How to attract the brightest minds and establish fruitful partnerships with the corporate world at the same time? This is the constant challenge Belgian universities face, especially in today's highly competitive labour market, where talent is harder and harder to come by.
In this article, we take a close look at five essential PR strategies Belgian universities could use in their PR campaigns, using Media Intelligence as an analytical perspective.
Promoting and rewarding research
Nothing is more attractive to a bio-engineering student than to see their university collaborating with Belgium’s biggest pharmaceutical companies. Media Intelligence allows universities to monitor and analyse how their research is covered in the media. By highlighting ground-breaking discoveries, innovative projects and fruitful collaborations, faculties can position themselves as leaders in their field and attract the best talent.
Building a strong online presence
In the digital age, a university’s online presence is often its main contact with the public. Therefore, it is vital to nurture and maintain it. By monitoring its online reputation and understanding the sentiment surrounding its brand, it is very easy for a university to control its image. With the added benefit of real-time feedback, universities can create a positive buzz that has a major impact on their image among students and partners.
Adapt content to the target audience
It is essential to understand the interests and preferences of students and employees. This allows you to target your audience more effectively. Whether it’s press releases, blog posts or social media updates, universities should adapt their content to align with the interests of their target audience.
Monitor competitors’ strategies:
To stay ahead in the war for talent and fruitful collaborations with scientific research institutions, what better way than to allow universities to monitor their competitors’ PR strategies? This way, they can identify effective tactics to follow and adapt their approaches accordingly. By keeping up with trends in the sector and the activities of their competitors, universities can position themselves as leaders in the academic and corporate spheres.
Leveraging commercial partnerships
Collaborations with research programs can provide universities with invaluable resources, funding and opportunities for students and researchers. Smart use of Media Intelligence enables universities to track industry trends, identify potential new partners and monitor the success of existing collaborations. By highlighting these partnerships in their public relations efforts, universities can not only increase their public profile but also strengthen their links with the R&D sectors in Belgium and internationally.
In conclusion, effective PR continues to be a powerful tool to attract students while fostering strong relationships with research leaders. The clever use of Media Intelligence ensures that PR actions are targeted, data-driven and strategically aligned.
