REPUTATION MANAGEMENT€¦ · Reputation Management. Priorities, structure and resources in...

The World 100 Reputation Network MANAGING THE REPUTATIONS OF THE WORLD’S LEADING UNIVERSITIES

www.theworld100.com

[email protected]

Louise Simpson, Director Lisa Bould, Research Manager

[email protected] [email protected]

REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

Priorities, structures and resources in world-class universities

Benchmarking Report for The University of Edinburgh

Directors of Communications and Marketing

Research Project for W100 Membership Year 2014/15

February 2016

http://www.theworld100.com/

mailto:[email protected]



2014/15 Research Project | www.theworld100.com

Reputation Management. Priorities, structure and resources in world-class universities

Benchmarking Report – The University of Edinburgh


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

HOW EDINBURGH DIFFERED… ..................................................................................................................... 2

RESPONSIBILITIES .......................................................................................................................................... 4

STRUCTURES AND STRATEGIES ................................................................................................................ 16

BUDGETS AND FINANCE .............................................................................................................................. 21

STAKEHOLDERS ............................................................................................................................................ 25

RANKINGS AND BENCHMARKING .............................................................................................................. 27

REPUTATION .................................................................................................................................................. 31

ABOUT THE WORLD 100 REPUTATION NETWORK .................................................................................. 33

IN THIS REPORT

The following pages detail how the responses from the lead communicator at University of Edinburgh, the

Director of Communications, varied from the overall sample of world-class universities.

Benchmarking is provided for closed questions of the survey only.

The overall sample was made up of 47 respondents from 16 countries.





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HOW EDINBURGH DIFFERED…

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to admissions but doesn’t lead it. This is

also true for a third of the universities but the majority describe very little input (57%).

Wider communications staff in university. University of Edinburgh has a larger than average

number of staff working in communications, marketing and PR roles outside of the central team with

200 compared to 68. However, it is still considerably smaller than the largest team of 300.

Reputational priorities. Seven of the 15 areas were identified as priorities for Edinburgh, but they

were quite different to the top ones apart from Enhancing the University’s overall reputation.

Edinburgh is more focused on community, stakeholders and government, media, community and

staff than other universities, who prioritized attracting the best students, communicating university

success, protecting reputation, and developing vision more highly.

Turnover. Edinburgh’s income was slightly above the average for the universities but not by much. It

is a long way from the near 6 billion Euros of the wealthiest university.

Budget. The total budget for the communications and marketing at Edinburgh was slightly below the

average budget. The total operational budget for the communications and marketing was also

slightly below the average budget and much lower than the largest budget, as was the staff salary

budget.

Stakeholders. Two of the top stakeholders which other universities think influence international

opinion are shared by Edinburgh, academics in other universities and alumni. However, Edinburgh

values business leaders, professional bodies and public servants higher than the average, and

places less weight on its own students, journalists and staff for developing reputation than other

global universities do when trying to influence international reputation. Domestically, Edinburgh

values alumni, staff, and its own students to influence national reputation, as do other universities,

but it puts more weight on teachers and politicians than the average university, who favour

journalists and business leaders for domestic reputational leverage.

Evaluation and benchmarking. As most of the universities, Edinburgh evaluates or benchmarks

media coverage, social media activity and web visitors. Evaluating audience attitudes to the

university is not undertaken at Edinburgh, nor periodic audits, although this is common amongst half

or more of the universities. It doesn’t look at search engine performance either, which more than half

of other universities do.

Websites. Edinburgh values three of the top four websites found useful by other universities, but is

less interested in Google, which came equal second to Twitter amongst the wider group. YouTube

and Facebook are its other preferred websites.

Reputational measures. Three of the top five choices for Edinburgh were in the top 5 choices for

other global universities. Age and history, and the image of the host city, were slightly more

important to Edinburgh than other universities, who nominated Nobel Prizes, culture and alumni

achievements above these.





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Barriers to reputational progress. Edinburgh selected only two of the listed challenges, insufficient

budget, the number one identified challenge for the universities overall, and the lack of a social

media strategy, only chosen by 12%.

Charts pick out Edinburgh’s responses in purple.





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RESPONSIBILITIES

BACKGROUND OF THE LEAD COMMUNICATOR

Q: Are you: (tick all that apply)

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has both an educational and commercial PR background,

which was the common pattern for most directors.





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COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING REMIT

Q: As the lead manager for the University’s communications, which of these activities do

you have responsibility for?

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has overall responsibility for social media management.

This is in line with almost all of the universities.

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to undergraduate recruitment but the lead

responsibility is elsewhere. This is in line with a majority 40% of the universities.





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The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to postgraduate recruitment but doesn’t lead it.

This is also true for over a third (38%) of the universities.

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh also contributes to the international recruitment but doesn’t

lead it. This is also true for around 45% of the universities.





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The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to admissions but doesn’t lead it. This is also

true for a third of the universities but the majority describe very little input (57%).

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to corporate strategy but the lead responsibility

is elsewhere. This is in line with two thirds of the universities.





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The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to international strategy but the lead

responsibility is elsewhere. This is in line with more than three quarters of the universities.

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to international relations and partnerships but

the lead responsibility is elsewhere. This is in line with almost two thirds of the universities.





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The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has overall responsibility for brand identity. This is evident in

almost all of the universities.

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to engaging with student’ parents and families

but the lead is elsewhere as per the majority of the sample (47%).





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The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has overall responsibility for public engagement. This is in

line with 61% of the universities.

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to communications with graduate employers.

This is also true for over a third of the universities, with the lead elsewhere.





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The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to alumni relations but the lead responsibility is

elsewhere. This is in line with over half of the universities.

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has overall responsibility for community relations. This is in

line with around half of the universities.





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The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has overall responsibility for public affairs and government

relations. This is in line with around half of the universities.

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has overall responsibility for international media relations.

This is in line with almost two thirds of the universities.





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The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has overall responsibility for domestic media relations. This

is also true in over 80% of the universities.

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has overall responsibility for marketing. This is also true in

70% of the universities.





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The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has overall responsibility for website content. This is in line

with 83% of the universities.

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh leads events as per half of directors who have overall

responsibility here.





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The Director of Communications at Edinburgh has overall responsibility for internal communications. This

is in line with just over three quarters of the universities.

The Director of Communications at Edinburgh contributes to fundraising but the lead responsibility is

elsewhere. This is in line with almost half of the universities.





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STRUCTURES AND STRATEGIES

TEAM SIZE

Q: How large is your main central communications department? Please include all staff with

a communications, PR or marketing related role.

University of Edinburgh’s central communications team is in line with the overall average for the global

universities at 40.

Q: How many other staff do you estimate have a communications, PR or marketing role?

Please include all staff working in academic departments or other administrative areas.

University of Edinburgh has a larger than average number of staff working in communications, marketing

and PR roles outside of the central team with 200 compared to 68. However, it is still considerably smaller

than the largest team of 300.





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SENIORITY OF COMMUNICATIONS

Q: Where is Communications / PR / External relations located within your university’s

management structure?

Universities were split as to whether Directors of Communications are part of, or report to, the senior

management team. The Director at Edinburgh was amongst 51% of universities that reports to SMT.





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STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR COMMUNICATIONS

Q: Does your university have a strategic plan for communications?

Edinburgh is in the largest group that has a series of plans rather than an overarching communications

strategy.

Q: Is there a clear relationship between the strategy for the University as a whole and the

communications strategy?

Edinburgh University’s wider strategy and communications strategies have a clear link. This is in line with

70% of the universities.





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COMMUNICATIONS PRIORITIES

Q: What are currently your top communications priorities regarding communications at

your university? Please tick all the options that apply to you.

Seven of the 15 areas were identified as priorities for Edinburgh, but they were quite different to the top

ones apart from Enhancing the University’s overall reputation. Edinburgh is more focused on community,

stakeholders and government, media, community and staff than other universities, who prioritized attracting

the best students, communicating university success, protecting reputation, and developing vision more

highly.





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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Q: Which best describes the relationship between communications and marketing in your

university?

As per most top universities, marketing is part of communications at Edinburgh.





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BUDGETS AND FINANCE

IMPORTANCE AND RESOURCING OF COMMUNICATIONS

Q: Which best describes how important and well-resourced communications is in your

university?

Communications is perceived to be well resourced and very important at Edinburgh University, a perception

in line with half the universities who replied.

FINANCES

All reported figures have been converted to euros for comparability and to retain anonymity of respondents.

Q: What is the total annual income of your University from all sources?

Edinburgh’s income was slightly above the average for the universities but not by much. It is a long way

from the near 6 billion Euros of the wealthiest university.





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Q: What is the salary of the lead/senior communications professional?

The salary for the lead communicator at University of Edinburgh was not disclosed.

Q: What is the annual budget for university communications/marketing?

A) Total Budget

The total budget for the communications and marketing was slightly below the average budget.





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B) Operational Budget

The total operational budget for the communications and marketing was slightly below the average

budget and much lower than the largest budget.

C) Staff Salary Budget

The total staff budget for the communications and marketing was slightly below the average budget and

much lower than the largest budget.





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D) Operational vs Salary Proportional Split

The operation v salary split follows the average pattern.





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STAKEHOLDERS

Q: In terms of developing your university’s overall reputation, which of these stakeholder

groups do you think have the most influential opinions? Tick the five most important

influences on public opinion in your home country and the five most important on an

international basis.

Two of the top stakeholders which other universities think influence international opinion are shared by

Edinburgh, academics in other universities and alumni. However, Edinburgh values business leaders,

professional bodies and public servants higher than the average, and places less weight on its own

students, journalists and staff for developing reputation.

Domestically, Edinburgh values alumni, staff, and its own students to influence national reputation, as do

other universities, but it puts more weight on teachers and politicians than the average university, who

favour journalists and business leaders for domestic reputational leverage.





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RANKINGS AND BENCHMARKING

GLOBAL RANKINGS

Q: There is a number of university rankings available to prospective students worldwide.

Leaving aside the debate about their methodologies, does your university promote its

position in university ranking tables or a rise in its ranking as a means of gaining a

reputation advantage?

Edinburgh promotes its rankings if asked, as do two thirds of other world-class universities.





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MEDIA BENCHMARKING

Q: Do you compare the amount and quality of media coverage achieved for your University

with that of rival peer institutions?

Edinburgh undertakes national but not international media benchmarking. This is in line with a half of

universities.





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EVALUATING OR BENCHMARKING COMMUNICATIONS

Q: Do you currently evaluate or benchmark your communications using the following

methods? Please tick all that apply

As most of the universities, Edinburgh evaluates or benchmarks media coverage, social media activity and

web visitors. Evaluating audience attitudes to the university is not undertaken at Edinburgh, nor periodic

audits, although this is common amongst half or more of the universities. It doesn’t look at search engine

performance either, which more than half of other universities do.





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SECONDARY WEBSITES

Q: Which secondary websites do you think are of the most importance for your university?

Please tick all that apply.

Edinburgh values three of the top four websites found useful by other universities, but is less interested in

Google, which came equal second to Twitter amongst the wider group. YouTube and Facebook are its other

preferred websites.





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REPUTATION

CHARACTERISTICS FOR REPUTATION

Q: A good reputation is often regarded as the most important asset of a university. Which of

the characteristics do you think are the most important for a university's reputation? Please

select five characteristics from the list.

Three of the top five choices for Edinburgh were in the top 5 choices for other global universities. Age and

history, and the image of the host city, were slightly more important to Edinburgh than other universities,

who nominated Nobel Prizes, culture and alumni achievements above these.





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REPUTATIONAL BARRIERS

Q: What are the biggest challenges you face in terms of enhancing your university's

reputation? Please tick all that apply

Edinburgh selected only two of the listed challenges, insufficient budget, the number one identified

challenge for the universities overall, and the lack of a social media strategy, only chosen by 12%.





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ABOUT THE WORLD 100 REPUTATION NETWORK

THE NETWORK

The World 100 Reputation Network is a group of the world’s most prestigious universities undertaking

research that enhances reputation management, international relations and strategy.

The Network connects senior directors responsible for reputation in world-class institutions. It is the only

professional network for directors of communications, marketing and international. Although global in

outlook the Network offers members the opportunity to become part of ‘local’ community existing to share

good practice, transfer knowledge and overcome common challenges.

Membership is exclusive to universities ranked in the top 200 of the THE, QS SJT and US News rankings in

the last three years. Now comprising 47 members from all continents, we believe that our international

diversity is one of the reasons members find the Network so valuable.

ANNUAL RESEARCH

Each year the Network undertakes at least one major topical piece of research. To date we have covered

the following topics:

Website best practice for world-class universities

Structures, strategies and resources for reputational advancement

Rise and Fall: Managing reputation associated with significant world ranking change

Internal communications and staff engagement in world-class universities

How international PhD students choose top universities and interpret reputation and rankings

Choice factors in international Academic job change

Members of the Network can access reports for the above projects (limited to summaries for Discover

members) online at www.theworld100.com or email [email protected].

UPCOMING RESEARCH…

The annual research project for 2015/16 is The R-Word: Strategies and tactics for communicating research

excellence.

If you have topics of interest that you would like the Network to explore in the future, please contact Lisa

Bould, Research Manager at [email protected].

FIND OUT MORE

Full details of the Network, membership rates and benefits, research projects, events and more can be

found at www.theworld100.com or contact the Network Director, Louise Simpson directly at

[email protected].






Other research by the World 100 Reputation Network

Website best practice for world-class universities

Structures, strategies and resources for reputational advancement

Rise and Fall: Managing reputation associated with significant world ranking change

Internal communications and staff engagement in world-class universities

How international PhD students choose top universities and interpret reputation and rankings

Choice factors in international Academic job change

The World 100 Reputation Network

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