My top 5 takeaways from HubSpot's EMEA Partner Summit 2025

This year’s HubSpot EMEA Partner Summit in Dublin, Ireland was packed with insights that felt especially relevant to those of us working in education. As AI continues to reshape how we market, communicate, and build relationships with prospective students and families, one thing was clear: schools, colleges and universities that embrace this transformation, without losing sight of the human touch, will lead the way.

Here are the five takeaways that I believe education leaders, and marketing and admissions teams should pay attention to:

1. AI Isn’t Replacing You - It’s Changing What Excellence Looks Like

There’s no need to fear being replaced by AI. Instead, it’s time to rethink how your team delivers value. AI is already transforming processes in marketing and admissions, from email automation and enquiry management to personalised content and predictive analytics.

Winning education providers will:

Audit and improve their data foundations
Embrace tools that streamline workload and free up time
Use AI to enhance - not replace - the human connection in the admissions journey

The future isn’t “AI vs. humans”, it’s “AI with humans.” Strategic, empathetic teams using powerful tools.

Ready to bring AI into your admissions or marketing workflows?

2. You Can’t Promote AI-Enhanced Experiences Without Using Them Internally

One of the strongest messages from HubSpot to partners was simple: use what you’re recommending. For education providers, that means before embedding AI into your communications or student enquiry workflows, test it across your own team operations.

For example:

Use AI to write or refine emails
Build internal agents to manage staff FAQs
Reduce admin time on event prep, data entry or call notes

When education leaders and marketers embrace AI themselves, they gain confidence and uncover creative new applications they might not have otherwise considered.

Curious how HubSpot’s AI tools could save your team hours each week?
👉 Book a discovery call to explore practical AI use cases for your school

3. Your Team Needs New Skills... And Fast

The roles and skills needed in marketing and admissions are shifting quickly. We’re moving from traditional communication and administrative tasks to roles that demand data literacy, AI fluency and the ability to guide families through increasingly digital-first journeys.

Now’s the time to:

Provide hands-on training to your teams with AI tools like HubSpot’s Content Agent and ChatGPT
Hire or develop roles like “Digital Admissions Lead” or “AI Communications Coordinator”
Encourage internal champions who can lead the change with confidence

The schools and colleges that invest in upskilling now will be best positioned to thrive as expectations accelerate.

Is your team AI-ready?
Our modular consultancy and training sessions help education teams develop the skills needed for the future of engagement.

4. Don’t Lose the Human Touch, Relational Intelligence Matters More Than Ever

One session that made perhaps the most important point of all: we are in danger of automating away our empathy.

As AI becomes more capable, the real differentiator in the education sector will be the human connection. Relational Intelligence - our ability to build trust, show empathy, and connect meaningfully - has never been more valuable.

That means:

Prioritising emotional intelligence in staff training
Designing enquiry journeys that feel personal, not robotic
Using tech to enhance your humanity, not mask it

A brilliant chatbot can answer questions - but it can’t replicate the warm, reassuring voice of a registrar meeting a family and truly understanding their needs.

5. You Don’t Need to Be Perfect, But You Do Need to Begin

The key message? Don’t wait until you’ve figured it all out. Run a pilot. Try out a new HubSpot AI feature. Build a custom GPT to support open days or prospectus requests. Assess where your team is now - and just take the first step.

At HubGem we are offering support, tools and frameworks designed specifically for education providers. Now is the time to explore, experiment, and evolve.

Final Thought: The Future Is Personal and Powerful

This isn’t just another technology trend. It’s the biggest shift in education marketing and admissions since the rise of digital.

Siloed data sitting in spreadsheets or admissions point-solutions just aren't going to cut it in the AI-powered, connected world. Leaders of education organisations embracing the power of HubSpot, and the new connector with ChatGPT's Deep Research will have a significant competitive advantage and strategic insights that fuel innovation, efficient decision-making, and drive long-term customer loyalty.

Schools, colleges and universities that combine strategic thinking, human warmth and AI-driven efficiency will not only survive this period of rapid and exciting change - they’ll define the future of education engagement.

The relationship revolution has begun. Are you ready?

Curious how HubGem is helping education providers make the most of AI? Book a Discovery Call with our team or explore our tailored consultancy packages for schools, colleges and universities.