Further & Higher Education: example projects

Higher Education

• Wide-ranging, employee research to inform the internal communications strategy of a leading UK university.
• Branding research, among UK and international stakeholders, on behalf of a leading modern university. Project to support brand positioning of a School with ambitious growth aspirations.
• A comprehensive, multi-method, in-depth study to inform undergraduate recruitment strategy. Involved internal and external research.
• Enhancing links with industry to develop CPD, knowledge transfer and collaborative research for a leading UK university.
• Online quantitative survey of students, conducted across the student population as a whole and reported upon at university and school level.
• Focus groups among international and domestic students (two projects), for one of the UK's highest ranking modern universities.
• Discussion groups among university registrars and others, to inform a new online facility reporting academic research ratings.
• Research to support the careers service of a large leading university to expand its relationships with employers and to identify areas for potential collaboration. Involved online quantitative survey and in-depth qualitative research among UK employers of graduates.

Universities also come to Marketwise Strategies for support in Market Research and Strategy Development for their spin-out and other new-start businesses.

Further Education & Skills

• Employer research, in three key sectors, to assess demand for higher level skills.
• Research among industry experts to evaluate the market potential for a Business Improvement programme.
• Analysis of marketing decision-making processes and marketing implementation in a FE college.
• Engaging with industry to assess demand for foundation degree modules.
• Researching perceptions of applicants and their advisors, to inform changes to the UK's national portal website for entrants to higher education.
• Qualitative research for a national, independent training company to inform market entry strategy for a medical-related qualification.

Online Learning

• Research among managers in HE, FE, LEAs, City Learning Centres and national co-ordinating bodies, to explore the market for a new suite of web-based e-learning applications and to highlight implications for market entry.
• Multi-stage project to inform and facilitate conversion of a major, UK-wide training programme from a residential to a blended learning format. Involved: quantitative and qualitative research among past and present students and their managers; research among e-learning providers; research and development of a blended learning strategy; and preparation of OJEU-compliant tender documentation.
• Market assessment for new, web-based language learning software aimed at an international market.