LovePG 2026: Key Takeaways From Our Postgraduate Marketing Conference

On 1 October 2026, postgraduate marketing and student recruitment professionals gathered in Manchester for LovePG 2026, our biggest Postgraduate Marketing Conference to date. With a networking meal the evening before, two tracks of sessions and a full day of talks and discussion, the event brought together people working across higher education to share ideas, challenge assumptions and explore the future of postgraduate student recruitment.

Hosted by FindAUniversity, the postgraduate experts, at The Studio in Manchester, LovePG tackled some of the biggest questions facing the sector: how do we better understand prospective postgraduate students, communicate the value of further study and deliver the experience they expect?

Here are some of the key takeaways from this year's conference.

1. Understand what really motivates postgraduate students

With postgraduate student recruitment facing significant challenges, understanding prospective students' motivations, expectations and barriers is more important than ever.

Dr Michelle Morgan, Dean of Students at the University of East London, opened the conference by exploring how university marketing and recruitment teams can better support Postgraduate Taught students, from recruitment through to retention.

Mark Bennett from Keystone Education Group and Julie Vincent from IFF Research then looked beyond the immediate pressures facing the sector to explore the deeper motivations driving prospective Masters and PhD students.

The takeaway? Effective postgraduate marketing needs to start with a clear understanding of your audience. Knowing what students want to achieve, what holds them back and what influences their decisions can help universities develop more relevant messaging and recruitment strategies.

2. The student experience is part of your recruitment strategy

Marketing can communicate a university's reputation, location and academic strengths, but the experience students have throughout their studies also shapes how they talk about an institution.

Lian Chambers and Andrew Loades from UniHomes explored the importance of the everyday student experience, highlighting opportunities for universities to better support international students and build stronger partnerships around their needs.

Jim Dickinson from Wonkhe also challenged delegates to consider what Postgraduate Taught students actually think about their experience, drawing on three years of student polling.

Together, these sessions reinforced an important point: what universities promise prospective students needs to match the experience they deliver. Understanding the realities of postgraduate life, listening to student feedback and addressing gaps between expectations and experience all have a role to play in effective student recruitment.

3. Undergraduate-to-postgraduate progression deserves more attention

Your current undergraduate students are an important potential audience for postgraduate recruitment, but progressing to further study isn't automatic.

Vicky Conroy from SMRS explored the motivations and barriers shaping the undergraduate-to-postgraduate journey, drawing on research with current undergraduates, postgraduates and graduates who hadn't continued studying.

Dhanesh Mahmood from Keele University followed this theme by examining how universities can work more effectively across professional services, academic schools and faculties to encourage progression.

The sessions highlighted the need to look beyond simply promoting postgraduate courses to final-year students. Universities need to understand the barriers that prevent progression, communicate the benefits of further study and work collaboratively to make opportunities more visible and accessible.

4. Clear, accessible marketing matters

How universities communicate can influence whether prospective students see postgraduate study as an opportunity that's right for them.

Kate Davy from the University of Oxford explored how postgraduate marketing can support wider access and participation goals, while Adam Blackmore from the University of Gloucestershire challenged the use of institutional shorthand and jargon in student-facing communications.

Both sessions highlighted the importance of considering who marketing is reaching, who might be excluded and whether messages genuinely answer prospective students' questions.

For university marketing teams, this means reviewing the language used across websites, campaigns and social media. Clear, accessible communication helps prospective students understand their options without needing to navigate internal terminology or already know how the university works.

5. Supporting the people behind postgraduate recruitment

LovePG also made space for an often-overlooked part of the conversation: the people working in a sector experiencing significant change.

Vicky Hayhurst from Hayhurst & Co closed the day by exploring sector wellbeing and practical ways to navigate change, set boundaries and maintain a healthier approach to work.

It was a reminder that improving postgraduate student recruitment isn't just about strategies, data and campaigns. It also depends on the people delivering that work and the support they have to adapt to changing demands.

A conference built around sharing ideas

Beyond the individual sessions, LovePG provided an opportunity for postgraduate marketing professionals to connect with colleagues facing similar challenges.

The networking meal on the evening before the conference helped attendees make connections ahead of the main event, while the two-track programme offered a choice of sessions covering different aspects of postgraduate student recruitment and marketing.

Feedback from previous attendees reflects the value of bringing this community together.

"This was by far the best conference I have been to in a long while, possibly ever. The organisation was great, structure of the day worked really well and the sessions were genuinely helpful, which is rare."

 "I think this was a brilliantly organised conference. I liked the meal the evening before, I thought this was a lovely touch to encourage networking before the conference, and meant that there were familiar faces the next day to chat with further."

"LovePG delivers the best of an event in the sector with a mix of both warmth and challenge. You leave feeling happy to have connected with like minded people and with ideas you can explore further or take forward."

These conversations are an important part of LovePG: creating space for people to exchange experiences, learn from one another and take practical ideas back to their teams.

Join us at LovePG 2027

LovePG returns to The Studio in Manchester on Thursday 30 September 2027.

If you work in postgraduate marketing, student recruitment or admissions, LovePG offers an opportunity to step away from day-to-day campaigns, explore the challenges facing the sector and hear fresh perspectives from colleagues and specialists across higher education.

The 2027 conference will bring the postgraduate marketing community together again for a day of insight, practical ideas and networking.

Save £100 with our Super Early Bird tickets

Book your place before 31 December 2026 to take advantage of our Super Early Bird offer and save £100 on a single ticket.

Whether you joined us in 2026 or are considering attending for the first time, we look forward to welcoming you.