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Education market research

They say investment in knowledge pays the best interest. It’s certainly a driving factor for many a student. But the same applies when you invest in education market research. Obviously, we would say that!

Higher education institutions must understand the needs of applicants, undergraduates and postgraduates to ensure brand distinction, student attraction, conversion, and retention.

Our dedicated higher education research team (formerly of YouthSight) have worked with 100+ universities and have 15+ years’ of student trend data that will empower your institution to win the battle for brand distinctiveness, student attraction, retention and conversion. Here’s how we will help:

Andréanne Orsier Director Get in touch

How can you stand out amongst the university crowd? How do you future-proof your institution? Become more effective at identifying student and applicant needs?

We use key metrics and analysis to understand higher education in its entirety through our higher education market research.

With a holistic view of students, we apply our knowledge of this ambitious demographic to your marketing priorities. We combine fresh commercial thinking, with innovative approaches, to tackle student recruitment, attraction and conversion challenges head on. Delivering highly practical recommendations to drive your university forward.

The beauty of working with our higher education market research team is that you’ll never start from zero. We have years of sector data and competitor knowledge at our fingertips. From the outset, we already know your institution’s strengths and weaknesses. We know how best to connect with your prospective students. And we can unlock the secrets to remaining relevant.

Change is the result of all true learning. It’s time to get the same advantage you so brilliantly give your students!

How we help

Holistic

With a holistic view of students, we apply our knowledge of this ambitious demographic to your marketing priorities. We combine fresh commercial thinking, with innovative approaches, to tackle student recruitment, attraction and conversion challenges head on. Delivering highly practical recommendations to drive your university forward.

Sector expertise and tracking data

The beauty of working with our higher education market research team is that you’ll never start from zero. We have years of sector data and competitor knowledge at our fingertips. From the outset, we already know your institution’s strengths and weaknesses. We know how best to connect with your prospective students. And we can unlock the secrets to remaining relevant.

Actionable outputs

We use key metrics and analysis to understand higher education in its entirety through our higher education market research. Change is the result of all true learning. It’s time to get the same advantage you so brilliantly give your students!

Download our proposition overview

Supporting HE institutions to transform and build sustainable futures.

Download the overview doc

Course development

Course suitability is the key factor influencing prospective undergraduates’ choices and applicant communication. Optimise your course and prospectus offer to boost conversion goals, deliver on course needs, and understand higher education decision-making.

Prospectus review

One of the biggest marketing investments universities make, our research enables you maximise your prospectus investment. What format is preferred? What tone resonates? How can you create emotional connections? We’ll help you stand out.

Website optimisation

Gen Z are digital natives, used to having information at their fingertips. Ensure your website delivers on expectations by maximising its functionality and appeal. We’ll map website performance and benchmark to increase attraction and conversion.

Campaign evaluation

Make sure your campaigns hit the right notes. We test and monitor performance and tell you what messages resonate with prospective students, empowering you to meet your attraction and conversion goals.

Open day evaluation and development

What areas of your events are most – and least – effective? We compare performance against competitors, learn how in-person and virtual events measure up and deliver exceptional insights. Uncover what drives conversion to focus your budget and resources on the areas that impact choice.

Offer and scholarship research

Attract the best and brightest with research that shapes and optimises your offer and scholarship strategy. We’ll review attitudes and perceptions to help you balance growth, while maintaining superior academic standards.

Decliners and withdrawers studies

Elevate your recruitment strategy by discovering the reasons why your institution wasn’t selected. Unearth why applicants declined, the barriers to entry, and where you underperformed, so you can focus your efforts on areas with the highest return.

Student satisfaction optimisation

Create a reputable brand and gain credibility amongst undergraduates. Track and uncover your students’ experience to learn where you are overachieving and underperforming in the areas that are most important to students.

Alumni relations optimisation

Your alumni are vital brand ambassadors. They play a key role in your reputation. Achieve greater alumni affinity by evaluating perceptions, measuring their experience and uncovering how to raise awareness of alumni events and services.

Portfolio review and brand evaluation

Test course suitability, improve launch success, and achieve brand distinction. Our evidence will reveal best practice portfolio management, how to extend your portfolio for increased appeal, what courses to retire, and how to improve attractiveness.

Marketing and communications plan

It's critical to focus investment on the channels and messages that matter. Reveal information needs of prospective students and stakeholders across different touchpoints. And find out where to invest and when, as well as the channels that will maximise conversion.

HE research brochure

Win the battle for brand distinctiveness, student attraction, conversion and retention.

Order the brochure

Case studies

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University of ManchesterInforming open day strategy

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University of LeedsCovid-19 messaging

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University of BristolShaping offer strategy

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“YouthSight (now Savanta) always gives us fascinating insight to help us evolve and refine what we’re doing. This project was one example of how incredibly useful their research is, which went beyond it’s original purpose. It’s helped us achieve greater understanding with staff who may not have always realised the complexity of recruitment, which has given us more credibility throughout the wider institution.”

New College of the Humanities Director of Admissions, Recruitment & Marketing

“Open Day Success gave us the data we needed to understand how best to modify, improve and personalise subject talks and departmental tours on the day. We're pleased with the results. Overall, subscribing has been a big benefit to improving our open day impact and conversion.”

The University of Manchester

“The YouthSight (now Savanta) team were professional and helpful from the start. They made great suggestions about how to achieve what we wanted based on their experience.”

Buckinghamshire New University Assistant Director, Brand & Marketing

"YouthSight (now Savanta) was our chosen market research agency throughout the entire project and were instrumental to the success of the campaign. They became an extension of our team and without them we wouldn't have been able to develop the campaign."

University of Southampton Head of Strategic Marketing

“We structured our new website around the findings of the report and developed specific sections to align with what was unearthed in the research. The website serves as an additional resource for a community that can be under-represented in some subjects and helps create a more inclusive feel to our communications.”

Imperial College London Head of Recruitment & Marketing

“We knew what the demographic makeup of our students was, but we didn't know what that meant for how they think and behave. YouthSight's (now Savanta) analysis has helped to enlighten us about the characteristics of our particular student population.”

Queen Mary University of London Market Intelligence Manager

“We have a really collaborative relationship with YouthSight (now Savanta). We were keen to work with them again after the experience we had the first time, and for our staff, this research has now become a staple part of the year.”

University of Arts London Market Analyst

“People who work in universities build their working lives around evidence and research. To engage and influence them, we need high quality research, presented in a clear and concise way. That's what YouthSight (now Savanta) gave us. We're now looking at working with them again, and I would recommend them with no hesitation.”

University of Bristol
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Get in touch

If you’d like to speak with one of our experts right now, please call: +44 (0) 20 7632 3434