Newsletter #60: Everyone is talking about University of Nottingham’s micro prospectus, especially Gloucestershire; Roblox is probably a good bet; Imagine a TikTok collective on your campus
✏️ From the Education Marketer desk
I think by now we’re innately aware of the power of belonging in higher ed, and today on Most Clicked, Nath, Matt and I discuss the deepest study we’ve ever come across on the topic. Watch
📰 HE news
Hourly paid Amazon workers can now attend 180 colleges and universities for free. When I first read this I immediately went looking for Amazon’s small print i.e. “you get your education, but your soul belongs to us,” however, unbelievably, this just seems like a really good deal for the consumer. Learners can even use purpose-built classrooms inside Amazon facilities, which don’t seem to have any windows but I’ll take that over the company’s dystopian Wellness Chambres from 2021. Amazon universities | Wellness chambres
Universities UK has put in place new “play nice” rules around conditional-unconditional offer making, not that many have shown enthusiasm for the practice since restrictions were lifted in September. Still, I wonder if all will continue to abide? A freeze on the student fee cap, increased energy costs and uncomfortable levels of inflation may make rolling the dice with conditional-unconditionals all too tempting for some. Read
📊 Marketing and media news
American Eagle is using the gaming platform Roblox as a route to Gen Z. Those playing Livetopia (a role-playing game ) will be able to enter the “AE Members Always Club” and dress their avatars in American Eagle’s spring styles. It would be easy to slap a “metaverse” sticker on this, but it feels more calculated. The brand is also running in-store activations with Snapcodes as well as a partnership with Twitch - there’s a lot here that could be repurposed for open days and working with student influencers. Genuinely, I’m surprised I haven’t seen a university build its campus in Roblox yet - it would be far more immersive than a virtual tour and (probably) be a lot more fun. If you explore this route, my advice is to avoid labelling it as a “metaverse experience.” In a survey by Gartner, only 35% of consumers have heard of the metaverse and just 6% feel confident enough to explain it. Read
DirecTV and the influencer marketing firm Whalar has sponsored the TikTok collective Familia Fuego. Essentially, a collective is a group of TikTokers choosing to live together with the aim of A) increasing the reach of their content and B) attracting large sponsorship deals. I couldn’t look at this and not see some potential for universities. Imagine if you gave your best student TikTokers a free flat on campus in exchange for them sharing content about their experience. Wrap it up as a “TikTok Scholarship” and you have a new spin on your traditional ambassador programme. It’s not a million miles away from some existing scholarships requiring students to become “ambassadors” to receive funding - just reimagined for the creator age. Read
🏫 What unis are doing
Everyone is talking about University of Nottingham and its “world-first” micro-prospectus, including University of Glouchershire that pointed out (in what I think is the first-ever example of university beef) that it had already been doing something similar for the last three years. Risky, funny and very TikTok. Look
Istituto Marangoni has a few web elements to take inspiration from. Firstly, I love how WhatsApp’s integrated with the site - whatever page you’re on, there’s a subtle “contact” component that scrolls with you. It’s convenient for mobile users and invites a conversation. Also, on School pages, there’s a nice take on how immersive video can work with other site components - although, there is still a little work to be done to make it all accessible. Look
Cal State Fullerton and University of Toledo have designed specific career support for first-generation students. Fullerton’s “I Am First” has graduates mentor current students and provides a scholarship for completing the programme (no joke), whereas Toledo hosts exclusive networking and education sessions with employers. All of this is timely - a recent report from AGCAS revealed that 27% of students felt that the biggest obstacle to their future careers’ success is not knowing what field to go into. Just wait until they have to use corporate application systems. I Am First | AGCAS research
Bonus: University of Greenwich took it on the chin that it didn’t place in Nonsensical’s Top 30 Universities on TikTok report. Look
🧑🎓 What students are saying
“I don’t know why the embassy didn’t tell us the war was going to break out when other countries advised their citizens to leave days before.” Chinese students on their country’s slow response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Read
“There’s this assumption that [first-generation students] are gonna follow the footsteps of their parents. They’re just like, ‘Oh your parents didn’t go to college, then you’re pretty much the same as them.’ I feel like I have this duty to actually finish college. It’s like a responsibility that I have to take care of.” Students on being the first in their families to go to university. Read
👾 Culture shock
The BBC has turned to the dark web and short wave radio to keep news flowing into Russia. Read
NFT based video game Pixelmon finally launched, but it wasn't quite what users were expecting. Look
