Written by Julie Vincent 23 Dec 2025

LovePG 2025: Reflections from Julie Vincent at IFF Research

We were delighted to welcome Julie Vincent from IFF Research to our recent LovePG Postgraduate Marketing Conference. Julie joined over one hundred sector colleagues for a day full of postgraduate insights and conversations. Here, she shares her key takeaways from the event.

Like many of us, I hadn’t been to as many conferences in recent years, so it was genuinely lovely to reconnect with familiar faces. The day was expertly compered by FAU’s very own postgrad data goth, Mark Bennett.

Here are my personal highlights and reflections from the day.

Pace is important, but not without the personal touch

As Jennifer Parsons said in her session, swift responses to enquiries matter but so do ongoing, good-quality conversations via the right channel, with the right person. Or even the right chatbot, as these are getting smarter fast and students are increasingly comfortable using them. Well-designed and segmented communications should always feel personal, whether automated or not.

As Maree Perkins pointed out, would we really have the energy to become postgraduate students ourselves if communication wasn’t clear and considerate? For many, especially returners to higher education, time is a key cost - part of the “price” they pay - so ensuring information is accessible and human is essential.

The value of primary research

The sector holds a huge amount of data, but in some areas, trends aren’t as reliable as they once were. That’s where primary research becomes invaluable.

It’s possible to find out what’s happening now - and what might happen next - by asking prospective students what they’re thinking, what they want, and what’s motivating their choices. Qualitative research doesn’t have to be expensive; it’s about ensuring what you gather is relevant and useful. Listening to students is vital - they’re balancing many factors and deserve to be heard. Both qualitative and quantitative research can provide valuable insight and complement secondary data sources.

As Carolyn Bishop aptly put it during her session:

“Students are choosing a life, not just a degree.”

Language matters

Language is one of my favourite topics inspired in part by spotting the word “alighting” on the Underground recently and wondering how many people actually know what it means!

In her session, Penny Eccles reminded us that our audiences often won’t be familiar with the language, processes, or acronyms we use in higher education. Whether someone is new to HE, returning, or recently graduated, postgraduate study can seem like a world of word salad. The key takeaway? Don’t mystify. There’s no time for students to decode the name of a process, scholarship, or research centre.

It was a full and engaging day of talks, discussions, and observations from delegates across the sector. Julie’s already looking forward to next year - and we are too! Super Early Bird tickets are now available for LovePG 2026, find out more here.

About the author:

Julie Vincent is a Director in the Higher Education team at IFF Research. You can reach Julie at julie.vincent@iffresearch.com or contact the team directly at highereducation@iffresearch.com.

You can also sign up to the IFF Research HEadlines newsletter here.

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