Celebrating Excellence in Higher Education Marketing – Enter the Heist Awards 2026!
We know that an incredible amount of hard work and talent goes into higher education marketing and student recruitment every day, and it couldn’t be more important to celebrate it! The Heist Awards aim to do just that, and FindAUniversity is proud to sponsor the Best Postgraduate Student Recruitment Campaign category for 2026.
Since its launch over 30 years ago, the Heist Awards has become a key date in the education marketing calendar. Synonymous with excellence and innovation, it celebrates the very best work being done across the sector.
Winning a Heist Award is not only a fantastic way to recognise your team’s success but also a great way to motivate them for the year ahead. It can boost your team’s profile among stakeholders within your institution and enhance your institution’s brand awareness. That said, crafting an award-winning submission can be challenging, especially with word limits, category criteria, and fierce competition.
To help inspire your entry, here are our top 5 tips for creating a winning submission:
1. Keep your objectives SMART
Judges want to see that you set clear objectives at the start of your project - whether big or small - and that you achieved them in a measurable, timely way.
2. Show your creativity
Stand out by demonstrating how you thought outside the box. Did you make clever use of a limited budget? Try something entirely new? Or bring a fresh look and tone to your institution’s campaign? Highlight it!
3. Champion EDI, Accessibility & Sustainability
These priorities are high on everyone’s agenda. Show how you’ve considered equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as accessibility and sustainability, in your campaign. Judges are looking for clear, concrete examples of positive steps taken in these areas.
4. Tell a compelling story
With many entries to read, judges will remember the campaigns that tell a strong story. Make sure your passion and excitement shines through, signpost how you meet the criteria, use your word limit wisely, and include only a few supporting links where necessary.
5. Prove your ROI
Judges want to see that your budget was used effectively. Include details about your costs and expenses, and don’t forget to account for staff costs if relevant.
Entries for the 2026 Heist Awards are now open. Submit your entry before the final deadline on 27th February and get a chance to see your hard work recognised at the Awards Ceremony on 9th July.
For any questions about the awards, please contact the team at heistawards@havaspeople.com.
