has served as a strategic advisor to the University of Cincinnati (UC) for the past 18 months, guiding the 200-year-old institution through a comprehensive digital transformation focused on ERP and cloud initiatives. Senior Manager Matt Fiorino highlights Deloitte's role in preparing UC for ERP investments by establishing leadership and governance, optimizing Anaplan planning, assessing HR systems, and developing an ERP Futures Program. The engagement includes evaluating the total cost of ownership across HR, finance, and student systems to build a financial investment business case for a new ERP cloud product. The article also emphasizes the emerging role of "agentic AI" in higher education, with vendors like Oracle and Workday embedding it to automate manual administrative tasks such as grant processing and data summaries, thereby freeing staff for student support. Deloitte's holistic approach connects disparate systems, breaks down institutional silos, and enables real-time, data-driven decision-making for long-term modernization and continuous technological improvement.

Key takeaway

For university administrators planning major ERP and cloud transformations, you should prioritize establishing robust leadership and governance early in your journey. Consider strategic partners like Deloitte to integrate systems holistically and evaluate agentic AI solutions from vendors like Oracle or Workday to automate manual administrative tasks, freeing staff to focus on core educational missions and enabling data-driven decisions. This approach ensures long-term modernization and continuous technological improvement.

Key insights

Strategic partnerships and agentic AI drive higher education digital transformation, enhancing administrative efficiency and data-driven decision-making.

Principles

• ERP readiness requires strong leadership and governance.
• Holistic strategic partners connect systems, break silos.
• Cloud platforms modernize, improve, and use real-time data.

Method

Deloitte's method involves establishing leadership and governance, optimizing existing solutions like Anaplan, assessing current systems, and building a business case for new cloud ERP products, followed by continuous improvement.

In practice

• Automate grant processing using agentic AI.
• Implement agentic AI for data summary tasks.
• Optimize Anaplan for planning and budgeting.

Topics

• Digital Transformation
• ERP Systems
• Cloud Computing
• Agentic AI
• Higher Education Administration
• Strategic Partnerships

Best for: Executive, Consultant, IT Professional, Operations Professional

Related on AIssential

• Agentic business transformation: What leaders need to get right — Scaling AI requires moving beyond individual productivity to process-level redesign, governance, and outcome measurement.
• OpenAI and Microsoft's new open relationship — Strategic AI partnerships are evolving towards non-exclusivity and experience-based learning is gaining significant investment.
• A Bearcat’s Guide to Digital Transformation — Digital transformation success hinges on balancing people, processes, and technology, not just new tools.
• My own Dos and Don’ts of Enterprise AI Adoption — Effective AI adoption hinges on change management, dedicated resources, and strategic integration, not just technology access.
• The shift reshaping enterprise applications — AI agents and business teams are collaboratively reshaping enterprise software development and usage.
• Partnering with industry leaders to accelerate AI transformation — Strategic partnerships between AI developers and consultancies are crucial for accelerating enterprise AI adoption and scaling.

Open in AIssential →

Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by AI Magazine.