Henry Ford once said- “You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.” This concept of reputation carries significant weight in higher education, where the historical legacy of many universities, spanning centuries, plays a pivotal role in shaping public perceptions. However, it’s essential to recognize that there are practical steps institutions can take to influence and improve their reputation. This is where reputation management comes into play.
You have to identify the key areas that have the most substantial impact on shaping how an institution is perceived. While we can’t reveal all our insights, we will be eager to share these essential principles.
Smart Academic Reputation Management Strategy
In higher education, reputation management has taken on a growing significance. Recent research has underlined its pivotal role, especially in academics seeking new positions and international students on the move.
A university’s reputation tops the list of considerations for mobile students, trumping factors like tuition fees and course content. Furthermore, academic reputation management plays a central role in forging collaborative partnerships and securing funding from sources like alumni, donors, and industry leaders.
In today’s interconnected world, reputations can be established or eroded at a rapid pace. Information spreads swiftly and carries global ramifications. A thriving university tends to see a rise in the value of its brand, consequently drawing top-tier academics, students, and increased funding.
Know Your Stakeholders
Understanding your university’s stakeholders is a fundamental aspect of academic reputation management. In essence, reputation boils down to what people perceive about us. These stakeholders can either be advocates or critics. Often, they are the very individuals you must effectively connect with to attain your objectives.
From a practical perspective, mapping out your stakeholders has a far-reaching impact on every facet of your reputation strategy. Once you’ve pinpointed these diverse groups, you can craft specific messages, provide targeted information, and select the most effective methods of engagement.
It’s important to recognize that not all stakeholder groups require identical information. Managing stakeholders revolves around prioritization and tailoring your communications to align with their distinct needs.
Research Communications
Research plays a key role in shaping a university’s reputation. It serves as tangible evidence of how your institution is making a difference in the community and the world at large. The research conducted by your academic faculty spans a wide spectrum, from medical sciences to languages, and it’s instigating real change.
A leading communication challenge is to channel your focus toward promoting research that truly sets your university apart. This means highlighting key research areas, showcasing a select few specializations, and firmly establishing your university as a leader in those fields.
This academic reputation management strategy opens the door to a more strategic method of handling university research communications. The era of relying solely on press releases is in the past. Today, a research communications plan should consider how research findings can be customized and adapted for various platforms and audiences.
Is it suitable for visualization, perhaps in the form of graphics or video? Can it find a place in broadcast media, and if so, which medium is most fitting – TV, radio, or podcasts? Is the research equally pertinent to a global audience, or does it carry greater weight at the regional level?
Brand Awareness Campaign
Brand campaigns go far beyond just giving your logo a facelift or creating a snappy tagline. They serve as a comprehensive expression of your institution’s identity, encompassing everything from visual elements to the core values and objectives that define your organization.
Moreover, brand campaigns have the potential to forge an emotional bond with your audience, ultimately influencing their behavior. These campaigns should be strategically aligned with your key priorities, be it increasing student enrollment, highlighting your research strengths, or advancing internationalization efforts. In essence, brand campaigns are the ideal tool for conveying your university’s identity and institutional strategy.
A noteworthy case in point is the University of Newcastle in Australia. This institution has leveraged brand campaigns to support its aspirations of being a frontrunner in regional and civic engagement. Their academic reputation management strategies revolve around key research findings addressing issues of significance to their local community, such as preserving indigenous languages and research on rugby-related concussions. They’ve created a content ecosystem that transforms research into compelling stories, which can be shared through various channels, all with a primary focus on connecting with the audience and making them feel closely affiliated with the university.
Crisis Communication
Universities today hold a prominent position in society. This often makes them susceptible to criticism. However, some critics are eager to fan the flames, taking a minor issue and escalating it into a full-blown crisis, especially if mishandled.
While it’s true that a crisis can potentially cast a temporary shadow on an institution’s reputation, how the university tackles the situation can significantly contribute to a recovery of a more positive image.
Effectively addressing any type of crisis hinges on extensive communication efforts, both externally and internally. Adequate planning is key on academic reputation management. This doesn’t mean trying to anticipate every possible aspect of potential crises but rather establishing processes, defining roles and responsibilities for various teams, and recognizing the different stakeholder groups that may need to be engaged.
It’s essential to remember that while communication teams are often at the forefront of crisis management, they do not solely “own” the crisis. The solutions required typically lie in decisions made by other colleagues. Nevertheless, handling all crises effectively relies on exceptional communication skills, as protecting reputation can be just as critical as building a brand.
University Ranking
University rankings have taken a key role in the education sector. But how do these rankings correlate with the academic reputation strategy, and how is this connection quantified? Furthermore, how do different ranking methodologies come into play?
Rankings have become a go-to reference for many. Prospective students, for instance, often use them as a yardstick for assessing the quality of universities when making their enrollment decisions. In some countries, rankings even find their way into government education policies.
Therefore, universities must adopt a strategic approach to their engagement with rankings. They can harness the wealth of data collected by ranking organizations to gain insights into their own reputation.
In the conventional ranking landscape, the same elite universities frequently dominate the top spots, creating a formidable challenge for others to shift their positions in this highly competitive global arena.
Nevertheless, innovative academic reputation management strategies like the Times Higher Education Impact Ranking are beginning to shine the spotlight on a younger and more globally diverse set of institutions, offering them a share of the recognition.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) holds a vital role in any academic reputation management strategy. There is often confusion in the literature surrounding the terms “reputation” and “corporate social performance (CSP),” as if they are interchangeable.
In the context of educational institutions, a more strategic approach to engaging with communities is necessary, with a focus on mutual benefit. However, while being active participants in CSR, these institutions must proceed cautiously.
Allocating what some still see as “public funds” haphazardly or opportunistically can be perceived as mere brand-building, rather than a genuine effort to nurture community-university relations in alignment with the institution’s mission and purpose.
CSR efforts should not stem solely from altruism within a university or college; they must be coordinated with the institutional vision. From a marketing perspective, the challenge lies in establishing a framework for evaluating CSR opportunities to determine their compatibility with the institution’s identity.
Word of Mouth Marketing
Everyone in a college or university setting understands the immense value of word-of-mouth (WoM) in terms of generating inquiries, driving conversions, and enhancing reputation. WoM holds particular relevance in the field of education due to its inherently human and social nature.
In the education sector, academic reputation management is significantly shaped by what others say about us, rather than what we proclaim about ourselves. As noted by Burmaster (2008), prospective students and stakeholders are increasingly inclined to trust these external sources more than a brand’s website or its advertising efforts.
Brand Association Maps (BAM), which visualize the language, attributes, and issues associated with a topic, illustrate that attributes like “false,” “deceptive,” and “misleading” are closely linked with “advertising.” This underscores the fact that customers are actively seeking out opinions because they harbor a greater degree of trust in them than in marketing communications. Independent sources have assumed a level of influence like never before.
Word-of-mouth isn’t solely about referrals for boosting sales; it also bestows credibility upon a message. When a friend, family member, or independent commentator discusses a brand or product, their words are often received with greater trust and authenticity compared to the promotional messages crafted by commercial advertisers.
Why Academic Reputation Management Matters?
Academic reputation management has held significance throughout history. Respected institutions such as Harvard and Oxford have achieved recognition primarily due to their stellar reputations.
However, in today’s digital age, academic reputation management has emerged as a crucial facet for higher education institutions. Prospective students and their parents meticulously scour the internet for information about schools long before they consider applying.
Just like any business, effective academic reputation management is contingent upon sustained, strategic endeavors. The dividends of these efforts are reflected in the caliber of individuals schools attract, the success of their academic programs, and their ability to rebound from unfavorable incidents.
Captures the Interest of Students
Reputation holds powerful sway over the interest of students, whether they hail from nearby, across the nation, or abroad. An exemplary reputation significantly broadens a university’s appeal to prospective students.
In general, people tend to be most familiar with universities close to their homes. These local institutions often feature prominently in local news and employ many community members. Beyond these local schools, students and their families also tend to be well-acquainted with universities renowned for their exceptional reputations. These institutions garner national or even international recognition and evoke specific impressions when their names are mentioned.
A study focused on academic reputation management in Malaysia revealed that, after “good job prospects,” reputation was the second most vital factor influencing students’ choice of schools. A substantial 39.3% of students considered reputation to be of “extreme importance” in their decision-making process.
Boost Reputation and Trust
Reputation and trust are of paramount importance to both students and their parents. When deciding where to invest their time and resources to pursue a degree, students and their families place a significant premium on trust. A university with a well-established reputation for excellence inherently imparts a sense of trust.
Given that higher education represents a substantial investment, individuals approach this decision much like they do other major investments, such as purchasing a car, a home, or seeking healthcare services. They naturally gravitate toward institutions that instill a sense of trust.
The elements that contribute to an academic reputation management, including its longevity and the perceived quality of its educational offerings, align closely with the factors that foster trust.
Attracts Talents
Enhanced reputations play a key role in universities’ ability to secure top-tier faculty members. An excellent reputation fosters the development of an esteemed faculty, a magnet for increased student enrollment and investments.
At their core, universities are institutions dedicated to educating students. To fulfill this mission effectively, a university must boast an exceptional faculty. Academic reputation management is not solely geared toward attracting students; it also serves to appeal to prospective faculty candidates.
A sterling reputation streamlines the process of luring and selecting the best talent for faculty positions. However, effective academic reputation management doesn’t transpire by chance. Even universities renowned for their exceptional academic programs, outstanding researchers, and distinguished faculties must continuously invest in their reputation. This entails the creation of compelling online content, adept social media management, and a responsive approach to community engagement.
Conclusion
The aspects of academic reputation management we’ve explored are all crucial in their own way, but their true effectiveness shines through when executed strategically. For instance, many of the elements we’ve covered here are most impactful when information is customized to suit various stakeholder groups. Similarly, a substantial improvement in university rankings wouldn’t materialize without robust brand recognition, groundbreaking research, or if a poorly managed crisis had cast a shadow on the institution’s image.
Tags: reputation fix, reputation management, reputation repair, reputation treatment