Welcome back to The Fifteen, your source for the newest and emerging stories from around the world of higher education. Last week, we looked at cuts coming to universities at home and abroad. This week, however, we’re looking at emerging markets around the world, from India, China and even Uzbekistan. Enjoy this week’s articles.
Bryan Penprase has a piece on America’s “mega-universities.” There are some interesting notions in here, particularly on how scale drives down cost, but comparisons with “mainstream” universities are difficult without accounting for fields of study offered and the kinds of students being catered to. The Mega-Universities Disrupting Higher Education, (Forbes)
The EU is exploring the possibility of creating a “European degree” which would be recognized across Europe in the hopes of promoting mobility and collaboration through its “University Alliances” scheme, though some (us included) question the effect it would have. Ministers seek to reward alliances as EU degree talks go on, (University World News)
Every year, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) in London ranks UK universities on the Social Mobility Index based on the “social distance” travelled by socio-economically disadvantaged graduates from each institution. Here’s this year’s rankings: 2024 English Social Mobility Index, (HEPI)
Halloween 2024 is a holiday that won’t be soon forgotten by Bernalillo High School teacher Lorilei Chavez. You see, October 31 was the day she was honored as the first Indigenous teacher named New Mexico Teacher of the Year.
Sixth period was going as usual for Lorilei and her social studies class. The group was in the middle of a lesson when BHS principal, Alyssa Sanchez-Padilla, and her secretary came to the door with an urgent request: Bring your students to the school’s black box theater to bump up attendance for a guest speaker.
“And so, you know, as a teacher, I’m like, ‘Oh no, we’re in the middle of a lesson,’” she related. “You know, I don’t want to lose valuable teaching time. But if the principal is asking you to take your students somewhere, you know, you get going.”
As she walked with her students to the theater and the seventh-period bell rang, her principal asked to detour to sign some tutoring paperwork. While walking, Chavez noticed a few extra student resource officers.
“Like I was getting kind of like an inclination that something was going on, you know?” she said, noting she was dressed in 1980s style for Halloween, with a side ponytail and an off-the-shoulder shirt.
Still thinking there was a guest speaker, Lorelei came to the theater and saw the “shimmer of cheerleading pompoms” and a huge cheer erupted as she entered the room. Assuming the cheer was for the “guest,” she got a bit spooked and started to back out of the room, she said.
“My principal was behind me and she just put her hands on my shoulders and softly nudged me forward,” she recalled. “I saw my mom and rushed over to her. Then she points up at the ceiling and there was this huge banner that says ‘Lorelei Chavez, Teacher of the Year.’”
“And that’s when it all just hit and took me over. And then it went from joy, like surprise to joy to like pure happy tears,” she said.
“It’s a life moment I’ll never forget.”
From Bernalillo and back
Lorilei describes herself as a “very proud product of Bernalillo Public Schools.” Beginning with kindergarten near home on the Kewa Pueblo (Santo Domingo Pueblo), she spent all but one year of her young life in the BPS system, beginning with Santo Domingo School and ending with graduation from Bernalillo High in 2008.
“It’s funny because I remember being in high school thinking, ‘Oh, I want to go as far as I can. Like, I want to go to school in California. I want to go to college in Washington, D.C. And I don’t want to come back to Bernalillo,’” she recalled with a chuckle. “And then six years later, I ended up (substitute teaching) while going to college. I’ve been there ever since.”
Beginning her college career at Central New Mexico Community College, Lorilei got her basics taken care of before transferring to the University of New Mexico. She graduated in 2018 with a degree in Native American Studies and a minor in History. Though she started as an education major and shifted away, her experiences as a substitute convinced her to go through CNM’s Alternative Licensure program, which she finished in 2020.
“When I started subbing as I was going to (UNM), I realized that I had a really deep ability to connect with students on a level that maybe some of my colleagues weren’t able to,” she said. “Because our district is 48% Indigenous, a lot of the students that I worked with didn’t really have Indigenous teachers or teacher aides or even substitutes that looked like them.”
Since the Bernalillo school system works with seven different tribes, Lorilei said she feels it’s important that Native students have Indigenous role models in the school setting. She used simple examples, like seeing her dressed in Native regalia or “big Native earrings” and beaded medallions to honor Native heritage.
“I think that’s what allowed me to see that I would be a good educator,” she said. “I would have an impact on students if I did a shift and got my teacher certification.
“And so that I think is my main drive even to today, is my ability to connect with students, uplift them, hear their voices, allow them to feel seen in the classroom, which I think creates the motivation to continue their goals and succeed in whatever they’re trying to accomplish.”
Serving her community
Lorilei said being named the first Indigenous teacher to win the statewide Teacher of the Year award was obviously an honor. But because “a core value of Pueblo people is the idea of service,” she said she feels that she is representing more than herself in accepting the award.
“As I serve my community, I wake up every day knowing that I’m going to serve my students, my future generations as I represent Santo Domingo Pueblo,” she said. “I wake up every day thinking, ‘What impact am I going to make on my community and what impact am I able to make today on the future generation?’ So, winning an award like this has been really hard for me to accept and value the honor. Because I feel it doesn’t just belong to me. It comes from a community of educators that has raised me and taught me.”
With her Native American Studies background, she said she strives to balance Indigenous culture and Western education in a school setting.
“The people, the past EAs, the language teachers, the teachers who’ve taught me that have poured into my education, I think is what brought me to today,” Lorilei said. “With this title and this beautiful award, I’m able to bring home not only Santo Domingo but to the Bernalillo Public Schools. I think the pressure of being the first Indigenous Teacher of the Year is making sure I’m honoring not only my school but my students and the community that I come from.”
‘Indigenizing’ the Education System
Lorilei said that as Teacher of the Year, she will emphasize “Indigenizing” education in New Mexico, as well as supporting teachers’ mental health. The desire to bring more Native experiences, stories, and perspectives into public education is something that grew from her time in the UNM Native Studies program.
“Going to (UNM’s) Native American studies program as a college student really opened my mind to this understanding of needing to know your culture, your history, the laws and the narrative that existed in Native community,” she said. “Things that weren’t necessarily told in the history books that I studied or in the papers that I wrote. Things not in the curriculum that I was offered as a public school student.”
“So graduating from UNM NAS instilled this understanding that going back into the public schools that I work at… I had no choice but an obligation to encourage our district and hold our district accountable when adopting curriculums and encouraging Native history in the core curriculum,” she concluded.
Lorilei said she and her fellow educators in the Bernalillo Public Schools “are blessed” to have a district leadership that understands the equity and value of bringing in Native languages and history as a core content.
She also said she feels very fortunate for the opportunity to work in a district that allows her the opportunity to build a curriculum that includes Indigenous history – subjects like the Pueblo Revolt, boarding schools, Native removal, sovereignty and decolonization, in a “school building that was not necessarily built for Indigenous education but built for Western education.”
“As the first Indigenous teacher of the year, I feel like that also is my obligation and duty, is to work to continue to advocate, to educate, so that we can uplift Native narrative, history, stories in curriculum,” she said. “Not just in high student of color populations, but in districts across the state.
“It is a passion of mine to Indigenize education and bring Indigenous perspective in Western curriculum. And so that’s something that I’m going to really push toward and be passionate about and continue to advocate for moving forward,” she related.
Prioritizing balance for teachers
Lorilei also said she is “super passionate” about state leadership and school districts starting a movement around prioritizing teacher mental health. She said she plans to “really pour some energy in as Teacher of the Year.” As a teacher working at the high school level, she said implementing teaching materials and testing guides, and “doing all the things that I need to do as a teacher to be the best teacher” leaves her drained at times.
“Balancing all of that with my life and my culture and everything that I am as a human being, an auntie, a sister, a cousin, is very difficult,” she said. “I really think as a state and as a nation, we really need to take a deeper look into how we are healing our teachers. How are we showing up for them in capacities that include mental wellness? And that includes body health and that includes spiritual strength in whatever capacity that they connect to.”
She concluded: “My goal and my hope is to really work with school districts, including mine, to have wellness days, wellness fairs, professional development days where teachers are paid to take time to take care of their mental health… because we’re so spread thin from the many, many things we have to do as educators.
“I’d really like to see us looking at an innovative way to address teacher wellness in ways that maybe the state and the nation haven’t before.”
The New Mexico Teacher of the Year program is sponsored by The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association. The award of $ 10,000 will go to Lorilei to help with professional development opportunities and support her travel needs.
Home » Education Technology » Educating in a Post-Pandemic World. What Things Should We Take Away? And What Things Should Be Left in the Past?
In 2020, the global pandemic shook the foundation of almost every aspect of our everyday lives, and education was no different. Educators needed to change how they taught and change it fast. It was a world of Zoom calls and Google Classroom assignments.
But now that we’re almost five years out, what things actually stuck? Was this new way of learning successful and is it feasible for schools to implement these changes long term?
Learning today
The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is a professional association of instructional designers, educators and professionals who provide leadership and advise policy makers to sustain a continuous effort to enrich teaching and learning. Members of AECT offer their perspectives of how learning today was impacted by the sudden shift and new uses of technology during the pandemic.
Dr. Theodore J. Kopcha, a former secondary mathematics teacher and AECT board member whose current research explores the integration of innovative technologies into the classroom, has seen mixed responses. “There are some schools where the pandemic pushed teachers to create an online asynchronous learning experience that could complement in-classroom teaching but also function in the absence of the teacher… In the meantime, we’ve returned to in-person teaching, which, for some teachers, is only strengthened by this online repository of information.”
Now, though, we’re seeing a bit of a rift between various groups of educators with some continuing to embrace the benefits of virtual learning and others who want nothing to do with the online space again.
With these two opposing views, the educators who support online learning end up stepping up and becoming technology leaders in their buildings without stepping into a new leadership position. “These teachers are often our best teachers, and is too often the case, we are asking our best teachers to do even more than they already are,” said Dr. Cecil R. Short, assistant professor and director of secondary education at Emporia State University and AECT’s Teacher Education Division board member. However, there are many ways for educators to use these new technology integrations.
Best practices
Beth Willoughby, district librarian in Dunellen, NJ and active AECT member has observed that “teachers are more comfortable utilizing technology in their lessons… [and] are collaborating more both in their grade level or subject area and with other teachers.” She also notes that “students are more willing to email a question than talk to a teacher which is a great help for the extremely shy students.”
As a parent, Dr. Kopcha has seen through his children that these new online systems create a bit of a ‘lost in cyberspace’ experience. Each teacher tends to organize materials in a different way. “As a parent and educational technologist, it became apparent that teachers and students would benefit from efforts to keep the online learning experience more standardized across classes and teachers.” This sort of standardization would take away some autonomy from the teachers, but the student experience would vastly improve.
Final thoughts
The impact of the pandemic on schools continues through today. As Dr. Kopcha said, “the pandemic was more of a ‘blip’ that came and went, and what was left was a vast amount of online resources that teachers created and continue to build upon to this day.” Dr. Short observed that “going into the pandemic, we knew from several research studies that teachers and schools were not prepared to support virtual teaching. Coming out of the pandemic, many more teachers, schools, and even states are now requiring educators to be prepared for teaching across various modalities — in-person, online, and blended as a combination of both.”
If there’s one thing we know for sure about Confucian societies, it’s the value they place on scholarship. Being a student doesn’t just connote future financial success; the very act of studying itself carries an important element of moral virtue. It’s one of the things that has driven university participation rates to extraordinarily high levels in East Asia, and also among diaspora populations in countries around the world. Here in Canada, 25 years ago, Statistics Canada polled parents across Canada on their expectations for their children’s education, and they literally could not fins a Chines parent whose ambitions for their children involved community college.
But not everyone can go to university. Well, they can, but it doesn’t leave you with the most balanced labour force. So if you’re running a higher education system and you want to get people to focus on vocational skills, what do you do? Well, if you’re China, one strategy might be to create vocational credentials but attach to them something a little bit more academic…like a degree? Call it a “vocational university”
With me once again today, this time to talk about Vocational higher education in China is Gerard Postiglione, professor of higher education at the University of Hong Kong. We cover the origins of the Chinese government’s vocational education policy, it’s recent successes, and the development of a new type of institution called a vocational university. It’s a good, quick tour through an underappreciated part of the global higher education system.
The World of Higher Education Podcast Episode 3.13 | Skilled for the Future: How China is Transforming Vocational Education with Gerard Postiglione
Transcript
Alex Usher (AU): Gerry, could you give us a sense of where vocational education traditionally fits within Chinese tertiary or post-secondary education? This is a Confucian society, and as places like Korea and Japan have shown, there’s a strong cultural preference for book learning. The connotations of being a scholar often include elements of moral virtue. So, where does vocational education fit into this?
Gerard Postiglione (GP): Well, China has gone through tremendous transitions in the 20th century—from the Qing dynasty to the Republic, and then from the Republic to the People’s Republic of China in 1949. At that time, China was overwhelmingly poor, with about 80 to 85 percent of the population living in poverty. There was a lot to do. The first phase of change involved learning from the Soviet Union, which placed a strong emphasis on linking schools and factories, education, and labor.
During this period, there was no issue of employment because jobs were assigned. But with the market reforms starting in 1978 and accelerating in the 1980s, everything changed. In 1985, there was a major Communist Party policy to universalize nine years of basic education. However, at the same time, access to universities remained extremely limited—only about 1 to 2 percent of the 18-to-22-year-old age group. At the senior secondary level, vocational and technical education accounted for about 50 percent of enrollment. That was a significant shift toward developing technical skills in senior secondary high school. That was a major change, and it was very difficult. Of course, there were costs and finances to handle, equipment to manage, and so on but that’s when China launched into its first phase of technical vocational education.
AU: There’s always been kind of a view, and this isn’t restricted to China, of course, that vocational education is a “less than” choice. Earlier this year, there was a big stir about a student named Jiang Ping from a fashion vocational high school. She won a national math competition beating students from very prestigious institutions. She said she wanted to stay in vocational education, which caused quite a sensation. Though, of course, there was even more attention later when it turned out her teacher had helped her during the competition, which led to her disqualification. But it reflects this broader tension, doesn’t it? That vocational education is still seen as a distant second choice to a traditional academic university if you can get in. What do you think?
GP: The Jiang Ping case was widely reported, and it was unfortunate. I can understand her teacher’s hope to see her student excel, especially in such a high-profile competition as the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition. It was the first time contestants were allowed to use AI tools, which added a new dimension. But when it was discovered that her teacher had helped her during the competition, she was eliminated.
As for the broader question, yes, that traditional Confucian view of education as primarily academic does still resonate, and you’re right—it’s not unique to China. In many countries, academic higher education is seen as more prestigious and valuable than vocational pathways. In China’s case, for students moving into senior secondary education, if they weren’t excelling academically, vocational technical education became the primary option for about 50 percent of students.
It’s also worth noting that China’s higher education system includes both four-year bachelor’s degrees and three-year specialized colleges, similar to community colleges. So there’s always been a dual pathway. But roll ahead to the future, I think those attitudes are starting to shift, especially with the leadership taking strong steps to highlight the value and persuade people of the value of vocational and technical education in an age increasingly defined by high technology and specialized skills.
AU: In 2019, the Chinese government introduced the National Vocational Education Reform Implementation Plan. What were its key elements? What were they trying to achieve?
GP: That was a massive plan, introduced at a time when access to senior secondary education had reached about 50 percent, moving China past the stage of mass higher education and into universal higher education, with a postsecondary access rate of around 60 percent. The government’s approach was very strategic. They looked at their industrial development plans, identified key industries, and considered their long-term goals for funding science and technology, as well as for developing both high-level and mid-level skills.
The aim was clear: to become the global leader in vocational education. This included strengthening the three-year diploma programs, which already make up nearly 50 percent of China’s higher education system and transforming many of the rapidly expanded provincial universities into application-oriented institutions offering bachelor’s degrees that are heavily vocational and technical in focus.
I’ve seen this transformation firsthand through work with Asian Development Bank projects in provinces like Gansu and Yunnan. In Gansu, they built an entire city of vocational and technical education colleges, referred to as a “vocational technical city.” Yunnan, meanwhile, has become a model province for western China, pushing ahead with this initiative.
This plan is not just about upgrading skills but also about providing jobs for graduates in a slowing economy, with GDP growth now at around 5 percent. It’s a highly ambitious and comprehensive effort to align education with the needs of both the labor market and the country’s economic development.
AU: Let’s talk about vocational universities specifically. My understanding is that they come out of the same period or the same plan. How do they differ from traditional universities or vocational colleges? What makes their programming and curriculum unique?
GP: Well, the first thing to note is that the entire system, including the top-tier universities, is now putting more emphasis on application-oriented skills. That said, the top universities—like the flagship and highly-ranked institutions—are focused on the rapid advancements in science, technology, and innovation, so there’s not as much of an issue there.
But for the rest of the system, which is massive, the focus is aligning more closely with the labor market and economic needs. Vocational universities—now sometimes translated as Colleges of Applied Science or Universities of Applied Science—are distinct in their close relationship with industry. That’s the key element. They aim to bring industries much closer to the education system.
This is challenging because many of the academics at these institutions were trained in traditional disciplines, often with PhDs, and they’re now being asked to collaborate with industry, which is more focused on production and profits. But that collaboration is crucial to the success of these institutions. At the upper levels, this is working quite well—for example, Huawei now employs a large number of PhD holders and is very application-oriented. But for the rest of the country, it’s more complex.
State-owned enterprises are heavily encouraged to engage with these application-oriented universities. Meanwhile, the private sector, which is growing, also plays a significant role. Private vocational colleges or universities of applied science have a strong incentive to ensure their graduates get jobs—otherwise, they won’t attract students. This dynamic means there’s learning on both sides, with the public and private sectors influencing each other.
Another distinct feature of these institutions is their emphasis on skills certification. Students earn credits for the skills they acquire, and a credit bank system is in place to support this. This allows students to build up credentials over time, aligning their education with workforce needs.
AU: You raised something here that I think is kind of important because in India, they’re building what are called skills universities. I can’t quite figure out how they work or what they’re supposed to do, but there seems to be a big corporate aspect to them. For instance, they’re inviting industries directly to teach programs or design the curriculum. Is that also happening in Chinese vocational universities, whether public or private?
GP: Well, I’ve only been to India a couple of times, so I wouldn’t claim to be an expert on the system there. But from what I’ve seen, they’re dealing with similar issues around skills training and apprenticeships for college students. That said, I think China is moving much faster in this respect.
In China, there’s a real effort to bring industry into the universities. This involves recruiting members of companies to go into universities and teach, collaborate with academic staff, and form centers for training and experimentation. There are experimental vocational—or let’s call them colleges of applied science—being set up in cities all over the country. This is a very serious effort, and both the government and the Communist Party are strongly committed to making it work.
China is also working on developing proper evaluation systems for this model, though that process is still underway. But the key is getting industry directly involved in the university, and that’s a central part of the plan. There’s also a focus on internationalization, with China being very open to learning from models around the world. For instance, I’ve been asked to introduce elements of the German model. I actually published a paper with a Chinese economist comparing the German model with China’s approach, and that’s been influential in shaping how this sector is developing.
AU: Is this focus on vocationalization a reaction to high graduate unemployment from traditional universities? I recall that back in 2014, China planned to convert several universities into polytechnics. Is this part of the same trend?
GP: Yes, I think the translations of the terms—whether you call them polytechnics, universities of applied science, or something else—don’t really matter too much. The key thing is that these are application-oriented bachelor’s degree programs. And the introduction of these degrees addresses a critical issue: families in China traditionally don’t want their children to go anywhere but academic higher education. But if a degree comes from a university, even if it’s vocationally oriented, that helps resolve concerns about the image of vocational education.
Graduate unemployment is certainly a pressing issue. The economy is growing more slowly than before, and when you move from mass higher education to universal higher education—China’s access rate is now over 60%—it’s inevitable that this kind of challenge emerges. It’s partly a transitional phase, but it’s also something the government is addressing with both short-term measures and longer-term plans.
I’ve seen this kind of thing before. For example, when I was a student in the United States during an economic downturn, graduate unemployment was a serious issue for several years. China is dealing with something similar now. It’s likely to take three, four, or even five years to turn things around, but the government is actively working on stimulus plans to address these short-term challenges.
At the same time, they’re focusing on the longer-term development of a higher education system that aligns with the labor market and the country’s broader economic goals. It’s a significant concern, but I think they’re holding the line for now.
AU: Sure. And so what’s student uptake like at these vocational universities? I mean, you said earlier that if their graduates don’t get jobs, then students won’t apply. So are students actually enrolling in these institutions? Do parents want their kids to attend? What’s the demand for this compared to traditional universities?
GP: Well, the demand for education in China is still tremendous. It’s deeply rooted in Chinese civilization. Education is highly valued, and many of my own students, even in Hong Kong, have gone all the way through the system. If there were such a thing as a second or third doctorate, I’m sure they’d pursue that too. So yes, the demand is there, and the students are generally very good. There’s a heavy emphasis on education across the board.
Now, when it comes to uptake, there’s a bit of a difference between the state-run system and the private sector. For public vocational universities, there’s no problem with enrollment because these are degree-granting programs. Degrees carry significant weight culturally, and parents and students see the value in them.
The private sector is a different story. Private institutions don’t receive much government funding; they rely on student fees, investments, and donations. Some private vocational colleges are extremely successful and manage to compete well, but they need to deliver outcomes—mainly, good job placements—or they won’t attract students. What’s interesting is how the state system learns from the private sector. The private colleges have to be responsive to the labor market to survive, and their success in this area can influence public institutions.
For the public system, though, uptake isn’t really an issue. Plus, there are opportunities for additional training. For example, if you have a bachelor’s degree and find that you need certain skills for the job market, you can take a “top-up” year to get the training you need. It’s a flexible system that adapts to labor market demands.
AU: Right. Well, that’s very similar to our community colleges in Canada. Final question: as China continues to reform and expand its higher education system, what do you see as the future for vocational universities? Are they going to become a bigger part of the mix moving forward? And if so, will it be focused on certain fields, or do you see it expanding more broadly?
GP: Vocational and technical higher education in China is already a major component of the higher education system, and it’s going to remain that way. One of the reasons for China’s productivity in areas like green skills, battery production for electric vehicles, and other technical aspects of the green economy is this strong foundation in vocational education.
China has learned a lot from international experience—working with companies like Tesla, IBM, and John Deere—and it’s applying those lessons. The government’s plan is to go full throttle with higher vocational technical colleges, polytechnics, or colleges of applied science—whatever you want to call them. And they have a long-term strategy to ensure these institutions are central to their higher education system.
I’d also expect that other countries in the region, particularly middle-income developing countries, will follow this path. China’s approach is setting an example for how to align higher education with economic development, especially in sectors that are crucial for the future.
AU: Gerry, thanks so much for being with us today.
GP: You’re very welcome.
AU: And it just remains for me to thank our excellent producers, Tiffany MacLennan and Sam Pufek, and of course, you, our listener, for joining us. If you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes, please get in touch at [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and join us next week for the final episode of the year, featuring Robert Kelchen from the University of Tennessee. He’ll share his top 10 stories in U.S. higher education. Bye for now.
*This podcast transcript was generated using an AI transcription service with limited editing. Please forgive any errors made through this service.
Ideas for Your Online Presence Before, During, and After Your Talk or Presentation
The best time to share about your upcoming talk or presentation is before it happens. Some people find that their most engaged post on social media is announcing that you’ve submitted your abstract to speak (or your publication). People are excited by the possibility and what you care about. Telling your story of your upcoming speaking engagement is a great way to do that.
Sharing on social media can start early, but I don’t want you to think it’s the only way to help your online presence and the people coming to your talk. You’re going to explore many ideas today, but you don’t have to try all of them. I hope that there’s at least one idea that resonates with you and you’d feel comfortable trying it yourself.
Before your speaking engagement
When you submit an abstract for or are invited to speak
Add your website URL and social media handle to your bio. This will help people find you before, during, and after your presentation.
I’ve just submitted an abstract to speak at…
Announce that you’ve submitted – If you’ve been invited to speak, a good time to share on social media is when you’ve agreed or committed to that engagement. It’s great to add your social media handle and a link to your personal academic website if you have one, along with your bio. You might add that information to your CV.
Connect with people before you go
Once your talk is confirmed, you can add it to your website and you might take time to connect with your fellow panelists or event organizers before the event.
Conference Hashtag
If there is one, you can check out the conference hashtag and make plans with people who will also be at the event that you want to see, especially if you live in different cities or countries.
Business cards
If you have a business card, add your social media handle and website there is a good idea.
Share your talk on social media
When you’re sharing your talk on social media, people need more information than you expect. They need to know what your talk is about, when your talk is to know if they can attend, what the event is, and any link where they can learn more information. This is something you can share on any social media platform or across all your platforms.
Some professors hesitate to share their upcoming talk on Facebook where they may have a more personal audience, but these people are excited by what you care about when it comes to your research and how you choose to spend your energy. You might include , on all social media posts, any definition or story that helps people better understand why this talk or research matters to you.
Tag people or organizations that are related to your talk or event.
The conference hashtag can be added to your post about your talk but you can also add a hashtag that relates to the topic of what you are presenting on.
You can share the post about your talk before, during or after the event.
Create a graphic or infographic
If you create a graphic or share an image to go with your talk, a great resource is Writing image Descriptions on Accessible Social – which helps you create social media posts accessible for people with disabilities.
These are ideas are for your online presence and networking while a conference or event is happening.
Check out the conference hashtag, again
If you checked out the event hashtag, you might find that people weren’t using it. Once the event starts, you can start using the conference hashtag and check it out! See if there is a conversation you want to be part of, or an event you want to check out.
Be open about your online presence
The best thing you can do for your online presence while at an in person event, is to be open that you have a website or that you’re on social media.
Help people find and connect with you
You can make this easier for people by making a QR code that helps people go to your website, have this info on a business card, create a hand out with information or resource about your talk (that includes people need to your online presence) , or use an end slide in your presentation to help people connect with you after the event is over.
Resources to take home and share
When you create a resource like a handout or links /slides to share, that can go on your personal academic website. They can also be shared on social media using that conference hashtag to help people find this resource that you’ve already taken the time to gather.
Will this be recorded?
Ask if there is going to be a recording. Sometimes, there isn’t an official recording but you can ask if you can record yourself.
Stay connected once you’re gone
Connect with people you meet or you like and admire on social media, while at the conference. Helps others be more likely to learn about you.
It’s okay if you don’t do any of that too
I have never had time for any of that at conferences, personally. In person events can be overwhelming for me as an introvert. Because of that, I don’t have the brain capacity to remember things like take a photo, much less record some videos.
Anything I just talked about – some of those things can be prepped in advance others you don’t have to do live (you can do afterward)
Next are ideas you can do after your presentation or talk is over.
After your talk is over
Record your talk
Whether there was a recording of your talk or not, you could always record your talk and slides using zoom, then post the video to your website or social media. There are options to share the full version of your talk, if you like to. You can just share the title slide, or full text version of the talk, or even the full slides.
Connect with people when you’re back at home
If you didn’t connect with people during the event, sometimes connecting AFTER the event is easier. You can look at the conference hashtag. Look through the business cards you collected. See the conference program and look at the bios to see who is on social media.
Create and/or share resources
If you didn’t have resources to share at your talk, if there are things you want people to know after the fact, you can create a graphic or handout that is shareable on social media or a page on your website.
Celebrate other people
While you can post about your own talk, you can also post about your panel and thank the conference and event organizers. If you want to participate in the conference community but not want to talk about your own talk, you can celebrate others instead. It’s a great opportunity for PIs to celebrate their lab members or grad students who are at the event. There are so many ways to celebrate people instead of yourself, if that feels comfortable or more exciting for you.
These don’t have to be professional shots. A messy desk shot or photo of you working on your slides or going over your notes on the plane. Something that feels quick or easy to you.
Take pictures during the event
Snap a photo of things you see, people you meet, friends you catch up with. Ask someone to take photos of you while you’re speaking or pose at the conference.
You could record a video of your talk
This can be before, during, or after the event.
You can record a video about your talk
Record a short video introducing your talk and the main takeaways. This video is especially for people who couldn’t be there live for your presentation.
Record some b-roll
If you like video, record b-roll video. Take a sip of coffee, getting ready to speak, short travel clips, video of fellow panelists or friends. These might be put into a longer video or Instagram reel.
But these might feel like too much – so even though they are fun ideas, don’t be stressed if you do none of them.
Ideas for Your Online Presence Before, During, and After Your Talk or Presentation
The best time to share about your upcoming talk or presentation is before it happens. Some people find that their most engaged post on social media is announcing that you’ve submitted your abstract to speak (or your publication). People are excited by the possibility and what you care about. Telling your story of your upcoming speaking engagement is a great way to do that.
Sharing on social media can start early, but I don’t want you to think it’s the only way to help your online presence and the people coming to your talk. You’re going to explore many ideas today, but you don’t have to try all of them. I hope that there’s at least one idea that resonates with you and you’d feel comfortable trying it yourself.
When you submit an abstract for or are invited to speak
Add your website URL and social media handle to your bio. This will help people find you before, during, and after your presentation.
I’ve just submitted an abstract to speak at…
Announce that you’ve submitted – If you’ve been invited to speak, a good time to share on social media is when you’ve agreed or committed to that engagement. It’s great to add your social media handle and a link to your personal academic website if you have one, along with your bio. You might add that information to your CV.
Connect with people before you go
Once your talk is confirmed, you can add it to your website and you might take time to connect with your fellow panelists or event organizers before the event.
Conference Hashtag
If there is one, you can check out the conference hashtag and make plans with people who will also be at the event that you want to see, especially if you live in different cities or countries.
Business cards
If you have a business card, add your social media handle and website there is a good idea.
Share your talk on social media
When you’re sharing your talk on social media, people need more information than you expect. They need to know what your talk is about, when your talk is to know if they can attend, what the event is, and any link where they can learn more information. This is something you can share on any social media platform or across all your platforms.
Some professors hesitate to share their upcoming talk on Facebook where they may have a more personal audience, but these people are excited by what you care about when it comes to your research and how you choose to spend your energy. You might include , on all social media posts, any definition or story that helps people better understand why this talk or research matters to you.
Tag people or organizations that are related to your talk or event.
The conference hashtag can be added to your post about your talk but you can also add a hashtag that relates to the topic of what you are presenting on.
You can share the post about your talk before, during or after the event.
Create a graphic or infographic
If you create a graphic or share an image to go with your talk, a great resource is Writing image Descriptions on Accessible Social – which helps you create social media posts accessible for people with disabilities.
The next ideas are for things you can do while the event is happening.
Check out the conference hashtag, again
If you checked out the event hashtag, you might find that people weren’t using it. Once the event starts, you can start using the conference hashtag and check it out! See if there is a conversation you want to be part of, or an event you want to check out.
Be open about your online presence
The best thing you can do for your online presence while at an in person event, is to be open that you have a website or that you’re on social media.
Help people find and connect with you
You can make this easier for people by making a QR code that helps people go to your website, have this info on a business card, create a hand out with information or resource about your talk (that includes people need to your online presence) , or use an end slide in your presentation to help people connect with you after the event is over.
Resources to take home and share
When you create a resource like a handout or links /slides to share, that can go on your personal academic website. They can also be shared on social media using that conference hashtag to help people find this resource that you’ve already taken the time to gather.
Will this be recorded?
Ask if there is going to be a recording. Sometimes, there isn’t an official recording but you can ask if you can record yourself.
Stay connected once you’re gone
Connect with people you meet or you like and admire on social media, while at the conference. Helps others be more likely to learn about you.
It’s okay if you don’t do any of that too
I have never had time for any of that at conferences, personally. In person events can be overwhelming for me as an introvert. Because of that, I don’t have the brain capacity to remember things like take a photo, much less record some videos.
Anything I just talked about – some of those things can be prepped in advance others you don’t have to do live (you can do afterward)
Next are ideas you can do after your presentation or talk is over.
Whether there was a recording of your talk or not, you could always record your talk and slides using zoom, then post the video to your website or social media. There are options to share the full version of your talk, if you like to. You can just share the title slide, or full text version of the talk, or even the full slides.
Connect with people when you’re back at home
If you didn’t connect with people during the event, sometimes connecting AFTER the event is easier. You can look at the conference hashtag. Look through the business cards you collected. See the conference program and look at the bios to see who is on social media.
Create and/or share resources
If you didn’t have resources to share at your talk, if there are things you want people to know after the fact, you can create a graphic or handout that is shareable on social media or a page on your website.
Celebrate other people
While you can post about your own talk, you can also post about your panel and thank the conference and event organizers. If you want to participate in the conference community but not want to talk about your own talk, you can celebrate others instead. It’s a great opportunity for PIs to celebrate their lab members or grad students who are at the event. There are so many ways to celebrate people instead of yourself, if that feels comfortable or more exciting for you.
These don’t have to be professional shots. A messy desk shot or photo of you working on your slides or going over your notes on the plane. Something that feels quick or easy to you.
Take pictures during the event
Snap a photo of things you see, people you meet, friends you catch up with. Ask someone to take photos of you while you’re speaking or pose at the conference.
You could record a video of your talk
This can be before, during, or after the event.
You can record a video about your talk
Record a short video introducing your talk and the main takeaways. This video is especially for people who couldn’t be there live for your presentation.
Record some b-roll
If you like video, record b-roll video. Take a sip of coffee, getting ready to speak, short travel clips, video of fellow panelists or friends. These might be put into a longer video or Instagram reel.
But these might feel like too much – so even though they are fun ideas, don’t be stressed if you do none of them.
I drew much inspiration from this morning’s listen to Derrick Bruff’s interview with Jane Southworth about AI across the curriculum. Derrick Bruff’s podcast, Intentional Teaching, gives us bountiful opportunities to learn from the experiences of educators who are transforming educational experiences for students across a wide variety of disciplines and contexts. While the episode did focus on what is obvious from the title, AI Across the Curriculum, I drew a lot of inspiration well beyond just that topic of AI. There are many layers of what they talked about that go well beyond the broad topic of artificial intelligence. Other aspects of leading and teaching within a university context are shared well beyond the particular initiative they discuss.
Jane talks about the difficulty of making such a massive change across a complex institution. She made a few jokes about the difficulties, although she said it was such lightheartedness that I felt such kindness toward her in what must have been such challenging endeavors. Consider what it takes to make something like this happen, and all the committee work that it takes, all the different people that are need to be talked to, all the perspectives to consider. The intricacies, not just to make something work, but to make the fruit of that work visible to students such that they enroll in the program and pursue the educational aims beyond the requirements for their majors. Jane shares examples of them starting an AI certificate program within their curriculum. The mammoth effort that it was to make that technically possible from an operations standpoint, such that someone could take the right classes and that they would go through all the curriculum committees and get that to work within their policies and procedures is one thing. But another layer I found quite fascinating was how do you then make that visible to students such that they’re even aware that this certificate exists and that they find it of interest and worthwhile to pursue further learning.
As Sam Cooke sang years ago, I also “don’t know much about geography.” There’s no doubt in my mind that I have subscribed to some of the myths that Jane described about her discipline of geography. Jane described how in the United Kingdom, when she was in college, that it was the third or fourth most popular degree. Geography graduates found themselves receiving among the highest earnings as they left school, as well as being surprised when they discovered just how much more the field is than studying rocks, like they had initially believed.
The holiday break is a perfect time for leveling up your knowledge, igniting your HR spark, and collecting wisdom to share with your team. These book recommendations have been hand-picked by CUPA-HR colleagues for their insights into topics like change management, inclusion and belonging, and daring leadership. They make great team book club reads, too!
Grab a warm beverage and cozy up with one of these HR reads.
For bold leaders…
Vulnerability might not spring to mind as the most important trait in a leader, but in Dare to Lead, Brené Brown encourages leaders to tune into their hearts as much as their minds.
For the everyday superstar…
In Hidden Potential, Adam Grant, a Wharton School of Business professor, says that we all have the ability to improve. You don’t have to be a prodigy or work yourself to the point of burnout, but instead be willing to learn and develop your character.
For the inventor…
If you’ve ever pondered creative ways to do more with less, check out A Beautiful Constraint by Adam Morgan and Mark Barden. Jay Stephens, vice president of people and culture at the University of Montana, says “it’s a great book for higher ed, where we tend to live with a scarcity mindset.”
For the team leader who’s always learning…
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni is a perennially popular book. Written in the form of a fable, it addresses some common team issues, like lack of trust, fear of conflict, and avoidance of accountability.
For those looking to stress less…
Jennifer Moss, a keynote speaker at the 2024 CUPA-HR Annual Conference and Expo, is a leading voice in fighting burnout. The Burnout Epidemic argues that organizations must take the lead in developing an anti-burnout strategy that moves beyond apps, wellness programs, and perks.
For out-of-the-box thinkers…
Miranda Arjona, assistant director of HR at Rollins College, encourages embracing the qualities that make children special (and that we tend to forget when we’re all grown up). Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss “encourages readers to embrace new experiences, face obstacles with courage, and keep moving forward,” while Curious George by H.A. Rey and Margret Rey “emphasizes the importance of curiosity, exploration, and learning from one’s mistakes.” Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne “offers insights into the importance of enjoying the present moment, valuing simple pleasures, and appreciating the quirks of those around us.”
Bonus tips for the book club leader (no required reading!)…
As the content specialist in training and development, Corrie Grint hosts two different book clubs at the University of Utah. Here are her tips for success.
Vary book choices. Grint chooses a mix of classic leadership books, new and popular books, and untraditional books.
Build in flexible participation. Grint bases her questions on the general principles of books like Atomic Habits, “so anyone can participate, even if they haven’t read the book.”
Structure clubs inclusively. Participation is virtual and capped at one hour.
Offer pre-session and during-session support. A week before, Grant emails out other options to supplement or replace the reading, such as a book summary PDF or YouTube video. She also provides questions similar to the ones they’ll discuss. During the meeting, she provides a summary of the principles taught, along with quotes, and asks questions along the way.
Here’s the full list of recommendations, chosen by CUPA-HR colleagues:
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth: What Going to Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination, and Being Prepared for Anything by Chris Hadfield
Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear
A Beautiful Constraint: How To Transform Your Limitations Into Advantages, and Why It’s Everyone’s Business by Adam Morgan and Mark Barden
Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay by Liz Fosslien and Molly West Duffy
The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It by Jennifer Moss
Career Self-Care: Find Your Happiness, Success, and Fulfillment at Work by Minda Zetlin
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Joseph Grenny and others
Curious George by H.A. and Margaret Rey
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brené Brown
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown
Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing from White Supremacy by Rachel Ricketts
The Dream Manager: The Secret to Attracting, Engaging, and Retaining Talent by Matthew Kelly
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves
Endurance: A Year in Space and a Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly
The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon
First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham
Fish!: A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results by Lundin, Christensen, and Paul
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick M. Lencioni
The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People by Gary Chapman and Paul White
Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II’s Greatest Rescue Mission by Hampton Sides
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
The Guide to Good Leading series by Ari Weinzweig
Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant
HR on Purpose: Developing Deliberate People Passion by Steve Browne
I’m No Philosopher, But I Got Thoughts: Mini-Meditations for Saints, Sinners, and the Rest of Us by Kristen Chenoweth
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado-Perez
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
Leadership and Self-Deception, Fourth Edition: The Secret to Transforming Relationships and Unleashing Results by The Arbinger Institute
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
The Long-Distance Teammate: Stay Engaged and Connected While Working Anywhere by Kevin Eikenberry and Wayne Turmel
Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change by William Bridges
No Ego: How Leaders Can Cut the Cost of Workplace Drama, End Entitlement, and Drive Big Results by Cy Wakeman
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
The Outward Mindset: Seeing Beyond Ourselves by The Arbinger Institute
Own Your Own Work Journey! The Path to Meaningful Work and Happiness in the Age of Smart Technology and Radical Change by Edward D. Hess
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott
Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less by Jim VandeHei and others
Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg
Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara
When Everyone Leads: How The Toughest Challenges Get Seen and Solved by Ed O’Malley and Julia Fabris McBride
For school administrators and marketers, the decision to integrate new communication tools is often met with the challenge of identifying which platform can better serve their specific needs. Regarding messaging apps, WeChat and WhatsApp are two powerful contenders that have proven effective for educational marketing, but which one is right for your school audience?
Both platforms offer distinct advantages, and understanding the nuances of each can help you decide which will deliver the most impact in your communication and marketing strategy. Let’s explore the key differences between WeChat vs. WhatsApp marketing, how each platform works, and which is best suited for various school audiences.
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Understanding WeChat
WeChat is widely known for its dominance in China. Why do people use WeChat? WeChat is an all-in-one app that combines messaging, social media, payments, and mini-programs. It makes daily tasks—from chatting with friends to shopping, paying bills, and even scheduling appointments—easily accessible in one place. It’s the go-to platform for seamless communication and convenient, integrated services for users in China and the broader Chinese-speaking community.
WeChat has become a critical hub for creating a complete digital ecosystem for schools looking to recruit international students from China or engage with Chinese-speaking communities. It can be thought of as Facebook, WhatsApp, PayPal, and LinkedIn all rolled into one.
Reach out to us for customized, enrollment-boosting digital marketing services.
WeChat’s Audience and Features
WeChat has a massive user base, with about 1.3 billion active users, most of whom are in China and other parts of Asia. If your school targets international students from China or aims to increase engagement with Chinese-speaking parents and alumni, WeChat offers an unparalleled platform to achieve this. With its unique ability to facilitate multi-channel communication, schools can create official accounts, push content, and even handle application processing directly through the app.
WeChat’s “Mini Programs” allow schools to build customized features like event registration systems, virtual tours, and interactive alumni networks. This level of customization allows schools to create tailored experiences for their Chinese audience that go far beyond what other platforms offer.
Another significant feature of WeChat is WeChat Pay, allowing students and parents to seamlessly handle tuition fees, donations, and event payments. For Chinese families, integrating WeChat Pay within the platform removes any friction in making payments, which can be a major selling point in their decision-making process.
In terms of content, WeChat Articles are a powerful tool for pushing long-form content directly to followers, keeping them updated on the latest news from your school. Whether it’s a blog about your curriculum or updates on on-campus events, WeChat Articles allow you to connect with your audience through in-app content distribution, creating an easy flow between information sharing and engagement.
Source: HEM
Marketing Opportunities on WeChat
For schools interested in targeted advertising, WeChat offers some incredibly detailed advertising opportunities. With WeChat Moments Ads, you can reach specific demographics and showcase your school’s brand through native-style ads that appear in a user’s feed, similar to Facebook’s sponsored posts. This form of advertising is especially effective for brand awareness and reaching prospective students.
WeChat also supports group marketing, where schools can create exclusive groups for prospective students or alumni. These groups can foster discussions, share news, and create a sense of community that strengthens engagement and boosts enrollment.
Source: RMIT University | WeChat
Example: WeChat Groups allow you to address up to 40 prospects at once, making them a valuable tool for sharing important news and updates, as RMIT University does here.
The significant advantage of WeChat is its complete ecosystem—it allows schools to build an end-to-end digital experience without requiring users to leave the app. Everything from content marketing to customer service and payments can happen within this one platform, making it a powerful choice for schools targeting Chinese-speaking communities.
Understanding WhatsApp: Streamlined Communication and Global Reach
While WeChat dominates in China, WhatsApp is the global king of messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. WhatsApp is particularly strong in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia, offering schools a streamlined and simple way to engage with their audience across various countries. Its ease of use and widespread adoption make it a highly effective tool for schools aiming to communicate quickly and efficiently with diverse audiences.
WhatsApp’s Audience and Features
Why is WhatsApp useful in education? WhatsApp’s audience is significantly more diverse than WeChat’s, and it’s widely used across many different countries, making it ideal for schools looking to attract international students from multiple regions. WhatsApp’s primary strength is its ability to simplify direct communication between schools, students, parents, and alumni.
WhatsApp’s Business API allows schools to create official business profiles, enabling quick interactions with current and prospective students through text, voice messages, and video calls. This personal touch can be a considerable advantage, especially when engaging with younger audiences who prefer fast, mobile-friendly communication.
Unlike WeChat, WhatsApp’s functionality is more streamlined, focusing on core communication services such as text, voice, and video messaging. This makes it a great tool for schools that want to keep communication direct without the added complexity of an all-encompassing ecosystem.
WhatsApp also allows for group communication, where you can create student, faculty, or special interest groups that foster collaboration. Schools can leverage WhatsApp groups to send updates, event reminders and even provide quick support for administrative issues. It’s also widely used for parent-teacher communication, allowing teachers to quickly inform parents about their child’s progress or upcoming events.
Source: HEM
Marketing Opportunities on WhatsApp
WhatsApp may not have the comprehensive advertising ecosystem that WeChat offers, but it does excel in personalized engagement. For schools that rely heavily on maintaining personal connections with prospective students and families, WhatsApp offers a unique ability to build these relationships through its messaging features.
One highly effective approach is using WhatsApp for direct recruitment campaigns. Schools can reach out to prospective students, answer queries, and guide them through the application process all within the app. This personal touch can often be more effective than formal emails or less personal communication methods, especially when converting prospective students into enrollees.
Another significant advantage of WhatsApp is its support for status updates—a feature similar to Instagram Stories, where schools can post time-sensitive updates or content that will disappear after 24 hours. This allows schools to engage their audience with dynamic content reflecting real-time campus events or application deadlines.
WhatsApp is also owned by Meta (Facebook). For this reason, it offers seamless integration with Facebook, making it a powerful tool for educational marketers and administrators. This connection allows schools to leverage Facebook’s vast advertising network to directly reach prospective students, parents, and alumni on WhatsApp.
By integrating WhatsApp with Facebook’s ad campaigns, you can create targeted messaging that leads users straight into WhatsApp chats. This provides a convenient way for prospects to ask questions, receive guidance, and engage with admissions. This integration enhances lead generation efforts, enables personal interaction, and smooths the communication process, strengthening the overall impact of your school’s digital marketing strategy.
Additionally, WhatsApp’s integration with WhatsApp Web means that schools can easily manage communications via desktop, streamlining the process of answering student queries or sending mass updates to a group of contacts.
Source: Online School of Hotel Management | WhatsApp
Example: Here, the Online School of Hotel Management responds directly to a potential student who has reached out with a question. WhatsApp streamlines your school’s communication with students, guiding them down the admissions funnel in a personalized manner.
WeChat vs. WhatsApp: Which Platform Suits Your School?
What is the difference between WeChat and WhatsApp? In review, they serve different purposes and audiences. WeChat is a multifunctional app primarily used in China, offering a comprehensive ecosystem that includes messaging, social media, payments (WeChat Pay), and even mini-programs for custom features like event registration or virtual tours. It’s ideal for schools targeting Chinese-speaking students and parents, providing an all-in-one solution for communication and engagement.
On the other hand, WhatsApp is more streamlined, focusing on direct messaging, voice, and video calls. It has global appeal, especially in Latin America, Europe, and Africa. It’s perfect for schools that want to maintain personal, direct connections with students and families worldwide through simple, efficient communication. Choosing between WeChat and WhatsApp largely depends on your school’s audience and your communication goals. Here’s a deeper dive into how each platform aligns with specific audience types and regions.
If Your School is Targeting Chinese Students or Families
If your school focuses on recruiting students from China or engaging with Chinese alumni and parents, WeChat is, without a doubt, the best choice. WeChat’s cultural relevance within China makes it indispensable for schools looking to build long-term connections with this audience. Its ability to integrate payment systems, post long-form content, and offer an all-in-one solution for admissions, tuition, and engagement puts WeChat miles ahead regarding Chinese student recruitment.
In addition to the functional advantages, Chinese students and families will expect your school to be present on WeChat. It’s a platform that they trust and are familiar with, and being active on WeChat signals your school’s commitment to engaging with this audience in a culturally relevant way.
Source: Northampton Community College | WeChat
Example: This WeChat ad for Northampton Community College provides the institution’s Chinese name, the QR code leading to their landing page, account IDs for Weibo, Youku, and Zhihu, and a CTA. By following this structure, you can make your institution easily accessible to students and families in China.
If Your School is Targeting Global or Multicultural Audiences
WhatsApp is a far better choice for schools casting a wider net and needing to reach global audiences, particularly in regions like Latin America, Europe, Africa, and South Asia. Its universal appeal and ease of use make it ideal for communicating with students from diverse backgrounds. WhatsApp is especially useful for managing international recruitment efforts across multiple countries, as it’s a platform that students and families worldwide are likely already using.
In these regions, WhatsApp provides a more personal touch. Its focus on direct communication allows you to build meaningful connections with prospective students, making them feel valued and supported throughout the admissions process. WhatsApp is the right platform if your school prioritizes fast, personal interactions with a broader international audience.
If Your School Needs a Comprehensive Marketing Ecosystem
For schools ready to invest in a comprehensive marketing system to manage everything from social media engagement to payments, WeChat is the platform to choose. Its versatility allows schools to build custom mini-apps within the platform, offering a wholly branded experience for students and parents. WeChat’s ecosystem also allows for a more immersive marketing experience, making it an excellent choice for schools looking to create long-term engagement.
If Your School Prioritizes Simplicity and Personal Communication
On the other hand, if your school values simplicity and needs a platform that prioritizes direct, fast communication over elaborate marketing systems, WhatsApp is the better choice. It’s the platform for schools that want to keep communication simple, efficient, and highly personal. WhatsApp excels at building authentic relationships for student recruitment, parent communication, or handling alumni relations on a more personal level.
Source: WhatsApp
Source: McMaster University
Example: McMaster University shares a list of WhatsApp Channels for its students. McMaster shares casual, authentic, and personable content on its various channels, as pictured above.
Final Thoughts: Aligning Your School’s Needs with the Right Platform
Ultimately, the decision between WeChat and WhatsApp should come down to the specific needs of your school and the audience you’re trying to reach. If you focus on connecting with Chinese-speaking students and parents, WeChat provides an all-in-one marketing and communication solution that can’t be matched. However, WhatsApp is a strong contender if your school aims for global reach and personal, straightforward communication. Its simplicity, ease of use, and popularity worldwide make it a go-to platform for schools that want to maintain direct and personal connections with students, parents, and alumni across different countries.
Combining Both Platforms for Maximum Impact
It’s also worth considering that you don’t necessarily have to choose one. Many schools benefit from using both platforms to target specific audience segments. For instance, if your school is engaged in global recruitment but also targets Chinese students, you can use WhatsApp to maintain personal, direct relationships with your broader international audience while leveraging WeChat’s extensive ecosystem to cater to your Chinese audience.
Integrating WeChat and WhatsApp into your school’s communication and marketing strategy can tailor your approach to suit each audience’s preferences, delivering a more personalized and culturally relevant experience. Whether it’s the seamless payment options and immersive marketing experiences on WeChat or the personal, text-based interactions on WhatsApp, using both platforms strategically can maximize your reach and impact.
Action Steps for Implementing WeChat or WhatsApp for Your School
Once you’ve decided which platform (or platforms) fits your school’s audience, it’s time to take action. Here’s how you can get started:
Define Your Audience Segments: Start by identifying which segments of your audience would best respond to WeChat and which would benefit more from WhatsApp. To tailor your strategy, consider cultural preferences, regional habits, and communication styles.
Create Official Accounts: Whether you’re using WeChat or WhatsApp, setting up an official business account is crucial. For WeChat, this includes creating an official account to publish content, integrate payments, and offer customer service. For WhatsApp, create a business profile with key contact details and a direct line for inquiries.
Build Content for Engagement: On WeChat, use Mini Programs, Articles, and Moments Ads to create a holistic marketing ecosystem. For WhatsApp, focus on conversational marketing, using messaging to engage students directly and build trust through personalized communication.
Train Your Marketing Team: Ensure your team is well-versed in each platform’s features. WeChat’s ecosystem is more complex, so consider investing in training to maximize its potential. For WhatsApp, focus on conversational marketing strategies and direct engagement best practices.
Track and Optimize Performance: Both platforms provide analytics that can help you measure engagement and refine your approach. Use these insights to optimize your marketing campaigns and improve communication with your audience.
Conclusion: Choosing the Best Tool for Your School
When deciding between WeChat and WhatsApp, the key is to align the strengths of each platform with your school’s audience and communication goals. WeChat is ideal for reaching Chinese-speaking students and creating an immersive, all-in-one experience, while WhatsApp maintains direct, personal connections with a global audience.
By understanding the unique features of both platforms and strategically implementing them, your school can enhance its communication strategy, foster better relationships with students and parents, and ultimately drive more successful recruitment efforts. Whether you choose one platform or integrate both, the right tool will help you reach your school’s target audience more effectively, ensuring your message is heard loud and clear.
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FAQ
Why do people use WeChat?
WeChat is an all-in-one app that combines messaging, social media, payments, and mini-programs. It makes daily tasks—from chatting with friends to shopping, paying bills, and even scheduling appointments—easily accessible in one place. It’s the go-to platform for seamless communication and convenient, integrated services for users in China and the broader Chinese-speaking community.
Why is WhatsApp useful in education?
WhatsApp’s audience is significantly more diverse than WeChat’s, and it’s widely used across many different countries, making it ideal for schools looking to attract international students from multiple regions. WhatsApp’s primary strength is its ability to simplify direct communication between schools, students, parents, and alumni.
As I mentioned yesterday, I recently spent some time at the International Association of Universities’ (IAU) annual meeting in Tokyo earlier this month. It’s tough to organize a meaningful international meeting about what you might call the “hard” issues in university management (resources, budget allocations, management styles) because these vary so much from one part of the world to another, and so the program tends to be taken up with more universalist themes like “values.”
The interesting thing about values was the divide in the room(s) about how insecure everyone felt about them. The white folks in the room spoke a lot about “challenging times,” which was mostly code for “holy crap, not Trump again, won’t we ever get out of this authoritarian populist nightmare?” But interestingly, the Africans in particular were not really interested in this discussion. They deal with strong-arming governments nearly all the time, and so there was a slight edge of “wake up, times are always challenging” to some of their interventions.
I’ll spare you the blow-by-blow, but something occurred to me as I listened to the various sessions: “vibes” are really the way that universities keep score of their successes, collectively at any rate. Sure, it’s nice that governments give them money—and they are bloody expensive to run—but what really matters is whether they are loved and respected.
For an empiricist like me, this is really annoying. I can measure investments and can compare them from one university or one country to another. But vibes? Very difficult to measure. Hard even to come up with a definition that makes sense across countries: in Canada we do measure how much the public “trusts” universities, but in other countries the vibes are much more directly about their ability to accept new students, or whether they are helping the country advance economically.
But what the hell? Let’s give it a try!
Below is a 2×2 (it’s not social science unless there is a 2×2!) that shows change in both total financial resources and vibes over the past five years in various countries. Data for the money axis is from my own records and analysis (you can see some of it back here from the talk I gave in Helsinki a couple of months ago), while data on the vibes axis is totally made up, based on my own observations. I’d be happy to discuss a better way to operationalize and measure this axis, but for the moment let’s just say this attempt to visualize how universities are faring is illustrative rather than in any way definitive and move on to the exercise itself
(If you’d like to argue for a specific source of information for various countries, or just argue my choice of placement of a particular country on the vibes scale, get in touch!)
What you can see plainly from Figure 1 is that higher education systems occupy one of three quadrants. There’s the one where both money and vibes are changing for the better (Turkey, India), one where money is going up but vibes are going down (the USA), and places where both money and vibes are headed in the wrong direction (the UK).
What we don’t see, really, are any countries in the top left quadrant where vibes are going up but money is going down. And I think what that tells you is that good vibes are not absolutely required in order for universities to receive new money, but they make it a whole heck of a lot easier. Which is of course why university Presidents are so concerned with public opinion.
Anyways, this is all pretty theoretical. But I think it points to the possibility that perhaps measuring public sentiment about universities in consistent ways across countries might yield some interesting insights into the determinants of public funding. And in any event, if vibes are the way that universities measure their own success, shouldn’t we try to measure that in the same way we measure institutional finances?
