University´s marketing communication with prospective applicants for study: Online marketing and event marketing as key tools, sustainability of increasing relevance

Abstract

This article deals with the assessment of the current state and significance of marketing communication of higher education institutions (HEI) at a time of increasing competition among higher education institutions. The article contains a clear presentation of the current communication mix of a selected Czech university, which follows the current trends in marketing communication, including identifying the weak points with potential for improvement. This paper presents the results of a sub-study within an extensive questionnaire survey conducted among a representative sample of students at the University of West Bohemia (UWB), the main focus of which was on the application of online and event marketing directed at prospective applicants for study prior to the coronavirus pandemic. The response rate of the questionnaire survey was 20.23%. This case study will serve as the basis for a longitudinal survey carried out at the home university, which will subsequently allow us to evaluate, compare and present results over time and at the same time it can become a sort of instruction manual and a best practice example for other higher education institutions, both in the Czech Republic and abroad, of how to succeed in the competitive HEI sector and how to effectively set their communication mix. The conclusion contains a summary of recommendations for streamlining the selected tools of the selected university’s communication mix.