PR/Marketing

They can cause confusion about qualifications and embarrassment for institutions, so why are they awarded? Malcolm Gillies investigates

Twitter may be a medium for academic vanity, but it also serves some very useful scholarly purposes, argues Les Back

Some of the factors that turn your alumni into marketing assets are not as obvious as you might think, says Holger Bollmann

Negative stories including collapse of Kids Company appear to be making the public more wary of major research funders

Analysis of seven prominent medical journals finds randomised controlled trials are far less likely to receive a press release than weaker observational studies

Claire Taylor challenges the absence of distinctiveness and diversity in an increasingly homogeneous HE landscape

The best forms of public engagement tend to be ‘dirt cheap’ and profitable, says author

A Russell Group tagline rap is further proof that we need to reform the academy’s approach, argues Philip Moriarty

Institutions also ordered to establish press offices and publish “authentic” university news

Incoming vice-president of international operations at Case says that UK fundraisers are ‘wildly talented’ but that the talent pool is ‘still very small’

Scholars have asked university communications departments to publicise their birthdays and businesses as well as academic conferences

A petition to “halt the rebranding of the University of Warwick” has attracted over 4,000 supporters.

As King’s College London drops a controversial name change, Harriet Line details the dos and don’ts of institutional rebranding

Plans to rebrand itself as ‘King’s London’ have been dropped, principal has confirmed

Students and alumni of King’s College London have reacted with horror after the university announced it will change its name to “King’s London”.

Jonathan Sullivan on how to improve the relationship between academics and journalists

The venerable term is now used by three universities and three institutional clusters in Paris

Academics’ lack of faith in ‘identity initiative’ prompts rethink on revamped logo and name change

Implementation of QML abbreviation delayed while opposing academics are consulted

Post-92s’ student marketing spend rises as sector observers question its value

The ASA and QAA may be too passive, argues study that found misleading claims in prospectuses

Student marketing spend trebled as Salford shut low-demand courses

Marketing material does not always reveal true picture, research finds

Cut through the PR puff to unlock the true potential of novel notions, says David Maguire

University press offices’ changes to Wikipedia are simply part of a long tradition of spin, argues Chris Hackley

Firm looks at potential for using behavioural economics in student recruitment

Press offices attempt news management via popular data source

Universities told not to mope like teenage brunettes with blonde ambitions

Jim Northover considers whether the next global “mega-brand” could be a UK university

Christopher Bigsby offers some words of advice

‘Lighthouse’ concept fails to illuminate

British universities may benefit from local clubs’ international exposure

What if marketing-speak is not glib nonsense, but a poison at the heart of the university?

Do the data represent the failure of market research or are they the inevitable by-product of a broad curriculum?

A writer on human behaviour has urged universities to encourage herd behaviour in their attempt to attract students rather than deploying rational argument.

Critics say university’s announcement should have gone out to peer review, not a press conference

Maintaining scholarly rigour amid demands for details about the discovery of Richard III was no easy task, but Lin Foxhall enjoyed it