CASE Universities’ Marketing Forum
I attended the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Universities Marketing Forum (UMF) on 6 June in London in my capacity as a member of its Volunteer Executive Group and as a member of the forum itself.
The CASE Universities Marketing Forum is a community championing senior professionals working in marketing, communications and student recruitment at Higher Education Institutions in the UK. Its goal is to empower senior leaders in these functions, enhancing their standing and influence, so they can shape the strategic development of their institutions and collaboratively contribute to the broader higher education sector.
The half-day agenda was packed full – here’s some highlights of what we covered:
The future of our profession
We had lively group discussions on:
- how working in marketing had changed in our working lifetime – we discussed AI ,bitesize learning, the marketisation of the sector, increased competition, importance of employability
- what trends are on the horizon for the future – we discussed being more efficient with less money, AI (again!), digital platforms, differences in staff and what is expected of them i.e. generational differences in the workplace
- how we are innovating – we discussed efficiencies again, and sharing services
- and how we see higher education looking in 2049 – we discussed the “mega-university” and broader skill sets required for all.
UCAS presentation
I may work in PG and lifelong learning recruitment but it’s important to for me keep up with what is happening with undergraduate recruitment. For example, there’s a big spike of 18 year olds coming in 2030 – what are the implications of that for someone in a role like mine by 2035 – what kind of learning might the 12 year old of today be looking for in 2035?
Restructuring and reorganising
Always on the agenda somewhere in any organisation at any time. We heard the thoughts of those from 4 univiersities about how they’ve handled things. Chatham House Rules so not much I can share here in terms of specifics but I see a general trend towards “marketing” departments and “admissions” departments working more closely together, and avoiding silos like UG only or PG only teams. Some sage advice too regarding actively communicating with your teams about change – don’t stay silent.
Marketing Procurement
“Snooze”, you may be thinking! Au contraire! This was a very engaging presentation by Tina Fegent, a global marketing procurement guru. She had great stories to tell from all the different brands she’s worked with (not just HE) and worth checking out her #TinaTells chat on LinkedIn.
Member opportunities
The Volunteer Executive Committee also shared several opportunities for members to participate in syndicated projects. Our committee is still young (set up last November) but we have lots of plans for the coming year!
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(Photo by SHVETS production: https://www.pexels.com/photo/empty-shopping-cart-on-yellow-background-7195232/)
(Photo by Mike Bird: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-plastic-spatula-hanged-on-black-hook-211760/)
(Photo by Karolina Kaboompics: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-lego-blocks-4887152/)
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