Holistic Student Communication

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Lauren McCoy
8 years ago
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1 Holistic Student Communication Through Enhancing Internal Processes Petra Klawitter Academic Quality Officer

2 Introductions

3 Workshop Objectives Share Edinburgh Napier University s approach to holistic student communication Discuss research outcomes and actions for change Investigate barriers and success factors for effective student communication Share own experiences and process improvements

4 Student & Academic Services Department with 18 teams All teams need to communicate support services to students The Customer Services team organise a large proportion of the department s student communication Lack of a departmental Student Communication Strategy More collaboration required

5 Background for Communication Project Difficulties in accessing information Growing demands Low attendance at student workshops / events Ongoing commitment to improve the student experience, increase graduate employment rates and enrich opportunities Need for a more holistic approach towards student communication

6 Student Communication Project Aims Evaluate service provided by Customer Services Identify service and process improvements Review communication processes and channels Develop recommendations and actions Objectives

current students: 13 heads of teams within Student & Academic Services Students

7 Research Approach Map support services & current means of communication Semi-structured interviews and structured questionnaires with staff: Research with current students: 13 heads of teams within Student & Academic Services Students Calling Students 3 Directors / Assistant Directors within Student & Academic Services Student Focus Groups

8 Current Means of Communication

9 Discuss in Groups: a) Which communication channels are most effective to promote support services to students? b) What are important factors influencing your choice of communication method?

10 Staff Research Outcomes Tools working well Staff, key contacts & student ambassadors Student newsletter Student Portal: mynapier Student Hubs s Since we have moved into the Student Hub we are much more visible to students and I believe that this is one of the reasons why the numbers increased so rapidly. Tools working less well Social media Letters Social media, as the amount of time it takes for a member of staff to run a twitter or Facebook account successfully is too much. With social media to work we have to get somebody in to do it as a fulltime job.

11 S&AS Teams required: Clarity about responsibilities for communication tools An overview of communication tools available and their effectiveness Clarification of direction for student communication Students to be guided towards the most suitable communication tools

12 Students Preferred Means of Communication

13 Students asked for: subscription service and digested information Less posters and leaflets Re-evaluation of social media tools PULL rather than PUSH of information More effective use of digital media (i.e. Plasma Screens, mynapier) Closing of the feedback loop - Making a Difference

14 Actions for Change so far: Developing a timeline to plot the student journey and publication dates New Student Portal, restructure of S&AS content and its governance by the Customer Services team

15 Staff intranet pages updated with overview of communication tools, responsibilities, costs, lead-times and examples of good practice New process to manage enquiries via Jobs List SharePoint site to publish statistical reports on the use of communication tools

16 New Student Hub at Sighthill Campus since Jan 2015 Social Spaces Project: Digital Signage and Content Governance Group More use of creative marketing tools (videos) S&AS Leaflet production limited to core services

17 Improved communication & collaboration between teams Effective use of student ambassadors and student interns for communication and projects Increased use and circulation of S&AS Weekly Newsletters

18 Long-term Recommendations Develop a University Student Communication Strategy Create personalised student communication (i.e. targeted marketing, personalised websites) Develop & maintain comprehensive lists for key Academic staff (i.e. PDTs, module leaders) Appointment of dedicated student communication role Expand the use of Online Chat Software Develop an integrated booking system for events and workshops as a One-Stop-Shop

19 Evaluation Central governance of student communication Regular process reviews and keeping up to date with external developments (i.e. the digital landscape) Planning ahead and building on communication expertise available Closer collaboration across teams Ask students from all modes of delivery for feedback Closing of the feedback loop, let students know what has changed

20 Discuss in Groups: Q1 What are the success factors and barriers for effective student communication? Q2 What one recommendation would you make to enable a more holistic approach to student communication within your institution? Q3 If money wasn t an object what new approaches would you recommend to communicate effectively with students?

21 Contact Details Petra Klawitter Academic Quality Officer Bronia Sledz Head of Customer Services

Equal Partners Strategy Summary

Equal Partners Strategy Summary Informing Consulting Listening Involving Empowering For further information please contact: Sue Eato, Associate Director of Service User and Carer Involvement sue.eato@covwarkpt.nhs.uk