Welcome back to the HEPI blog. Our apologies if you have missed your daily dose of higher education policy debate being delivered to your inbox, but we have been busy working on something new. Following our recent HEPI survey, we were thrilled that in addition to readers using HEPI to stay up to date with the latest in higher education policy, over 70% of our readership use HEPI’s research as an evidence and information base. Many colleagues also draw on this to inform strategic planning, develop good practice, or influence governmental and regulatory policy. As such, we have revamped the HEPI website, making it easier for you to find the trusted, evidence-based research we provide. You can now explore our reports, blogs and events by policy area and use the improved search function to find everything you need. We encourage you to visit the new site, and in the spirit of enthusiastic debate, to let us know what you think.
Today’s blog was authored by Darcie Jones, former Vice President of Education at the University of Plymouth Students’ Union and current HEPI Intern.
We Didn’t Start the Fire by Billy Joel, a karaoke classic. But most importantly a 40-year list of crises and cultural touch points, many of which still present in 2025. The tale of generational fatigue led me to think about the role students play in inheriting challenges they didn’t ignite but are trying to fight. As a sabbatical officer, I often heard ‘our students aren’t activists or political’, suggesting a view of apathy towards student activism. So is student activism dead, or does it need a new lens?
Public perception of student activism often falls within a stereotype: paint throwing, glued to the M5, and generally privileged. In some ways that isn’t false, those activists do exist. Iconic movements such as climate strikes and large-scale encampments often dominate the narrative. It takes activists like these to stand-up, utilise their privilege and be radical to create public discourse. However, such dramatic imagery can cultivate scepticism: are students genuinely passionate or merely troublemakers? Maybe it is possible they can be both.
HEPIs report ‘There was nothing to do but take action’: The encampments protesting for Palestine and the response to them, documented ‘one of the most intensive periods of student protest since the Vietnam War.’ These encampments, born of frustration, helplessness and digital outrage, illustrated a moment when activism was unmistakably alive and visible on campuses. However, what happens to student activism when ‘radical activists’ take a break?
What if student activism isn’t always headline worthy? What if it thrives quietly in the pages of student newspapers, or in the safe spaces built by student communities? Reframing of student activism recognises that while it can be revolutionary, student activism can also be impactful and behind the scenes.
From investigative features on sector issues such as tuition fee hikes, to institutional procedural failures, student journalism shines a light where mainstream media may not. Written by (sometimes faceless) students, hard-hitting features highlight the feelings amongst the student community and utilises media presence to create institutional discourse and influence policy – all without having to leave their bedrooms. The importance of student newspapers in amplifying the voice of students on local or global issues can be seen sector wide, with The Tab, originally established at the University of Cambridge, now spanning across 29 UK universities.
Community-led student spaces are an overlooked driver of cultural change. Student societies and support groups for those from marginalised backgrounds, such as LGBTQ+ societies, offer more than community. They lobby for inclusive institutional policies, host educational events and shape campus cultures from within. These groups offer a safe space for students to form authentic communities without marginalisation, in itself being a form of activism for students from certain cultures. Student groups show that impactful campaigning can be done with accessibility in mind, empowering silenced voices to speak up in ways that suit their needs.
This is just a small example of the methods in which students portray activism within student communities. Overall, arguing that students ‘are not political’ erases all that students do to challenge political climates. Choosing to attend work over lectures, creating a student-led community larder to counteract student poverty, attending a pride parade – these are all political choices. This perspective broadens the activism spectrum: it is not just about visible spectacle – it is about sustained effort, relationship-building, and structural change in all forms.
Moreover, it challenges the notion that activism is solely reactive. Instead, activism can be proactive and constructive, laying the groundwork for safer, more inclusive and better-informed environments.
Therefore, student activism is not dead. It remains alive and evolving. Yes, fiery protests make headlines and are important to enact urgent change. But equally important are the quieter forms of resistance: the written word, shared personal experience, safe and inclusive spaces built one meeting at a time.
Just as the fire ‘was always burning’, student activism continues – whether lighting bonfires or quietly tending embers in the corners of campus. Let’s not dismiss it when it is not loudly visible; instead, let’s recognise and foster it wherever it thrives.
Email remains one of the most effective ways for colleges and universities to connect with their audiences. Unlike social platforms that limit reach through algorithms, email marketing for educational institutions provides a direct line to prospects, parents, students, alumni, and partners, people who have already chosen to hear from you. It’s measurable from start to finish, integrates easily with CRMs and student information systems, and can be automated to deliver timely, relevant messages.
The numbers back it up: across industries, email consistently produces one of the strongest returns on investment of any channel. In higher education, the impact is even greater when schools combine clean data with thoughtful segmentation, personalization, and creative storytelling. In practice, email often becomes the foundation of a recruitment strategy, supporting everything from initial outreach to alumni engagement.
This guide brings together proven email marketing best practices for educational institutions. Alongside examples and trusted resources to help your team build campaigns that not only perform but also feel authentic and meaningful to the people you’re trying to reach.
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Where Email Fits in the Student Journey
Email plays a role at every stage of the student journey, from the first moment of discovery through to lifelong alumni engagement. What makes it so effective is its ability to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time.
Awareness: Introduce programs, highlight scholarships, and showcase campus life with engaging stories that spark curiosity.
Consideration: Share degree guides, student experiences, faculty spotlights, and invitations to virtual or in-person events.
Decision: Provide deadline reminders, financial aid instructions, advisor booking links, and follow-up checklists that help prospects commit with confidence.
Onboarding & Retention: Support new students with orientation details, academic advising reminders, wellness resources, and career services updates that strengthen their connection to your institution.
Alumni & Advancement: Keep graduates engaged with mentorship opportunities, continuing education offers, impact reports, and giving campaigns that showcase the value of staying involved.
Example in practice:The University of Alberta has built a structured email journey for international prospects, connecting them with advisors and surfacing key requirements at each stage of the process. This ensures that students receive timely, relevant information tailored to their current stage in the decision-making process.
Best Practices for Higher Education Email Marketing
To make email marketing for educational institutions truly effective, schools need more than just frequent sends; they need strategy, structure, and respect for their audience. The best-performing campaigns are built on trust, relevance, and timing.
That means starting with a clean, permission-based list, segmenting by intent, and delivering value at every step of the journey. Each best practice below focuses on how colleges and universities can move beyond “batch and blast” tactics to create meaningful, high-ROI conversations with students, parents, alumni, and partners.
1. Build a Permission-Based, High-Intent List
The strength of your email marketing starts with the quality of your list. Buying addresses might look like a shortcut, but it usually leads to poor engagement and deliverability issues. Instead, focus on capturing leads through owned, value-driven channels.
Program pages with downloadable guides, open house registrations, scholarship calculators, and career snapshots are all proven ways to attract high-intent prospects. Keep sign-up forms short, just name, email, and one preference field, then use progressive profiling to enrich data over time.
Example: George Brown College attracts prospective students by offering downloadable program guides in exchange for email sign-ups. Because students self-select the guide they want, the college immediately knows their area of interest and can trigger tailored follow-up campaigns. This approach builds a fully permission-based list where every contact has explicitly indicated their intent, making subsequent outreach more relevant and effective.
Segmentation is the most consistent way to boost engagement and conversions in higher ed email marketing. Instead of sending broad blasts, divide your audiences by lifecycle stage, program interest, geography, or even behaviour, for example, attending a webinar or abandoning a form. This allows every recipient to receive content that feels timely and relevant. Segmentation also prevents fatigue by cutting down on irrelevant sends, which in turn protects your sender reputation and keeps unsubscribe rates low.
How can segmentation improve the effectiveness of email marketing for higher education? Segmentation makes emails more relevant, which increases engagement. For example, international prospects segmented by country can receive updates on visas and housing, while domestic students see local funding options. Segmenting by lifecycle stage, program, and behaviour helps improve click-throughs and leads to better-qualified student interactions.
Example:Humber College’s international portal structures content by region and need, ensuring students see information on study permits, housing options, and support services tailored to their home country. This kind of geo-segmentation can be mirrored in email journeys, for instance, sending region-specific pre-arrival checklists or visa guidance, so that communications land with stronger relevance for each subgroup of students.
True personalization goes deeper than inserting a first name in the subject line. In higher education, it means dynamically adjusting content blocks based on program interest, geography, or behaviour.
For example, prospective Nursing students should see different resources than prospective Business students. International applicants may need tuition estimates in local currency or immigration guidance. Behavioural triggers, like a reminder to finish an application, show prospects you’re paying attention to their journey.
Why is personalization important in higher education email marketing? Personalization helps students see themselves at your institution. Tailoring emails by program, start term, or action, such as reminding them of an unfinished application, makes communication feel relevant and timely. This reduces fatigue and unsubscribes while guiding students toward conversion more effectively than generic messages.
Example:Arizona State University has invested in dynamic email content that highlights degree options, campus resources, and next-step reminders based on each student’s profile data. ASU’s own email marketing guidelines encourage the use of personalized fields and scripting for tailored messaging, ensuring that outreach feels individually relevant and helpful rather than generic.
4. Write Subject Lines and Previews That Earn the Open
Subject lines and preview text are the most decisive factors in whether an email gets opened. In higher education, a few consistent principles stand out:
Specificity: call out the program or event directly (“Early Childhood Education: Virtual Info Session Tomorrow”).
Urgency and utility: use time-sensitive reminders, but avoid spammy tactics (“Last 48 hours for residence priority”).
Length: keep subject lines to 45–50 characters, and use preview text to complete the thought and front-load value.
Testing: run A/B tests where possible: subjects, preheaders, and sender names (e.g., “Admissions at Seneca”) are all worth experimenting with. Emoji can work sparingly for student audiences.
Example:The University of Arizona’s marketing team advises keeping subject lines concise (30–50 characters) and imbued with a sense of urgency, while still indicating the email’s content. Their guidelines echo what many have found: clear, direct subject lines (often including deadlines or event details) tend to lift open rates, because recipients immediately grasp the email’s value.
In a nutshell, what are the best practices for creating engaging subject lines in higher education email marketing?Keep subject lines clear, specific, and under 50 characters. Highlight benefits like deadlines, outcomes, or events, and use preheaders to expand the message. Test frequently with A/B experiments, and consider humanized sender names (e.g., “Admissions at [School]”) to increase open rates without relying on gimmicks.
5. Design Mobile-First and Accessible
Most students and parents first open emails on their phones, so mobile-first design isn’t optional. Use responsive templates, 16-pixel body text, and tappable CTAs with enough space to avoid errors. Break content into scannable blocks with headings and subheads, and avoid image-only buttons.
Accessibility should be built in: add alt text, maintain contrast ratios, and caption videos. Keeping one clear CTA helps prevent distraction while making the path forward obvious. Load times matter, too. Opt for system fonts, compressed images, and videos hosted externally.
Example:The University of Toronto’s Future Students portal provides a good model for digestible, mobile-friendly content blocks. Information is organized in concise sections and bullet points that mirror best practices for responsive email design. By structuring content for quick scanning on a small screen, U of T ensures that key messages (from program highlights to “Apply Now” links) remain prominent and actionable even on mobile devices.
How often you email matters as much as what you send. A thoughtful cadence keeps your audience engaged without overwhelming them. Consider these practical benchmarks:
Prospects: 1–2 emails per week; increase frequency near application deadlines or events, then cool down.
Applicants/Admitted Students: Send transactional updates and personalized nudges; shield them from generic blasts.
Enrolled Students: A weekly digest from student affairs or the registrar is usually sufficient, plus urgent communications when needed.
Alumni: monthly updates with stories, impact reports, and targeted appeals tied to affinity or giving campaigns.
Example:The University of Rochester balances its email frequency by audience: it sends all current students, faculty, and staff a brief daily bulletin for campus-wide announcements, but for undergraduates, it also delivers a focused weekly newsletter highlighting only the most important deadlines and updates for the coming week. This approach keeps students informed and on track (e.g., keeping current on scholarship deadlines or add/drop dates) without inundating them with multiple emails per day, illustrating how strategic timing and pacing can improve engagement.
The best emails guide students toward small, progressive steps that build confidence and commitment. Think of calls-to-action (CTAs) as a series of micro-conversions leading to the big one: enrollment.
Early stage: “Download the Business Degree Guide.”
Mid stage: “Register for the Sept 12 Virtual Info Session.”
Late stage: “Finish Your Application” or “Book a 1:1 with Admissions.”
Example: Concordia University encourages one-on-one engagement by making it easy for prospects to connect with recruitment advisors. In their outreach and on their website, Concordia invites prospective students to “Speak with a recruiter” and provides direct contact links for regional advisors.
By embedding advisor contact/booking links in recruitment emails, they effectively turn email into a two-way channel, and prospects can immediately take the next step of scheduling a conversation, which is often a key conversion on the path to enrollment. This kind of CTA (e.g., “Book a 1:1 Advising Appointment”) helps move students from interest to action at the decision stage.
Automation ensures no student falls through the cracks. It also frees staff time by replacing one-off sends with structured flows. At a minimum, schools should build:
Welcome or nurture series by program cluster (3–5 emails over 10–14 days).
Event workflows: registration confirmation → reminder emails (24 hours and 2 hours before) → post-event follow-up with recording and next step.
Application rescue: reminders for incomplete applications, missing documents, or deposits.
Example:The University of Georgia’s admissions office uses automated “incomplete application” emails to prompt action from applicants. About 10–15 days after a student applies, if any required materials are still missing, UGA’s system sends a notification to alert the student. This kind of trigger-based outreach (in UGA’s case, coupled with a status portal for real-time updates) helps increase completion rates by nudging students at the right moment. Ensuring more prospects finish their applications and none are unknowingly left behind due to missing paperwork.
Testing makes email performance predictable. Without it, you’re guessing. To get reliable insights, follow a structured method:
Hypothesis: define what you’re testing and why (e.g., “Clearer subject line → higher open rate”).
Minimal variable: test one change at a time: subject, CTA wording, or design. Not everything at once.
Sample & duration: send to enough recipients for statistical significance, and let the test run its course.
Centralize learnings: record results in a shared log and bake winners into future templates.
This discipline helps schools turn experimentation into ongoing optimization, rather than one-off guesswork.
Example: Arizona State University’s email marketing team bakes A/B testing into its processes and training. In fact, ASU’s internal Marketing Academy offers specific sessions on email A/B testing best practices. By systematically experimenting, for instance, testing whether an email from “Admissions at ASU” versus a personal advisor name yields a higher open rate, or which subject line phrasing drives more clicks, universities like ASU turn anecdotal hunches into data-backed decisions. The result is a cycle of learning where each campaign performs better than the last, based on real audience insights.
A great email program doesn’t just send, it learns. Schools should define KPIs at each stage of the student journey and connect systems so results tie back to outcomes that matter.
Top of funnel: track deliverability, open rates (adjusted for privacy changes), and click-through rates (CTR).
Mid-funnel: measure landing-page engagement, event registrations, and advisor bookings.
Bottom of funnel: monitor application starts and completions, offers accepted, and deposits paid.
Lifetime value: go further with retention term-to-term, alumni engagement, and giving participation.
Tools make this possible. Google Analytics 4 allows schools to set and track conversion goals across web and email touchpoints. Marketing automation platforms like HubSpot, Mailchimp, and HEM’s Mautic provide email-level reporting, lifecycle attribution, and integration with CRMs or student information systems.
The real power comes when those metrics are connected—so you can see not just who opened, but who enrolled. That’s how email proves its ROI in higher education.
Example: UMass Amherst provides a powerful case study in data-driven email marketing. After consolidating campus communications onto a single platform, they now rigorously track email performance and outcomes. In 2022, UMass separated its email sends into transactional vs. commercial categories to better gauge effectiveness. The university sent 6.7 million marketing (commercial) emails with a 61% open rate and only a 0.10% unsubscribe rate, about half the industry benchmark.
These granular metrics (including year-over-year improvements in opens and clicks) are tied back to student engagement and enrollment outcomes. By monitoring and sharing such results, the UMass team can conclusively demonstrate email ROI in higher education, for instance, showing that automated, targeted campaigns directly led to more applicants completing their files and more students registering for classes
Deliverability, Privacy, and Compliance Essentials
Even the best-designed email is wasted if it never reaches the inbox. To protect deliverability and ensure compliance, schools need to focus on three pillars: technical health, consent, and governance.
Authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Align subdomains for bulk mail so your institution sends with a verifiable identity.
Maintain list hygiene by removing hard bounces automatically and applying “sunset rules” for long-inactive contacts. This keeps the sender’s reputation strong.
Comply with Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL): capture express opt-in, include your institution’s physical mailing address, and provide a one-click unsubscribe.
Offer preference centres so subscribers can opt out of specific program streams rather than unsubscribing from all communications.
Monitor sender reputation and complaint rates across platforms. Coordinate centrally across departments to avoid overlap that leads to over-messaging.
Schools that treat deliverability and compliance as core practices, not afterthoughts, protect both their brand and their audience’s trust, while ensuring every message has a fair chance of being read.
Content Strategy: What to Send (And When)
The most effective email marketing calendars are tied to the academic cycle. By planning content around what matters most to students at each stage, schools can stay relevant, reduce last-minute scrambles, and guide prospects and current learners smoothly from interest to enrollment, and beyond.
September–October: Focus on discovery. Send “Explore Programs” series, scholarship primers, and fall open house invitations to capture interest early in the cycle.
November–December: Support applications. Share step-by-step application checklists, portfolio preparation guides, and alumni career stories that reinforce outcomes.
January–February: Address financial and career considerations. Feature financial aid tutorials, co-op or internship spotlights, and “Ask an Advisor” live chats to build trust and reduce barriers.
March–April: Drive urgency. Countdown emails for application deadlines, residence selection reminders, and campus life reels or shorts work well here.
May–June: Transition from admission to enrollment. Focus on onboarding with orientation sign-ups, registrar instructions, and personalized next-step communications.
July–August: Provide last-mile support. Send guidance on IDs, transit, and housing, plus international arrival instructions to prepare students for day one.
A calendar like this ensures that your emails are not just timely, but also aligned with the emotional and practical needs of your audience throughout the year.
Turning Best Practices Into Results
Email remains one of the most powerful tools available to higher education marketers, but only when strategy and technology work hand in hand. The best practices outlined here are: permission-based lists, segmentation, personalization, accessibility, automation, and compliance. Ensure every message is not just delivered but resonates with the right audience at the right time.
This is where Higher Education Marketing (HEM) makes the difference. With deep sector expertise, we help schools design and execute email strategies that align with recruitment, retention, and advancement goals.
Central to this is our use of Mautic CRM, an open-source higher education email marketing automation platform customized for educational institutions. Mautic allows institutions to manage campaigns, segment audiences, automate journeys, and integrate seamlessly with student information systems, all while keeping data governance and compliance front and center.
By combining best-practice strategy with the flexibility of Mautic CRM, HEM enables institutions to run smarter, more personalized campaigns that drive measurable ROI across the student lifecycle. The result is simple: stronger engagement, higher conversion rates, and a more connected experience for every student, from prospect to alumni. Do you need help crafting an effective marketing strategy for student recruitment for your institution? Contact HEM for more information.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Question:How can segmentation improve the effectiveness of email marketing for higher education? Answer: Segmentation makes emails more relevant, which increases engagement. For example, international prospects segmented by country can receive updates on visas and housing, while domestic students see local funding options. Segmenting by lifecycle stage, program, and behaviour helps improve click-throughs and leads to better-qualified student interactions.
Question: What are the best practices for creating engaging subject lines in higher education email marketing? Answer: Keep subject lines clear, specific, and under 50 characters. Highlight benefits like deadlines, outcomes, or events, and use preheaders to expand the message. Test frequently with A/B experiments, and consider humanized sender names (e.g., “Admissions at [School]”) to increase open rates without relying on gimmicks.
Question: Why is personalization important in higher education email marketing? Answer: Personalization helps students see themselves at your institution. Tailoring emails by program, start term, or action, such as reminding them of an unfinished application, makes communication feel relevant and timely. This reduces fatigue and unsubscribes while guiding students toward conversion more effectively than generic messages.
There will be a short-pause in HEPI blogs as we undertake some work on the website. We look forward to delivering blogs to your inbox again later next week.
This HEPI blog was kindly authored by Justin Woods, Director UK of ApplyBoard
As the UK sector anticipates new policy requirements and tighter scrutiny around post-study pathways, aligning programme offerings with student demand has never been more important. Yet, international students bring a wide range of goals and preferences to their study decisions. How can institutions support under-enrolled programmes while continuing to attract high-quality applicants?
Entrant data from the 2023/24 academic year points to some clear shifts, including a higher proportion of international students enrolling in computing/IT and health and medicine.Examining these enrolment patterns by source market and field can help institutions stay aligned with evolving demand.
Computing and Health Made Up a Larger Share of Entrants to the UK in 2023/24
International student demand in the UK evolves in small but meaningful ways. In 2023/24, more students chose to begin their studies in computing/IT and health and medicine, fields that offer clear links to employment and future skill needs.
The overall field of study mix among international students in the UK has remained fairly stable since the pandemic, but subtle shifts are beginning to take shape. The share of entrants in computing/IT was up three percentage points in 2023/24 compared to 2019/20. While modest, this represents a change of several thousand more students choosing this field of study. Health and medicine also remained strong in 2023/24, accounting for more than 11% of new starters.
UCAS data for the June 30, 2025 deadline shows that 4,700 international undergraduate students applied for a nursing programme, 19% higher than the 2024 deadline.
Which Student Populations are Driving Demand in Computing/IT and Health and Medicine?
While computing/IT and health and medicine made up 10% and 11% of all international entrants in 2023/24, several student populations pursued these fields at significantly higher rates:
Computing/IT is a top study priority for several key student populations. Nearly one-in-five international students from Myanmar entering the UK in 2023/24 pursued a computing/IT field, more than double the all-market average. Other student populations with notably high engagement in this field of study include those from Qatar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and India, all of which had 14% or more of their new UK entrants choose computing/IT. All told, these trends show a broad pattern of interest among students across South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
Some emerging markets (between 500 and 1,000 entrants in 2023/24) with a high proportion of students entering computing/ITinclude Algeria (23%), Uzbekistan (15%), Morocco (14%), and Bahrain (12%).
Health and medicine shows a comparable trend, with a different mix of student populations driving above-average interest:
Health and medicinedraws above-average interest from a globally distributed set of student markets. Students from Ireland, Hong Kong, and Canada were especially likely to enter health and medicine programmes in 2023/24, with one in four entrants from each market choosing this field. Other high-interest markets span the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Southern Europe, underscoring a wide geographic appeal of health-related fields.
Some emerging markets (between 500 and 1,000 entrants in 2023/24) with a high proportion of students entering health and medicineinclude the Philippines (38%), Zimbabwe (30%), Jordan (19%), and Belgium (19%).
What Fields of Study do the UK’s Largest International Student Populations Pursue?
Field of study preferences don’t just vary by market. They also take on different significance when viewed through the lens of student volume. Looking at the UK’s largest international student populations helps reveal which programmes are driving demand at scale.
Business and law continues to dominate among high-volume source markets, particularly in South Asia. In 2023/24, over half of new students from India and Pakistan entered this field. For China, on the other hand, business and law enrolment has declined steadily. Instead, arts, social sciences, and humanities has become the top choice among students from China, accounting for nearly 38% of entrants in 2023/24.
Engineering and technology, once popular across multiple markets, has seen a notable decline. The field accounted for 12% of international entrants from India in 2019/20 but just 7% in 2023/24. A similar drop occurred among Pakistani students. However, with the UK launching a £54 million recruitment strategy to attract global research talent from the US in June, we expect this field to see somewhat of a rebound over the next couple of years.
Even ashealth and medicine has received increased attention across the UK sector, its performance among the largest student populations remains steady. Indeed, Nigeria and the US remain strong contributors, with 15% of new students entering this field. As institutions prepare for further sectoral reforms and anticipate post-White Paper adjustments, maintaining a steady corridor into healthcare-aligned programmes and post-graduate opportunities could prove especially important in safeguarding both student outcomes and national workforce goals.
Aligning Your Institution With What’s Next
Programme-level shifts in international demand rarely happen all at once, but they matter more than ever in today’s climate of policy change and increasing scrutiny. Institutions that respond early to evolving student priorities will be better positioned to sustain enrolment, diversify their cohorts, and meet labour-aligned goals.
For schools, colleges, and universities, social media has become more than just a communications tool. It’s now a primary stage for community engagement, student recruitment, and institutional storytelling. It’s where prospects discover programs, parents check updates, and alumni stay connected. But here’s the challenge: opportunity without clear guidelines can quickly lead to risk. Without a social media policy, schools leave themselves vulnerable to privacy breaches, inconsistent messaging, blurred boundaries between staff and students, misinformation, accessibility oversights, and even regulatory non-compliance.
That’s why a strong, modern school social media policy is essential. It empowers your team with a clear mandate, sets guardrails for professional and ethical use, and establishes workflows that make social platforms a strategic advantage rather than a liability. Done right, a policy doesn’t stifle creativity; it gives staff, faculty, and student ambassadors the confidence to represent your institution authentically, safely, and effectively.
This guide will walk you through a step-by-step, practical framework for building a school social media policy from the ground up. Drawing on Canadian legal requirements like PIPEDA, MFIPPA, and FOIP/FOIPPA, as well as accessibility standards such as AODA and WCAG, we’ll highlight best practices you can adapt to your own institutional context. We’ll also pull in examples from reputable policies and toolkits already in use across the education sector, so you can see how schools of all sizes, from K-12 districts to large universities, are tackling this challenge.
The goal? To help you design a policy that protects your institution, builds trust with your community, and unlocks the full potential of social media as a driver of engagement and recruitment.
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Step 1: Scope and Objectives (Set the Mandate)
The first step in building a school social media policy is setting its scope and objectives. In other words, define exactly what the policy will and won’t cover, and establish its purpose. Without a clear mandate, policies can easily become either too vague to be useful or so broad they’re unenforceable.
Start with the scope. Your policy should outline the types of accounts and activities it governs. This typically includes:
Official institutional accounts (the main school, college, or university channels).
Department, program, and athletics accounts are managed under the institutional brand.
Professional use of social media by staff when tied to their role at the institution.
Personal accounts only when they intersect with professional responsibilities, for example, when an employee references their school role in a bio or shares institutional content.
It’s equally important to clarify who the policy applies to. Most schools extend it beyond full-time employees to include contractors, volunteers, trustees or board members, and student workers. That ensures consistency across every voice representing the institution.
Next, define platforms in scope. Policies usually include public-facing social networks (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X/Twitter, LinkedIn) and messaging apps when used for school business (e.g., WhatsApp, Slack, or Teams). Learning management systems (LMS) or academic collaboration tools like Brightspace or Google Classroom may be excluded if they’re already governed by separate policies.
Finally, tie the scope to objectives. A strong policy should:
Support institutional values and brand consistency.
Protect privacy and data security.
Ensure compliance with laws and regulations.
Safeguard professional boundaries between staff, students, and the public.
Promote accessibility and inclusivity.
Provide clear guidance for staff and students so they can engage with confidence.
Example: Arcadia University’s social media policy explicitly applies to “all faculty, staff, students, trustees, volunteers, and third-party vendors” who manage accounts on behalf of the university. In other words, anyone handling an official or work-related social media presence is within the policy’s scope, not just employees. This breadth ensures a consistent standard across all channels and individuals associated with the school’s online presence.
Step 2: Risk and Needs Assessment (Ground It in Reality)
Before drafting rules, you need a clear picture of how social media is currently used across your institution. Start with an audit: which accounts exist, who manages them, what devices they use, and what level of access is granted? This mapping exercise not only shows how sprawling your social presence may be but also reveals immediate risks.
Categorize those risks clearly:
Privacy: posting student names, images, or personal data without consent.
Reputational: off-brand messaging, unmoderated comments, or negative publicity.
Operational: lost passwords, shadow accounts, or inactive pages damaging credibility.
Compliance: failures in records retention, accessibility (AODA/WCAG), or anti-spam legislation.
Example: University of Waterloo (Renison University College) – The School of Social Work’s social media policy begins with a frank acknowledgment of the rapidly changing social media landscape and the challenges it poses (e.g. blurred boundaries between students and professionals). It emphasizes the need for guidelines to protect everyone involved from “potential negative consequences,” directly addressing the risks and needs that prompted the policy. This reality-grounded preamble shows the policy was built in response to actual issues observed in practice.
Go further by interviewing principals, faculty, coaches, and IT/security staff. These conversations often uncover grey areas, like student leaders running unofficial team accounts or staff using messaging apps for school business.
For inspiration, review policies like the Toronto District School Board’s Procedure PR735, which provides clear guidance on professional use and compliance (TDSB PR735 PDF).
Finally, create a simple risk register (spreadsheet) listing each risk, its likelihood, potential impact, current controls, and planned mitigations. Revisit this quarterly to keep your policy grounded in reality, not theory.
Step 3: Core Legal and Policy Foundations (Canada-Specific)
Schools and their social media policy must be anchored in the laws and standards that govern privacy, access to information, and accessibility. In Canada, the framework varies depending on the type of institution.
For universities, colleges, and many independent schools in the private sector, PIPEDA applies. Its consent principles require that personal information be collected and shared only with meaningful consent that is specific, informed, and easy to withdraw (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada).
Public institutions must look to provincial laws. In Ontario, MFIPPA governs how student information is collected, used, and disclosed (IPC Guide for Schools). In British Columbia, FOIPPA applies to boards, colleges, and universities, supported by practical guidance like the province’s social media tip sheet (BC FOIPPA Social Media Guide). In Alberta, FOIP covers public school authorities, with resources from the OIPC and universities.
What is an example of a social media policy? In higher education,Mohawk College’s Social Media Policy ties online activity directly to Canadian privacy laws, accessibility requirements, and internal codes of conduct, while also setting expectations for official accounts. For K–12,Greater Victoria School District Policy 1305 offers a concise framework rooted in district values and professionalism.
Accessibility is equally critical. In Ontario, the AODA requires that all digital communications be accessible, aligned with WCAG 2.0 levels A/AA.standards (Ontario Accessibility Guidance). Federally, the Treasury Board recommends WCAG 2.1 AA and EN 301 549 adoption (Government of Canada Digital Accessibility Toolkit).
Anchoring your policy in these laws ensures your institution not only reduces risk but also demonstrates accountability and inclusivity from the outset.
Example: Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC): NSCC’s Social Media Policy explicitly lists the Canadian laws and regulations that underpin acceptable social media use. It requires adherence to legislation such as Canada’s Anti-Spam Law (CASL), privacy laws like FOIPOP (provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy) and PIPEDA, the Human Rights Act, the Intimate Images and Cyber-protection Act, the Copyright Act, etc., as well as relevant college policies. By doing so, NSCC ensures its policy is grounded in national and provincial legal frameworks, providing a clear legal context for users.
Strong governance is the backbone of any school’s social media policy. Start by maintaining a central registry of all official accounts, whether institutional, departmental, or program-specific. For each, assign three roles: an accountable owner, a backup owner, and a communications/marketing lead. This ensures continuity when staff change roles. Require two-factor authentication across platforms, prohibit credential sharing, and centralize credential storage where possible.
Visual consistency matters, too. Borrow from UBC Brand’s social media guidelines on avatars, logos, and naming conventions to maintain a unified institutional identity (UBC Brand Guidelines).
Before any new account launches, establish an approval workflow. Require an application form documenting the account’s purpose, audience, staffing plan, and moderation strategy. This prevents “shadow accounts” and ensures new initiatives align with institutional priorities.
Finally, don’t overlook records management. Communications conducted through official accounts may constitute institutional records under provincial law. Align your policy with your school’s records retention framework, clarifying who is responsible for archiving social content.
Example: McGill’s guidelines require each institutional account to have at least two staff administrators plus a “central communications” administrator, and that accounts be tied to a departmental email (not an individual’s email) for password recovery. These practices ensure accounts are not “personal fiefdoms,” they belong to the institution, and records (including login info and content archives) are managed responsibly.
For inspiration, look at NYC Public Schools’ staff social media guidance, which requires registration of official accounts and outlines monitoring expectations (NYCPS Guidelines). While U.S.-based, the governance structures translate well to Canadian contexts.
Step 5: Privacy, Consent, and Student–Staff Boundaries
Protecting personal information is one of the most important functions of a school’s social media policy. Define clearly what counts as personal data: names, images, video, voice recordings, and any identifiable details. As the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada advises, consent should always be obtained before posting content involving others online (OPC Guidance).
In Ontario, boards must ensure alignment with MFIPPA. For example, Abbotsford School District’s AP 324 media consent policy demonstrates best practices, including clear parental consent forms and proper recordkeeping (Abbotsford AP 324 PDF). Such models can guide how to design workflows that balance opportunity with privacy protection.
Equally critical are staff–student boundaries. Your policy should mandate the use of approved channels only, no personal phone numbers, no personal accounts, and no “friend” connections with students online. Communication must remain professional and transparent. NYC Public Schools provide a helpful benchmark, with explicit staff guidance and even age-specific student social media guidelines (NYCPS Staff Guidelines).
Example: Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB): TCDSB’s social media guidelines draw very clear lines to protect privacy and maintain professional boundaries. Staff are forbidden from “friending” or privately messaging students on personal social media – all communication with students must occur through official, school-sanctioned accounts and only for educational purposes. The policy also enforces strict consent rules: no student’s name, photo, or any identifying information may be posted on social media without written parental consent, and the use of student images on official accounts must follow the board’s annual consent process in compliance with Ontario privacy law (MFIPPA).
✅ Do use only approved institutional channels for all communication.
✅ Do secure and store consent forms before posting student content.
✅ Do respect privacy by default. When in doubt, leave it out.
❌ Don’t use personal accounts, texts, or private messaging apps with students.
❌ Don’t post identifiable student content without explicit, recorded consent.
❌ Don’t blur professional boundaries (e.g., friending or following students on personal profiles).
Are teachers allowed to post their students on social media? Yes, but only with appropriate consent and in full compliance with privacy legislation. In the private sector, PIPEDA requiresmeaningful consent. Ontario’s public boards must follow MFIPPA, with guidance from theIPC’s education resources. By embedding privacy safeguards and clear boundary rules, schools protect students, staff, and their reputation while still enabling authentic digital engagement.
Step 6: Content Rules, Moderation, Accessibility, and Contests
A strong social media policy must tell people what to post, how to post it, and how to manage responses. Start with standards for tone, accuracy, and brand alignment. Require respectful, inclusive language and clear disclosures (e.g., partnerships, sponsorships).
Next, define moderation. Borrow from BC’s corporate moderation policy (BC Gov Guidelines): state what comments are removed (hate speech, spam, off-topic promotions), how warnings are issued, and when accounts are blocked. Make moderation workflows transparent to staff and users.
Example: Queen’s University underscores the importance of moderation rights: they reserve the right to delete disruptive or defamatory posts, and to remove or block users who repeatedly violate guidelines. Like other schools, they want to allow dialogue but will intervene if someone is, for instance, spamming the page or attacking others. The guidelines mention that collaborators (i.e., those who contribute to Queen’s social media) must “obtain explicit permission to publish or report on conversations intended to be private or internal”. In other words, don’t take a private email or a closed meeting discussion and post it publicly without consent – doing so could breach confidentiality. Similarly, no confidential or proprietary info about the university or its partners should be shared on social media.
Accessibility is non-negotiable. Every post should follow WCAG 2.0 levels A/AA and AODA requirements: alt text for images, captions for videos, no text-only graphics, and accessible hashtags (#CapitalizeEachWord). See Ontario’saccessibility guide and Canada’sDigital Accessibility Toolkit.
Contests or giveaways add another layer. Do social media contests require special rules? Yes. Schools must comply with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) when running promotions involving commercial electronic messages or online entries. TheCRTC’s CASL guide andFAQs explain consent and identification requirements. For drafting contest rules, see legal overviews byBLG (2025) andGowling WLG (2023).
Checklist for Staff:
✅ Post accurate, respectful, branded content
✅ Add alt text, captions, and accessible formatting
✅ Moderate comments against clear rules
✅ Secure consent before promotions/contests
❌ Don’t post text-in-images without alternatives
❌ Don’t run contests without legal review
Step 7: Training, Launch, Metrics, and Continuous Improvement
Even the strongest policy fails without training. Translate your guidelines into practice by building role-specific training modules for account owners, moderators, coaches, and student ambassadors. Incorporate Canadian digital literacy resources like MediaSmarts’ Digital Literacy Framework (overview;full PDF) to reinforce safe, ethical, and effective online engagement. Support staff with PD sessions, publish an internal FAQ, and run scenario-based exercises, such as managing a doxxing attempt or handling a viral misinformation post.
When launching, stagger the rollout: pilot in one department, gather feedback, and expand with adjustments. Communicate the policy widely so every stakeholder understands their role. Schedule quarterly refreshers to ensure compliance as platforms, tools, and threats evolve.
Example: University of British Columbia (UBC): UBC provides a detailed Social Media Playbook and Project Planning Tips to guide training and content planning for account managers. They recommend auditing capacity before launch, building content calendars, and using analytics for continuous improvement. UBC also sets platform-specific tips (e.g., mobile-first design, proper hashtag use) to elevate training beyond policy to practice.
Success requires measurement. Track metrics that matter: audience reach, engagement quality, average response time, accessibility compliance (captioning/alt-text rates), harmful content removal time, and incident frequency. Pair this with annual policy reviews against your risk register and evolving legal obligations. Document revisions and circulate them across the institution so no one is left behind.
Checklist for Staff:
Complete mandatory training before account access
Use MediaSmarts or similar frameworks for student modules
Run tabletop exercises annually
Measure engagement, accessibility, and incident response
Review/update policy yearly
How to Use This Checklist
Policies can sometimes feel abstract, but implementation lives in the details. To make your school or institution’s social media policy actionable, translate the principles into operational steps your teams can follow every day.
The following checklist is designed as a drop-in appendix: administrators can copy it directly into their policy, while communications teams and account owners can use it as a quick reference. It consolidates the essentials, governance, privacy, accessibility, moderation, and security into a single, practical tool. Review it regularly, update it as laws and platforms evolve, and use it as both a compliance safeguard and a training guide.
Operational Checklist (Copy-Paste into Your Policy)
Action
Reference / Example
Maintain a central registry of all official accounts, owners, and backups; enforce two-factor authentication on every account.
Creating a modern, compliant, and effective school social media policy isn’t just about managing risk. It’s also about empowering your institution to communicate with confidence. The right framework balances opportunity and responsibility, ensuring your teams can build authentic connections with students and families while safeguarding privacy, accessibility, and professionalism.
At Higher Education Marketing (HEM), we help schools, colleges, and universities do exactly that. From developing policies rooted in Canadian legal standards to training staff and student ambassadors on best practices, our team specializes in building digital strategies that drive engagement and enrollment. Whether you need support crafting your first policy, auditing existing processes, or integrating governance into a broader digital marketing strategy, HEM provides the expertise to make it happen.
In a digital-first world, trust and clarity are everything. By partnering with HEM, your institution can move forward with a social media policy that not only protects your community but also amplifies your brand in the right way.
Struggling with enrollment?
Our expert digital marketing services can help you attract and enroll more students!
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is an example of a social media policy? Answer: In higher education,Mohawk College’s Social Media Policy ties online activity directly to Canadian privacy laws, accessibility requirements, and internal codes of conduct, while also setting expectations for official accounts. For K–12,Greater Victoria School District Policy 1305 offers a concise framework rooted in district values and professionalism.
Question: Are teachers allowed to post their students on social media? Answer: Yes, but only with appropriate consent and in full compliance with privacy legislation. In the private sector, PIPEDA requiresmeaningful consent. Ontario’s public boards must follow MFIPPA, with guidance from theIPC’s education resources.
Question: Do social media contests require special rules? Answer: Yes. Schools must comply with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) when running promotions involving commercial electronic messages or online entries. TheCRTC’s CASL guide andFAQs explain consent and identification requirements. For drafting contest rules, see legal overviews byBLG (2025) andGowling WLG (2023).
This HEPI blog was kindly authored by Dr. John Cater who recently retired after 32 years as Vice-Chancellor of Edge Hill University. He now chairs the Unite Foundation. He graduated in Geography from Lampeter in 1974.
September 1822. The (English) Bishop of St. David’s, Thomas Burgess, determines the creation of a higher education establishment in mid-Wales.
December 1970. Hitch to Northampton. Train to Rugby. Train to New Street. Train to Shrewsbury. Two carriage Pacer to Dovey Junction. Split. One carriage Pacer to Aberystwyth. Two hours and thirty miles on Morgan’s coaches. Dark on departure. Dark on arrival.
January 2025. The University of Trinity St. David announces that all undergraduate teaching at Lampeter will cease at the end of the 2024/25 academic year, with all such provision transferred to Carmarthen.
Oxford, Cambridge… and Lampeter
The Scottish Ancients existed, of course, alongside Oxbridge, with Durham on the horizon, but the first higher education provider in the Principality and only the third outside the northern Celtic nation was founded in the small Cardiganshire market town of Lampeter.
But St David’s small size and an initial focus on theological training gave the institution a degree of vulnerability, notwithstanding the introduction of Bachelor of Arts degrees as early as 1865, eventually leading to threats to its continued existence as the number of ordinals declined rapidly in the 1950s. A ‘sponsorship’ agreement with University College Cardiff secured the institution’s future through to the creation of the Federal University of Wales in 1971, the College suspending its degree-awarding powers to become a constituent member. And the institution diversified, most notably moving from its solely Arts and Humanities portfolio into a broader range of disciplines, including the GeoSciences – the reason behind my circuitous ten-hour journey from the south Midlands to a remote corner of mid-Wales.
It was a great place to be. Diminutive and distinct. An Oxbridge tutorial system. In the Department on a Friday? Run Geog. Soc.. Picked up an oval ball? First XV rugby. Bowl a bit of long-hop leg spin? First XI cricket.
But in that scale and remoteness – and perhaps an inclination to stretch the portfolio too broadly – lie the seeds of the decision in January of this year. In 2008, the Quality Assurance Agency expressed limited confidence in the University of Wales Lampeter’s procedures and processes, whilst a subsequent review by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) had ‘very real concerns’ about management capacity and leadership. This led directly to discussions with Trinity College Carmarthen about a possible merger, and in 2010, Trinity St. David was born.
There is no doubt that merging an institution with a provider 23 miles away in a sub-region with no rail link and infrequent bus transport, then adding a third provider (the Swansea Institute) 51 miles distant, provides some unique challenges. Possibly only matched by the University of the Highlands and Islands, which has a very different federal model.
But the key determinant of an institution’s financial viability is its ability to attract students and to operate in a fiscal climate that allows the full recovery of costs. This was always going to be a challenge; the fixed outgoings of three campuses and the necessary infrastructure, physical and human, increasingly exceed a tuition fee that is (even) lower in Wales than in England.
Outside the Cambrian News, the silence has been deafening. But the potential effects are devastating. Perhaps less so for the overall health of the University; a branch plant is always vulnerable in a time of retrenchment, though one may have hoped that the attractions of remoteness, an immersive institution where you both lived and learned, would resonate in the market. For a town where half the population is a student, a present or past employee, or is directly or indirectly dependent on the University pound, the economic consequences, particularly through that long, wet Welsh winter, are immeasurable.
What of the future? We talk of civic universities, but they can only fully play that integral role if they are in robust financial health. Last month, Ceredigion County Council announced their intention to create a post-sixteen education centre on the Lampeter site. But, idealistic in principle may be fanciful in practice in a remote rural location over twenty miles from the nearest meaningful population centre. And it comes with a perceptual threat to the Coleg Ceredigion sites in Aberystwyth and Carmarthen, a threat that will be strongly resisted in both those communities.
From the outside looking in, fifty years having passed, the dream of the experience Lampeter offered – and, according to the 2025 National Student Survey, continues to offer – lives on. But in the harsh reality of weak recruitment and financial stringency, that dream dies.
This HEPI blog was kindly authored by Joanna Hart, Products, Services, and Innovation Director at the Mauve Group.
In the last couple of months, the UK Government has unveiled a 10-year, Modern Industrial Strategy and published an Immigration whitepaper, which referenced expanding visa pathways such as the High Potential Individual and Global Talent visas. The industrial strategy aims to attract highly skilled global talent in eight priority sectors, with a strong focus on technology and innovation. Collectively, these efforts to attract global graduates are undercut by new barriers facing international undergraduate students.
Ongoing changes to the Skilled Worker visa, including steep increases to salary thresholds, and tighter restrictions on dependents, combined with proposals to shorten the Graduate Visa, and introduce a controversial 6% international student levy, create mounting financial and reputational pressure on UK universities, while also deterring international undergraduates.
In response, institutions are turning to establishing overseas campuses to offset domestic shortfalls and attract local talent who may still benefit from expanded UK visa pathways post-graduation. While attracting high-level international talent is valuable for addressing skills gaps in the UK, it must be part of a broader, symbiotic strategy. One that nurtures international students from undergraduate level through to employment to ensure UK higher education remains globally competitive.
Visa routes
An important step in the much-needed long-term strategy is the implementation of expanded visa pathways such as the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa and the visa, traditionally for internationally educated post-graduates and entrepreneurs.
High Potential Individual (HPI) visa
The High Potential Individual (HPI) visa is a UK immigration pathway designed for recent graduates from 40 top global universities, providing the opportunity to live and work in the UK for several years. At present, 47% of universities on the list are from the US, with just one institution from the entire southern hemisphere featured.
The Immigration whitepaper released in May and the UK government’s industrial strategy referenced extending the HPI visa to a wider selection of global universities. According to the UK government, it intends to roll out a ‘capped and targeted expansion of the HPI route for top graduates, doubling the number of qualifying universities.’ However, we do not yet know whether this expansion will be based on global league tables or geographic location.
Innovator Founder visa
The Innovator Founder visa offers the opportunity for founders of new, innovative, viable and scalable businesses to operate in the UK for three years. Traditionally, it facilitates incoming innovation, but the newly announced UK industrial strategy suggested the Innovator Founder Visa would be reviewed to make it easier for entrepreneurial talent currently studying at UK universities to be eligible. Details are yet to be disclosed but recent figures reveal that the average Innovator Founder Visa application success rate to the UK is almost 88%. While this is significant, it is not as high as other visa types, such as the Skilled Worker Visa, which is 99%. While the overall approval rate for Innovator Founder Visa applications sits at 88%, this figure can be misleading. The critical bottleneck is at the endorsement stage the first hurdle in the process, where the success rate drops sharply to just 36%
Skilled Worker and Graduate visa
Changes to visa pathways for domestically educated international students, including the Skilled Worker and Graduate visas, may result in applicants feeling short-changed. For example, it has been proposed that the standard length of the Graduate visa, which allows international students to remain working in the UK at the beginning of their careers, be reduced from two years to 18 months. If implemented, it may make it hard to secure a career after studying in the UK.
Meanwhile, effective from the 22nd July 2025, the minimum salary threshold for the Skilled Worker visa will rise to £41,700. Occupation-specific salary thresholds will also increase by about 10%, with the minimum skills requirements raised to Royal Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6 for new applicants. Prior to the changes, between 30 and 70 per cent of graduate visa holders in employment may not have been working in RQF level 6 or above occupations. Although there are some discounted thresholds for PhD students, especially in STEM fields, these changes are set to exclude many current Skilled Worker visa holders.
How will higher education respond to stricter selective visa rules?
Drawbacks
One of the major drawbacks comes from the announcement that the government is considering introducing a 6% levy on higher education provider income from international students. It is likely that universities will be forced to consider passing these costs onto international students. The UK’s higher education sector generates £22 billion annually from international students and education, making it a valuable export to the UK in an increasingly competitive global market. The proposed levy risks discouraging international students and undermining this critical source of economic growth.
Many institutions will already have factored in price increases to account for rising costs going forward, making an additional 6% unfeasible.
Numerous universities are already struggling financially, with courses and entire departments being cut. With the possibility of a highly reduced international student body due to the levy and further changes to graduate visa pathways, these institutions face increased strain, meaning even more drastic cuts may be imminent.
Benefits
With an emphasis on higher visa thresholds, rising costs and the controversial 6% levy on international fees, UK universities face growing challenges to remain competitive in the global education landscape.
In response, many are rethinking their models, with institutions like the Universities of Liverpool and Southampton establishing campuses in Bengaluru and Gurugram, India, respectively. UK Universities operate 38 campuses across 18 countries, educating over 67,750 students abroad. Embracing international collaboration not only broadens the research opportunities available to UK universities but also supports financial sustainability and preserves the UK’s reputation as a global education powerhouse. By establishing overseas campuses and hubs, the UK’s academic influence extends well beyond its borders. This pivot will provide opportunities for international students to receive UK-affiliated accreditations, potentially giving them greater access to selective UK visa pathways post-graduation.
To adapt, higher education must develop a more integrated approach; one that links international recruitment, offshore campuses, and expanded visa pathways in a cohesive, long-term strategy. This means not only attracting global graduates but supporting students from undergraduate level through to employment, driving opportunity and innovation in the UK.
If UK institutions are to remain global leaders, they must work with the government to ensure that opportunity does not begin at graduation; it begins at enrolment. By nurturing this full pipeline, universities can continue to feed the skilled workforce envisioned in the new industrial strategy.
This HEPI guest blog was kindly authored by Ali Adnan Mohammed, Executive Assistant to the Dean of College of Arts & Sciences at the American University of Iraq in Baghdad.
Rarely does a graduation ceremony mark a turning point in a country’s cultural trajectory. But this was the case for a handful of graduates at the American University of Iraq in Baghdad (AUIB). AUIB is a private university that was founded in February 2021 and began with only three colleges: the College of Business, the College of International Studies, and the College of Arts & Sciences.
The university has grown to nine colleges hosting approximately 1,600 students. Among its first graduation cohort, six were students from Iraq’s first College of Arts & Sciences, an academic innovation in a country where the education system is built on the separation of arts & sciences from high school education onwards. This college marks a new chapter in the story of rebuilding Iraq’s education and reclaiming its historic regional educational prominence.
Once they join high school, Iraqi students around the age of 15 must choose one of two academic tracks: arts or sciences. This choice, along with their percentage score in the national exam at the end of high school would determine their college majors. Unlike the UK system, students have little space for personal choice and preferences as their score and high school track are the sole determinants of major choice.
At Iraqi colleges, there are no core liberal arts courses. That is, courses outside the field that can allow students to explore a broad range of disciplines outside their major, allowing space for intellectual exploration. Rather, students must go through a strict year-by-year schedule of confined major courses with few standard courses outside their specialisations, such as computer science and human rights. For example, students majoring in biology are not able to take elective courses in psychology or archaeology. This would limit their intellectual experience in campus life and turn the college experience more towards an obligation that has to be fulfilled.
In 2021, AUIB disrupted the traditional model with its liberal arts education model through its College of Arts & Sciences. Here, students can pick their core liberal arts courses from a diverse list regardless of their major. Science students can pick up three courses in communication, five courses in humanities, and two courses in social sciences. These courses will not only enhance their intellectual mentality but will also enlighten their lives with purpose and meaning.
Their education experience has gone beyond sole preparation for the job market. It has sparked a deeper sense of belonging and responsibility for the future of their country. As some shared with me, computer science graduates look forward to contributing their AI experience to enhancing Iraqi institutions & country-rebuilding initiatives.
As an executive assistant to the college dean, I have witnessed firsthand the contributions of this innovative model to the graduates and how it has broadened their intellectual mindset beyond their specialisations and paved the way to a connection that the traditional system never allowed. When I congratulated Muqtada, a graduate student of computer science, he told me that he would like to contribute his knowledge of computer science to rebuilding the country, and this is why he joined a legal firm as a junior program manager.
‘I just do not feel like working in tech companies, I want to contribute my AI skills into something else, and this legal firm gave me a good chance to try.‘
This sentence struck me as a sign that the innovative model of AUIB is successful. AI was not the sole purpose; it was a tool Muqtada wanted to purposefully utilise. Isn’t that where arts & sciences meet?
I started talking to the graduates about their purposes or journeys to find one. This was the untold story of the first cohort of the first-ever college of Arts & Sciences in Iraq. I can only wait and witness what further contributions the rest of the cohorts will bring to my country.
The Ministry of Higher Education in Iraq has been working on the implementation of the Bologna Process, the European model, in Iraqi universities. This effort of reformation has been going back and forth. Aside from the essential differences between the Bologna Process and the Liberal Arts, both will give a chance to Iraqi students to have a university life that promotes freedom and choice early on into students’ college life. The first cohort of AUIB, specifically the College of Arts & Sciences, might be a further push towards a faster track to reform Iraqi universities.
This HEPI blog was kindly authored by Karen Lander, Senior Lecturer in Experimental Psychology at the University of Manchester
For many academics, reaching Senior Lecturer status is a milestone – but what happens when you stay there for years, unable to break through to the next level? Some see it as a respectable career achievement with an established role within higher education. Others feel stuck in an academic system that demands more but rewards less.
The reality? Academic promotions may be perceived as being increasingly difficult and the pressure to strive for professorship can feel both exhausting and unending. So, is Senior Lecturer a fulfilling end goal, a stage for resilience, or a sign of an academic system failing its scholars?
The UK vs. US Divide: Who Gets to Be ‘Professor’?
Unlike the UK, where professor is a distinguished rank, the US academic system grants the title more broadly. In the UK, academic titles typically follow a hierarchy: Lecturer (entry level) – Senior Lecturer (mid-career) – Reader – Professor (elite academic status). Reader is less common, as many academics make the leap directly from Senior Lecturer to Professor. In contrast, in the US, academics are referred to as Assistant Professor – Associate Professor – Full Professor. Confusingly, these terms are also sometimes used in the UK, mostly in some newer (post-1992) universities. Here, the distinction between ranks is still as important (certainly for those within this system) but the ‘Professor’ title is less exclusive. This more generic use of the term ‘Professor’ adds confusion for people looking in, less familiar with the way the Professor title is used and assigned.
In the UK, making Professor is usually only awarded to those deemed exceptional in their fields. Whereas in the US, being a Professor is standard, with tenure usually being a more pertinent marker of success. For UK academics, this transatlantic distinction may make career progression even more frustrating, given that their US counterparts are professors far earlier in their careers.
The Reality of being a Senior Lecturer
In UK academia, a Senior Lecturer will likely have demonstrated themselves in teaching, research, scholarship and university service (with the pattern of contribution depending on contract type) with many finding themselves stuck in this permanent middle tier. Indeed, according to HESA data, currently only about 10-12% of academics currently have the title of ‘Professor’ (see Figure 1). For the majority, then, career progression stalls at Senior Lecturer or Reader Level
Vertical axis: Number of academic staff
Figure 1: Stacked column bar chart showing the number of Higher Education academic staff by year (HESA data; see https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/28-01-2025/sb270-higher-education-staff-statistics). The percentage of Professors are shown. Note: some ‘senior academic’ staff members may also have the title ‘Professor’ taking the estimated total up to a maximum of 12%.
Several factors contribute to this, including high competition, specific promotion criteria, and individual career choices. In addition, against the current economic background, a number of UK universities have paused all promotion applications and the focus on ‘surviving’ is increasingly important. Finally, gender disparities may prolong academic progression for women, who take, on average an additional 6 years to become Professor compared with their male counterparts (Harris et al., 2024).
So, while some Senior Lecturers remain content in their existing roles, others battle an uphill struggle for recognition.
Striving: The Fight for Professorship
For some, professorship remains the ultimate goal. This title typically functions as an external indicator of academic success, institutional prestige, and influence in one’s field. Yet, earning this title requires significant effort. Universities set demanding criteria for promotion, which – depending on your academic focus or contract type – is likely to include high-impact publications in leading academic journals; a track record of large-scale external research grant success; long term excellence in teaching, scholarship and mentorship; and educational leadership through committee work, departmental influence, and public engagement (Mantai & Marrone, 2023).
Yet, even meeting these criteria doesn’t guarantee promotion. In academia, the number of professors is generally not fixed and fluctuates over time due to institutional restructuring, shifts in student enrolment, budget allocations and evolving academic priorities (Gappa, Austin, & Trice, 2007). Some struggle with institutional biases, while others lack the confidence and mentorship necessary to push themselves forward.
Surviving: Satisfaction of Staying Put
Not everyone desires a professorial title, and for many, Senior Lecturer is a satisfying career stage. It allows for meaningful student interaction and continued research without the pressures that come with high-level institutional leadership.
Yet survival mode kicks in when people are being made redundant, expectations keep rising, workloads expand, and the pathway forward remains unclear. Senior Lecturers often absorb significant administrative burdens as universities assign management tasks onto mid-career academics (Bosanquet, Mailey, Matthews & Lodge, 2017). This administrative burden may also come with mentoring responsibilities without corresponding leadership recognition, and teaching-heavy roles, with less time for research advancement or scholarship. Without clear incentives for promotion, frustration builds.
In some extreme cases, long-serving Senior Lecturers may find themselves working harder yet missing out on funding, decision-making power, and institutional influence.
Stuck? The Changing Landscape of UK Academia
There are certainly more professors now than there used to be, but the road to becoming a professor is still long and confusing. Competition is fierce and promotion criteria are often somewhat vague. Coupled with shifts in universities’ funding models, many highly capable scholars never achieve Professor status.
Further with the shift toward managerial roles, professors are expected to handle greater administrative responsibilities, deterring some academics from pursuing promotion at all. For those in Senior Lecturer positions, this shift makes career progression feel more like an exception than an expectation. And as gender and age disparities persist, some find themselves wondering whether striving for Professor is even worth it anymore.
Is Striving worth It?
If you’re a Senior Lecturer, the key question is whether promotion matters to you. If professorship remains your goal, it requires strategic networking and institutional visibility, securing high-profile research funding, leadership or scholarship influence beyond your department and a clear narrative of impact.
Yet for those feeling satisfied where they are or exhausted by the pursuit, the alternative is to find meaning beyond titles. Some choose to focus on teaching innovation and mentorship or drive other aspects of their role without chasing formal recognition.
Ultimately, Professorship remains a highly selective process with evolving criteria. And for those who remain Senior Lecturers. It may be time to redefine success in academia. For me? I keep striving.
This HEPI blog was kindly authored by Abi Pearson, Employability Project Assistant (Placement Year) at the University of Sheffield and a third-year BA Sociology with Social Policy student
At the University of Sheffield, the Law Family Ambition Programme aims to support the success of young men from pre-16 through to graduation and beyond, made possible through a philanthropic donation from the Law Family Charitable Foundation. The programme focuses on young men’s educational attainment and delivering support through a whole-provider approach, with targeted support from areas such as the Careers Service and Student Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
HEPI’s recent report on the educational underachievement of boys and young men provides evidence of the importance of qualifications, demonstrating the significance of programmes like Ambition working to get young men into higher education:
Men with no qualifications are nearly twice as likely to be unemployed as women with no qualifications but there is virtually no gender gap in unemployment rates for people who have two A-levels or equivalent.
As a placement student for the Careers and Employability Service, I acted as one of the Careers contacts for recipients of the Law Family Ambition Scholarship (‘Ambition Scholars’). I managed the Equal Opportunities in Careers scheme, tasked with hosting events and improving Careers Service provisions for widening participation students, including Ambition Scholars, as well as supporting the operational delivery of the Ambition Programme itself.
In the second half of my placement year, I was given the opportunity to lead an internship programme developed for Ambition Scholars and Equal Opportunities students at the University of Sheffield, in which I was able to contribute to change by connecting students to meaningful work experience. Ambition Scholars were given enhanced support at every stage of their application, with some Scholars who did not apply still reaching out to show appreciation at our readiness to support them.
Being able to work as a placement student in this area has been endlessly fascinating. From witnessing the success of Adolescence in conversations with University peers to working with the demographics its discourses concern, I have been given the rare opportunity to witness a new dimension to a world that I believed myself to be so familiar with in higher education.
In experiencing higher education practice as both a student and staff member, I also increasingly see the value of keeping students involved with work that affects them. I had the opportunity to work with many Scholars within the Ambition cohort, as well as support the recruitment of an Ambition Student Intern in the Careers Service and work with them for the duration of their internship. The Intern provided us with Scholar insights during various pursuits, ensuring that practice was consistently student-centred and appropriately pragmatic, ending his internship by co-leading a session for staff in the Operations Group based on the recommendations of himself and fellow Scholars.
Working on this programme has certainly come with challenges. As is the problem for others across the sector, finding a communication style that works for our key demographic remains difficult as well as attempts at community-building for Scholars who perhaps do not see a benefit in connecting with students from similar backgrounds to themselves once arriving at University. This has meant that engagement with support services and events remains low and relatively unchanging throughout Scholars’ journeys.
However, in this regard, I was taught one of many defining lessons of my placement year: lack of engagement and success are not mutually exclusive. During some focus groups I was able to lead on, Scholars often remarked that, despite not engaging with much of the support offered within Ambition, the safety net of the programme itself was one of its most valuable assets. It is possible that, for students, success in a programme like this is not defined by its popularity, but rather its durability and consistency through unprecedented times for young people and higher education. This approach means that Scholars are able to thrive on their own terms at University, in the knowledge that there is always a team there to support them.
And so, as my placement draws to a close, my key reflection is thus: taking a Placement Year at your own University is well worth it. The microcosm of the world that universities present allows me to return to my final year with a multiperspectivity which will benefit me in finishing my degree and beyond. Working on the Ambition Programme, especially, has given me the chance to contribute to challenging belief systems whilst simultaneously experiencing the development of my own, advancing my personal as well as my professional development beyond what I could have imagined at the start.
Student ambassadors are more than just friendly faces on a campus tour; they’re living, breathing stories of what it’s really like to study at your institution. Whether they’re current students or recent alumni, they give prospects something no brochure or ad campaign can match: authenticity.
Today, that authenticity is going digital. Many institutions are now recruiting digital student ambassadors who meet prospects where they already spend most of their time, on social media, in live chats, and across online communities.
So, why does this matter? Because ambassadors humanize your school’s brand. They answer questions honestly, share glimpses of daily life, and help prospects picture themselves as part of the community. For Gen Z, especially, that peer-to-peer connection is gold. A relatable student voice can often be far more persuasive than a polished marketing message.
As we’ll see, many of the qualities and characteristics of a student ambassador remain constant, but success in the digital realm also requires some special skills. Let’s start with the basics – what exactly does a student ambassador do, and how would we describe this role?
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What Is a Digital Student Ambassador?
How would you describe a student ambassador? A student ambassador is a representative of their institution who shares authentic experiences, supports prospective students, and fosters a welcoming community. They act as a bridge between the school and its audience, answering questions, giving insights, and promoting campus culture through personal interaction, events, and digital engagement.
On digital channels, these ambassadors take on a new kind of role: becoming micro-influencers for your school. They showcase campus moments on Instagram Stories, upload vlogs to YouTube, or join discussion threads to help someone halfway around the world decide whether your school is the right fit.
And here’s where “digital” makes the difference. Traditional ambassadors focus on in-person tours, open houses, and campus events. Digital ambassadors bring that same personal touch into the online world. They host live Q&As, post blogs or videos, and respond to inquiries on platforms like Unibuddy, connecting with prospects who may never set foot on campus before applying. For international or out-of-town students, these online connections can be the deciding factor. The best blend is the warmth of a welcoming peer with the creativity and consistency of a skilled content creator.
Digital Student Ambassador Responsibilities:
Welcoming and Touring Visitors: Ambassadors guide campus tours, share personal stories, and help visitors envision themselves as part of the community. They may host “shadow days,” lead Q&A panels at open houses, or ensure new students feel at ease during orientation.
Outreach and Communication: Many connect directly with prospects through calls, emails, and social media. They answer questions, follow up with applicants, or even make congratulatory calls to admitted students. Some take over institutional Instagram accounts or host live Q&A sessions, providing candid insights into academics, housing, and student life.
Event Support and Promotion: Ambassadors often help plan and run recruitment events, student panels, and webinars. They may work with faculty to coordinate workshops or invite speakers from student services, bringing a student-led energy to every event.
Content Creation and Storytelling: Today’s ambassador programs frequently include content production. Students might write blogs, create videos, or manage social media takeovers to highlight campus life.
Peer Advising and Support: Beyond recruitment, ambassadors mentor new and younger students, answer parent questions, and direct peers to campus resources. In certain settings, such as K-12 schools or community programs, they may lead workshops or classroom discussions.
Bridge Between Students and Administration: Ambassadors also act as liaisons, communicating student feedback to staff and reinforcing institutional values within the student body. This two-way role supports a stronger campus culture and understanding.
Ultimately, the role is about representing the school’s values and culture through genuine, student-to-student engagement. As one Higher Education Marketing advisor explains, “Students want to see themselves in your school’s marketing material”, and ambassadors make that possible.
Whether volunteer or paid, ambassadors gain significant benefits: leadership and communication skills, valuable networking, and a stronger sense of belonging. Many describe the experience as a highlight of their education, one that builds confidence and allows them to give back to their community.
The Rise of the Digital Student Ambassador
The student ambassador role isn’t new, but the way it’s delivered has changed dramatically. Today, many of those warm, peer-to-peer conversations that once happened during campus tours now take place entirely online. That’s where the digital student ambassador comes in.
What is a digital ambassador? A digital ambassador is a student representative who promotes their institution online through social media, live chats, and virtual events. They share authentic experiences, answer questions, and create engaging content, helping prospects connect with the school community, even if they can’t visit campus in person.
The job is the same at its core: share genuine student experiences and help prospects imagine themselves at your school. But instead of shaking hands at an open house, digital ambassadors are hosting live virtual tours, answering questions in chat rooms and giving followers a real look at campus life through Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. For many prospects, especially those researching from halfway around the world, this might be their very first interaction with your institution. That’s why the role is so powerful. Here are the top characteristics of a student ambassador:
Communication That Connects Through a Screen
Speaking to a room is one thing. Making someone feel welcome through a camera or a line of text is another. Digital ambassadors need to master both. They know how to keep responses clear, friendly, and relatable, whether that’s through a quick message in a DM, a 30-second Instagram Story, or a thoughtful blog post. They understand tone, timing, and even how the right emoji can make an online exchange feel personal.
Self-Motivation in a Flexible Role
Unlike traditional ambassadors who work during scheduled tours or events, digital ambassadors often manage their own hours. They might respond to a question late in the evening, keep up with multiple conversations across platforms, or check in with an international prospect in a different time zone. That means self-motivation is of extreme importance. The best digital ambassadors don’t wait for prompts. They’re proactive about reaching out, following up, and making sure no question goes unanswered.
Tech-Savvy and Adaptable
A digital ambassador’s toolkit can change from one day to the next. One moment they’re editing a TikTok video, the next they’re co-hosting a Facebook Live Q&A or answering questions in a university’s custom chat app. They’re comfortable switching platforms, solving small tech issues, and adapting quickly when something unexpected happens. They also understand how to use each channel’s strengths to create the most impact, whether that’s a quick selfie video for a personal touch or a detailed written reply for complex questions.
Bringing Energy Online
Here’s the challenge: online, you don’t have the buzz of an in-person conversation to carry you. That means enthusiasm has to work harder. The best digital ambassadors make their passion for the school shine through in every message, video, or post. Research backs this up: positive, genuine interactions between current and prospects are one of the biggest drivers of enrollment conversions.
To recap, what makes a good ambassador? A good ambassador is authentic, approachable, and knowledgeable, with strong communication skills. They represent their institution with enthusiasm, build trust through genuine connections, and adapt easily to different audiences and platforms, ensuring every interaction leaves a positive, lasting impression.
In essence, a digital student ambassador is more than a student with social media skills. They’re a trusted peer, a skilled communicator, and a tech-savvy connector who can make a prospect feel seen, heard, and excited, no matter the distance. Schools that invest in them aren’t just extending their reach; they’re deepening their influence from the very first interaction.
Key Qualities of a Great Student Ambassador
What separates a good student ambassador from a truly exceptional one? Whether they’re greeting visitors in person or connecting with prospects online, the standouts share a set of defining qualities that make them unforgettable.
Communication That Connects
Great ambassadors are master communicators. They’re equally skilled at chatting one-on-one with a shy high school student or presenting to a room full of parents. They don’t just speak; they listen. They pick up on unspoken concerns, ask clarifying questions, and tailor their responses so every prospect feels understood. In a digital context, this means writing with warmth and clarity; friendly enough to spark conversation, yet concise enough to respect attention spans. They adapt effortlessly: a casual tone on Instagram, a polished one in email, and an authentic voice in video.
Positivity That’s Contagious
An ambassador’s outlook shapes a prospect’s first impression of the school. The best ones radiate genuine enthusiasm, never forced, never “salesy.” Their love for the institution is real, and it shows in every conversation, every smile, and every story they share. Admissions teams often spot potential ambassadors by noticing who already volunteers for events or naturally promotes their campus. Enthusiasm is magnetic: when an ambassador talks about their favorite class or a beloved campus tradition, that excitement becomes impossible to ignore.
Initiative and Leadership in Action
True leaders don’t wait for instructions; they step in. Exceptional ambassadors are proactive, spotting the student standing alone at an event and striking up a conversation, or jumping in to answer an unanswered question in a group chat. They embody self-discipline, integrity, and the ability to make others feel welcome. For digital ambassadors, initiative is non-negotiable. They must work independently, manage their time, and seize every opportunity to engage.
Inclusivity and Empathy
Great ambassadors make every prospect feel like they belong. They’re culturally aware, sensitive to differences, and skilled at connecting across backgrounds. They know what it’s like to be the newcomer, uncertain, maybe even overwhelmed, and they respond with patience and understanding. Whether reassuring an international student about campus diversity or helping a first-generation applicant navigate the admissions process, they create an atmosphere of welcome and respect.
Professionalism You Can Count On
While the role is peer-driven and personable, it’s also a serious responsibility. Ambassadors represent the school’s brand, and reliability is key. That means showing up on time, honoring commitments, and maintaining a respectful, professional demeanor, even in casual interactions. Digital ambassadors, in particular, must be disciplined enough to manage their role without constant oversight, delivering the same level of professionalism online as in person.
Knowledge and Resourcefulness
Prospects ask everything: from residence life to program details to financial aid. Ambassadors aren’t expected to have all the answers, but they must be well-informed about the institution’s key offerings and know exactly where to find information when needed. The strongest ambassadors are resourceful problem-solvers, following up quickly and connecting prospects to the right campus contacts. This builds trust and leaves prospects feeling supported.
Digital Fluency (for Online Engagement)
For digital student ambassadors, tech skills aren’t optional; they’re foundational. They navigate social media platforms, live chat tools, and video conferencing software with ease, staying on top of online trends and knowing how to leverage each platform’s strengths. They understand digital etiquette, moderate discussions effectively, and troubleshoot minor tech issues without losing composure. In short, they bring creativity, adaptability, and technical confidence to the role, turning digital spaces into welcoming, interactive environments.
When you combine these student ambassador qualities: communication, positivity, initiative, inclusivity, professionalism, knowledge, and tech fluency. You get a student ambassador who doesn’t just represent the school… they embody it. They make every interaction feel personal, every prospect feel valued, and every conversation a step closer to enrollment.
Examples of Great Student Ambassador Programs
John Cabot University
John Cabot University, an American university in Rome, runs a robust student ambassador program that shows how ambassadors can touch many facets of campus life. John Cabot University’s ambassadors are actively involved in the orientation process, event planning, leadership, and student support.
Their profiles (complete with friendly photos and contact info) are featured on the school site to invite connections. This approachable public presence signals to new and prospective students that they have peer resources ready to help. John Cabot’s example underlines the importance of choosing outgoing, involved students – their ambassadors take on leadership in organizing events and mentoring newcomers, embodying the school’s warm, inclusive culture from the start.
Smaller career-focused colleges also leverage ambassadors. The Academy of Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences (AAPS) in Toronto uses student ambassadors in marketing-savvy ways by showcasing student and alumni success stories. AAPS regularly celebrates Student Success Stories: for example, posting when an alumnus lands a dream job in the pharmaceutical industry. These stories (often shared on AAPS’s website and social channels) let prospects “see themselves achieving their goals” at the college.
In essence, AAPS ambassadors become living proof points of outcomes, saying “look what our students achieve; you can join them.” Ambassadors share their journeys and tips (on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.), adding authenticity to recruitment. The key is that AAPS selects enthusiastic storytellers proud of their field, so their posts come off as peer-to-peer endorsements of the college’s programs. This example shows that digital ambassador content doesn’t always mean live chats; even a series of student highlight posts with quotes and photos can serve as powerful testimonials.
Terry College of Business, University of Georgia (USA)
Business schools often rely on ambassadors to convey the program’s culture to applicants (for MBA or undergraduate business programs). The Terry College of Business at UGA has a team of Terry Ambassadors who exemplify leadership and community-building. Their mission statement: “Leading by example, ambassadors engage with students and alumni to build community within the college, increase understanding of opportunities available, and further the Terry legacy.”
This highlights how ambassadors at a business school not only assist with recruiting new students but also serve as connectors among current students and alumni – bridging different parts of the community. Terry Ambassadors are selected for attributes like strong academic records, interpersonal skills, and dependability. They uphold values such as integrity, respect, and servant leadership, acting as role models.
In practice, they host networking events, speak with prospective business majors about career opportunities, or welcome alumni back to campus. The benefit is two-fold: prospects get insiders’ perspectives on the program, and the ambassadors themselves gain networking and leadership experience (Terry explicitly notes ambassadors “develop a strong network of peers, alumni and professionals” as a benefit of the role. This example shows a slightly different angle – ambassadors not just for admissions, but for fostering pride and connections within a college community.
Specialized programs like language immersion schools use ambassadors. At Middlebury’s famed Language Schools, former students act as student ambassadors to share their experience with prospective enrollees.
For example, the Japanese Language School has student ambassadors listed with their emails so interested students can reach out to ask about the immersion program. These ambassadors answer questions like “What surprised you about your experience?” and “How much did your Japanese improve?”, giving honest testimonials about the intensive summer program. This helps prospects, who might be nervous about the immersion pledge, hear directly from peers who succeeded.
The ambassadors in this context need to be candid and reflective, able to articulate how they overcame challenges and why the program was worth it. Their enthusiasm for language learning and personal growth becomes a selling point for others. It’s a great example of how even non-traditional educational settings leverage peer ambassadors to build trust – after all, who better to convince someone to spend a summer speaking only Japanese than a student who did it and loved it?
Bishop O’Dowd High School
High schools also use student ambassadors, often in admissions tours or as “student hosts.” Bishop O’Dowd, a Catholic college-preparatory high school, actually has an army of nearly 400 student volunteers in its ambassador program – affectionately nicknamed the “Dragons” (after the school mascot). According to their admissions director, this large-scale program has been “transformative for the campus culture itself”. With so many students involved, it created “a culture of positivity and a willingness in students to truly engage” on campus.
Ambassadors at O’Dowd not only assist with tours and open houses, but by telling their personal stories to visitors, they have also become more reflective and positive about their own school experience. This is a powerful insight: a well-run ambassador program doesn’t just benefit the admissions office; it can fundamentally boost student morale and leadership school-wide. The key qualities for these youth ambassadors include being outgoing, responsible, and service-oriented – essentially, being proud “Dragons” who want to share that pride.
For younger students (high schoolers), being an ambassador also instills college and career-ready skills early on, such as public speaking and collaboration. Bishop O’Dowd’s example demonstrates how scale and inclusivity (hundreds of ambassadors representing all types of students) can amplify impact: every prospective family can meet a student who resonates with their child’s interests or background.
A great digital student ambassador is more than a smiling face on a brochure. They’re a communicator, a leader, a tech-savvy problem-solver, and, most importantly, a genuine student voice. They bridge the gap between your institution and prospects, turning formal marketing into an authentic human connection.
And the proof is in the results. When the University of Guelph launched its student social media ambassador program, engagement skyrocketed: 45% more interactions on Twitter and a 560% surge in Instagram likes, all in the first semester. Why? Because prospects trust real students sharing real experiences.
In conclusion, choose ambassadors who radiate positivity, connect easily with others, and navigate the online world with confidence. Give them the training they need, social media best practices, Q&A techniques, but don’t strip away their personality. Authenticity is their greatest asset, and when they’re free to speak in their own voice, it resonates far beyond what any scripted message can.
For students considering the role, here’s your sign to go for it. If you naturally talk about your school with enthusiasm, becoming an ambassador is simply channeling that passion into impact. You’ll build leadership skills, expand your network, and help future students feel at home before they even arrive.
In the end, the formula for a great digital ambassador is the same as for any ambassador: a sincere desire to help, connect, and inspire, supercharged by the reach of digital media. When schools and students partner in this way, everyone wins. Students grow as leaders, institutions gain their most credible advocates, and prospective learners get the authentic, peer-to-peer insight they crave. In an age where trust drives enrollment, investing in student ambassadors is investing in your most powerful recruitment asset: your own students.
Struggling to stand out in a crowded market?
Boost enrollment with digital student ambassador strategies!
Question: How would you describe a student ambassador? Answer: A student ambassador is a representative of their institution who shares authentic experiences, supports prospective students, and fosters a welcoming community. They act as a bridge between the school and its audience, answering questions, giving insights, and promoting campus culture through personal interaction, events, and digital engagement.
Question: What makes a good ambassador?
Answer: A good ambassador is authentic, approachable, and knowledgeable, with strong communication skills. They represent their institution with enthusiasm, build trust through genuine connections, and adapt easily to different audiences and platforms, ensuring every interaction leaves a positive, lasting impression.
Question: What is a digital ambassador?
Answer: A digital ambassador is a student representative who promotes their institution online through social media, live chats, and virtual events. They share authentic experiences, answer questions, and create engaging content, helping prospects connect with the school community, even if they can’t visit campus in person.
