Earlier this month we hosted our December 2025 Postgraduate Marketing Webinar, bringing together university professionals from across UK higher education to share insights on postgraduate student recruitment and engagement as we move into 2026.
The session offered a timely moment for universities to reflect on the shifting landscape in postgraduate marketing - from evolving student motivations to external pressures on recruitment teams - and to explore practical strategies for navigating these challenges successfully.
Below, we summarise the key takeaways that university marketing, recruitment, admissions and engagement teams should know.
One of the central themes was how undergraduate motivations and decision‑making behaviours are evolving — and the implications this has for postgraduate student recruitment. Panelists highlighted that universities need to adapt messaging and engagement approaches to reflect these changing expectations, with a greater focus on career outcomes, clarity around funding, and genuinely personalised communications.
Speakers also dove into how international market movements, policy developments and economic pressures are influencing postgraduate interest. These external factors are reshaping where students choose to study and how they prioritise different markets. Universities were encouraged to stay nimble, monitor trends closely, and consider how their student recruitment strategies can respond to shifting global demand.
The panel offered nuanced reflections on the role of hybrid versus in‑person engagement. While campus visits and face‑to‑face events remain crucial for converting serious prospects, hybrid formats have opened up access for geographically dispersed audiences and busy professionals. Successful institutions are those that thoughtfully integrate both approaches - tailoring formats to audience needs and tracking effectiveness.
A major strength of the session was the real examples and actionable ideas shared by the panel.
Experts discussed how institutions have:
Refined segmentation and audience understanding to power more targeted campaigns.
Aligned recruitment and admissions teams more closely to streamline conversion pathways.
Leveraged real‑world performance data to optimise engagement tactics and demonstrate impact.
This practical focus means universities watching could take away concrete approaches to apply at their own institution.
As universities set their postgraduate student recruitment plans for 2026, the webinar reinforced several priorities:
Deepen understanding of applicant motivations through data and behavioural insights.
Invest in flexible engagement strategies that mix digital reach with high‑touch in‑person experiences.
Respond proactively to global market and policy shifts that influence student decision‑making.
Collaborate across functions - marketing, admissions, and faculty teams - to create coherent journeys from awareness through to enrolment.
In short, the landscape is evolving rapidly, but so are the opportunities for universities to differentiate themselves and meaningfully connect with postgraduate audiences.
If you missed the live session or want to revisit the discussion, the full recording is available on-demand - a valuable resource for planning sessions with your team or sharing insights across departments.