working together to deliver effective and engaging student ... · east – four simple ways to...
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Marketing, Communications and Engagement | Student Services
Working together to deliver effective and engaging student communicationsA guide for staff
Student Services and MCE work together to communicate with our student community. However, we recognise that colleagues in Schools and Departments are often best placed to share important institutional messages, in addition to local updates, to increase student engagement and awareness.
We know from student survey and focus group feedback that students feel more closely connected with Schools or Departments than any other part of the University.
We are here to help ensure we communicate with students as effectively as possible, whether from Schools, Departments, Functions, or from senior leadership.
What do our students say?We all work hard to make sure students get the most out of their time here, and keeping students well-informed and engaged is key to this.
In 2019 our National Student Survey (NSS) response rate increased from 66.45% to 70.37%. Our overall satisfaction score also rose from 83% to 84%.
84%OVERALL STUDENT SATISFACTION matches the sector average 1
However, there are areas where we need to improve. We scored just 67% in the ‘Student Voice’ section of the survey, significantly below the sector average of 74%.
Working together to engage students
1 Readingreceivedascoreof84%forOverallStudentSatisfaction intheNationalStudent Survey(NSS)2019.2NationalStudent Survey(NSS)2019.
67%SATISFACTION FOR ‘STUDENT VOICE’ 2
Fostering partnership and belonging through languageWe encourage Schools and Departments to use their own unique voice for student communications, within our overall institutional tone1. This helps to ensure your culture and personality comes through in written form.
Best PracticeTherearesomegeneralrecommendationsand bestpracticethatwewouldrecommendyou consider when writingstudentcommunications:
• Usethefirstpersontofosterasenseof community(e.g. ‘I’or‘We’ratherthan‘The School’or ‘The University’).
• Alwaysuse‘you’ratherthan‘students’to be moredirect.
• Trytoavoidreferringto‘theCentre’for decisionsmadeoutsidetheSchoolor Department,asthiscan createasenseof division.
• Ensureyouprovideanemailaddressforfurther queriesin allemailcommunications.
• Alwaysincludeasignatoryso studentsknow whohas sentthe email.
1 refertoour‘StyleGuide’
EAST – four simple ways to encourage behaviourYou may also wish to consider applying behavioural insights1 when drafting student communications. The EAST framework identifies four core principles to encourage behaviour change – aiming to make messages Easy, Attractive, Social and Timely (EAST).
Make it
EasyTrytoavoidcomplexinstructionsortoomuchinformation.Anythingthatmakesamessageanefforttoreadcanmeanthedifferencebetweensomeoneengagingwithitornot.In practice: Considerhowbesttoformatlongcommunications –forexample,usingboldheadersand/orbulletpointstomakekeyinformationstandsout.
Make it
AttractiveRecipientsofamessagearemorelikelytofollowsinstructionsiftheirattentionisdrawntowardsit.Waysofdoingthisincludetheuseofimages,colouror personalisation.In practice:Whensendingmonthlynewsletterstostudents,youcouldconsiderusingcreativesubjectlinestoencouragethemtoopentheemail,and,asabove,colour tobreakup different sections.
Make it
SocialWeareheavilyinfluencedbywhatthosearoundusdoandsay.Ifyouareencouragingactionfromstudentsthrougha communication,showingthatothersinthesamenetworkhaverespondedalreadycanhavean impact.In practice:Ifapieceofcourseworkneedsto be handedinbyacertaindeadline,includethepercentageofstudentswhohavealreadyhandeditinandthank themfordoingso.
Make it
TimelyWeresponddifferentlytopromptsdepending on when theyoccur.Communicationscould bemoreeffectiveiftheypromptpeoplewhentheyarelikelyto be most receptive.In practice:Considerwhenyour studentsaremostlikelyto be lookingattheiremailsandsendcommunicationsaroundthattime.YoucouldaskyourStudentRepsif therearecertaintimesordaysof theweekthatthey’relesslikelytobecheckingtheiremails(forexample,Wednesdayafternoons).
1 TheBehaviouralInsightsTeamwaspreviouslyknownunofficiallyasthe“NudgeUnit”,fromitsexperienceofapplyingbehaviouralinsightstoinformpolicyandimprovepublicservices.OriginallypartoftheCabinetOffice,itisnowanindependentsocialpurposeorganisation.
Best practice at Reading
Do you have a named contact responsible for communicating important updates with your students?SomeSchools/Departmentshaveanominatedleadonstudentcommunications–forexample,theHeadofSchool/Department,SDTL,DDTL,orSDAT.Thiscanhelpensuremessagesare sharedwithstudentsinatimelyandconsistentway.
Consider sending newsletter/bulletin-style emailsSomeSchools/Departmentssendregularstudentnewsletters.These couldbeweekly,fortnightly,ormoread-hoc.Youcancollatemultipleupdatestohelpreducetheoverallnumberofemailsstudentsreceive.Studentswillbecomefamiliarwiththisstyleovertimeandmay bemorelikelytopayattentionwhen it arrivesintheirinbox.WouldthisapproachworkforyourSchool/Department?Ifso,itcouldbedividedintosectionssuchas:‘Foraction’/‘Events’/‘Needtoknow’/‘Nicetoknow’Youcouldsetacalendarreminderincolleagues’diaries,askingfornewslettercontentafewdaysbeforeyouintendtosendtheemail.Thisremindscolleaguesto‘save’anynon-urgentcommunications,toreduceemail trafficoverall.WewouldalsorecommendyoureviewtheMonthly Student Comms Report,sentbyStudentServices,for relevantinformationtosharemorewidelywithyour students.
Consider copying in [email protected] and [email protected] when you send student emails, as well as your Support Centre teamThisapproachhasworkedwellduringtheUCUindustrialaction,helpingus to bestsupportstudentsandcolleaguesinSchoolsby havingagoodoverviewofthecommunicationsstudentshave received.
How do we communicate with students?Marketing, Communications and Engagement (MCE) and Student Services coordinate our institutional student communications, to complement those from Schools and Departments. Wetrytokeepcolleaguesupdatedwithinformationaboutwhatwearesharingwithstudents,when and how,tohelpsupportyoutoensureourcommunicationsarealigned.
MCEandStudentServicestypicallysend fiveregularemailsperterm,as well as severalad-hocemails–suchas messagesaboutindustrialaction.CopiesoftheseareincludedinourMonthlyStudentCommsReportsandyoucanalsoviewmanyofthesebyloggingintotheMe@Readingstudentportal.
Weupdatethelargedigital advertising screenontheoutsideof the CarringtonBuilding
OnTwitter,the student focused@UniRdg_Studenthas nearly5,000followers.Whynotfollowouraccountto keepuptodatewithstudentnews?
Thestudentportal,Me@Reading,isagreatwaytotellstudentsaboutnews,eventsandotherimportantinformation.ContentcanbetailoredtostudentsinparticularSchoolsandDepartments.ContactStudentServicesformoreinformation.
WerunaStudent Services News blog,with updatesaboutsupportservices;StudentLife,ablogupdatedexclusivelybystudents
Channels we use to reach students:
TheEssentialswebsiteisahugeonlineresourceofsupportandinformationandis constantlybeingupdatedandimproved
How do we make a difference?We share statistics on the reach and engagement of our student communications widely with colleagues through our Monthly Student Comms Reports.Weusetheseanalyticstoidentifywhat’sworkingwellandwherewecanmakeimprovements.Wehopebysharingthis informationwithyou,itwillhelpyouto understandthetypesofcontentstudentsaremostlikelytoengagewith.ContactStudentServicestosignupforourMonthlyStudentCommsReportifyou’dliketoreceiveregularupdates.
24,000+Total page views on Me@ReadingSeptember2019
525,000 Total page views on EssentialsSeptember2019
800 Total views on most-read Me@Reading storyOctober2019
MORE THAN 100Events and updates advertised on the large Carrington digital screensinceSeptember2019
87% Average open rates of emails sent in September 2019*(sixintotal)
1,300Total page views on Student Life blogOctober2019
Meet the teamsMCE and Student Services work together to coordinate communications activity for students, with each taking oversight for specific areas.
Student Services• Manageallday-to-daycentralstudentsupportcommunicationsforallstudents
• WorkwithStudentServices(includingCareers,Counselling&Wellbeing,SupportCentres)toincreasestudentengagementwithandawarenessofeventsandactivities
• Leadondevelopmentofstudentcommunicationschannels
MCE• Supportday-to-daystudentcommunicationsthroughthedeliveryofcreativematerials
• Manageinstitutionalcorporatecommunicationsfor allstudents
• Co-ordinatemainannualstudentsurveycampaignsand activitiesto closethefeedbackloop
• LeadonstrategicTeaching& Learningcommunications
Both: DeliverannualStudentEngagementPlan,developedin consultationwithseniorleadership.Contactusifyou’dliketo seeacopy.
How can we help?Trained communications professionals in both teams are available to help with:• generaladviceonhowtopromoteyourmessages• long-termstrategicplans• adviceonstyleandtone• copywritingandediting• socialmediamanagement• bloggingandpodcasting• analysingyourimpact.
ObjectivesOur priorities for 2019/20 include:• supportingthelaunchofthenewUniversitystrategy• launchingthenew‘BeAMate’alcohol-awarenesscampaign• developingmorestudent-ledcontent• investinginourcommunicationschannels• buildingonthesuccessof‘ShareaSofa’• andmuchmore…
Support from other areasTopromoteonRUSU’s channels,[email protected]
Foradviceonrunningstudent surveys pleasecontact [email protected]
Forprinted materialssuchas postcardsandleaflets,contactyour MarketingBusinessPartner
TopublishcontentontheStaff Portal, [email protected]
Get in touchHere are a few practical ways we can help enhance how you keep your students informed:
Communications MOTBookaconsultationwiththeStudentSuccess&Engagementteamto assess howyoucurrentlycommunicate,andgainsomeadviceon whatyou coulddo [email protected]
Social media workshopsMCEoffertrainingforSchoolsonsocialmedia,andaSocialMediaCommunityofPracticeemaildistributionlistforcolleaguestoshareideas.ContactTimWatkinsatt.watkins@reading.ac.uk
Use the Me@Reading student portalStudentServicesrunMe@Readingintroductorysessions,whereyoucan learn howtosubmitstories,findoutmoreaboutthepersonalisationfeatures,howtolog-intotheportal,andmore.VisittheMe@ReadingpageontheStaffPortalforaccess,[email protected]
Sign up for the Student Comms Monthly ReportFindoutwhatemailshavebeensenttoyourstudents,what’scomingup, and whateventsanddevelopmentsarehappeningacrosscampus.Contactjohn.ellul@reading.ac.uk
Frequently Asked Questions Can I get something on the Carrington screen?
[email protected] in touchtoadviseifthescreenisavailable.Thedimensionsforthescreenare1920x1080pixels,andartworkis neededin ajpeg,jpg,orpng.
Do we have a student mobile app? StudentServicesarecurrentlydevelopingamobileappfor students.We’ll keepcolleaguesupdatedontheStaffPortalastheprojectprogresses,aswellasthroughtheStudentCommsMonthlyReport.
How many emails do you send? Several–includingModuleSelection,nationalsurveys,andmore.Allareincludedforstafftoviewinthemonthlyreport.
Student Services communications and [email protected]@reading.ac.uk
Marketing, Communications and Engagement (MCE)[email protected]@reading.ac.uk
PublishedSeptember2020 • B26637 09.20