UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 11 JUNE 2009
Birmingham City University has been crowned as running the best campaign for recruiting students.
The panel on the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards 2009 decided Birmingham City University ran the best campaign in the country. The University was one of six shortlisted for the Outstanding Recruitment Campaign award but pipped the rest to the post thanks to its outstanding work in the field.
The honour was presented by comedian Rory Bremner at a ceremony held on Tuesday 9 June at the London Hilton, Park Lane where over 800 people from all parts of higher education gathered to celebrate the sector's achievements at the ceremony. The main aim of the winning campaign was to recruit more students, and the University chose regional and national television as the primary and most cost effective channel for reaching a mass market - the first time Birmingham City University had ever done this.
The recruitment campaign had excellent results as the university recorded a 10 per cent increase in numbers attending its clearing open days, and almost 800 additional full-time undergraduate students were accepted.
Director of Marketing, Kathryn Jones, said: "Using TV as a vehicle provided an opportunity to promote the University's unique offering in the Arts at Birmingham School of Acting and Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. The ad featured acting graduate Paul Gabriel and was shot in our ‘green room' facilities. We launched a dedicated microsite about the making of the commercial which generated publicity in its own right.
"We are thrilled to have won this award and to be recognised as a leading institution in the UK. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of both staff and students."
Tricial Wombell, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education and one of the judges said: "For Birmingham City University, rebranding to connect with its city and potential students after two years of decline in clearing interest was the issue. It set clear budgets, clear targets and devised a striking advertising campaign that proved excellent vale for money."
Birmingham City University is holding two open day on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th June. For further information visit the Open Days page.