20 Apr Universities need to sharpen their stories

The recent Universities UK announcement marking National Apprenticeships Week includes a significant line: ‘Seven in ten people think universities could do more to help the country succeed.’

That should give the entirety of those working in and around higher education a moment’s pause.

This isn’t a poke at diminishing belief in universities. Rather, the same research shows overwhelming support for the role being played by universities in driving innovation, skills and economic growth.

People still believe in what it that universities can do, but they’re less convinced about seeing the full picture of what they are doing.

At its centre this gap between impact and understanding is a communications challenge.

The risk of quiet excellence

Across the UK (and globally), universities are doing extraordinary work. Advancing research, shaping industries, supporting regional economies, and transforming lives through education.

But all too often, this impact is fragmented and buried in silos, or communicated in ways that don’t resonate beyond limited internal audiences.

In a world being shaped and disrupted by AI, shifting job markets and increased competition for students, funding and partnerships, being ‘quietly excellent’ is no longer enough.

Universities MUST clearly explain:

• What they stand for
• What makes them distinctive
• How they contribute to society, the economy and the wider world

It’s only natural that prospective students, employers, policymakers, and even their own staff, will ask: ‘Why should I care?’

Communication isn’t an add-on, it’s crucial infrastructure

One of the most important and often overlooked audiences is internal.

If academic and professional staff don’t fully understand their institution’s strategy, priorities and strengths, then how can they help deliver it or confidently advocate for it?

This same guidance applies to students. Today’s students aren’t just learners, they’re ambassadors, collaborators and future employers. If they feel disconnected from the institution’s story, this is a missed opportunity which extends far beyond graduation.

Externally, audiences and the stakes are just as high:

• Prospective students are making life-shaping decisions in a crowded global market
• Employers are questioning graduate readiness and looking for meaningful partnerships
• Research partners and investors want clarity on expertise and impact
• Government and regulators expect accountability and alignment with national priorities
• Other institutions are both potential collaborators and competitors

All of these audiences need a clear, consistent and compelling narrative.

From information to meaning

The challenge isn’t about having a lack of content. Universities produce plenty of that. Crucially it’s more about turning content into meaning by addressing the core ‘so what?’ and ‘what’s in it for me?’ questions we all ask ourselves.

This also means:

• Connecting research with real-world challenges and desired impacts
• Linking courses with future, achievable career needs and promises
• Showing how strategy translates into tangible outcomes
• And doing all of this in a way which feels human, accessible and authentic

This demands effective storytelling, not mere spin or publicity, but tangible advice, examples and information that can offer a sense of clarity and real connection.

A moment of opportunity

The Universities UK “Future Universities” initiative, with its focus on graduate employability and employer engagement, is an important step forward.

But for these conversations to lead to real change, they need to be matched by a shift in how universities communicate consistently, confidently and coherently. This is where experience matters.

At More Fire PR, I’ve personally witnessed how enabling the correct approach to communications can:

• Align internal teams
• Strengthen reputation
• Support student recruitment
• Unlock partnerships
• …And ultimately help institutions deliver on their ambitions

This requires us to say the right things, to the right people, in the right way.

Five practical ways universities can communicate more effectively

If there’s one takeaway from the current moment, it’s that communication needs to be intentional – here follow five practical starting points:

1. Start with a clear, shared narrative

Define what your institution stands for in plain English. What are your strengths? What problems are you helping to solve? Why do you matter? And crucially, make sure this narrative is understood by everyone internally before you push it externally.

2. Break down internal silos

Great stories rarely sit in one School or department. Create mechanisms that share insights across faculties, research teams and professional services, so that communication reflects the whole institution, not just isolated parts of it.

3. Connect education to outcomes

Prospective students and employers alike want to understand where a degree leads. Be explicit about skills, employability and real-world applications, and then back this up with evidence and examples.

4. Speak like a human

Too much university communication still defaults to jargon and formality. Clarity builds trust and engages with audiences, who are human too. Simplicity travels further. This doesn’t mean dumbing-down, but If your message doesn’t make sense to a 17-year-old applicant or busy employer, it needs to be rethought.

5. Be consistent, and keep showing up

Reputation can’t be built through one campaign alone. It’s the result of sustained, consistent communication across multiple channels and audiences. Every interaction, from a website visit to an open day, through a social post to a partnership meeting, should reinforce the same core story.

The UK, and global, higher education sector is entering a period of significant change. Expectations are rising, scrutiny is increasing and competition is intensifying.

Universities don’t need to reinvent their value-add. But they do need to explain it – clearly, confidently and consistently. Because if you won’t help tell their story, someone else will, or even worse, no one will. Ultimately – in a world full of noise, silence is rarely neutral.

By Mark Ferguson, More Fire PR Ltd