In the rush for clicks and rankings, university comms desks often dress up early lab experiments as finished consumer miracles. But overselling fundamental science backfires on investors and the public alike. Real institutional credibility comes from celebrating the clue, not pretending the problem is completely solved.

Higher education marketing often imports corporate positioning frameworks without sufficient scrutiny, treating students and researchers like transient retail consumers. But research universities are decentralised ecosystems of inquiry, not consumer brands. In this piece, Gerben van Niekerk explores why generic taglines alienate faculty, how top-down homogenisation erodes institutional identity, and why strategic communications leaders must act as cultural curators rather tha

In today’s higher education branding landscape, where students are increasingly outcome-focused and sceptical of “world-class” clichés, here are the branding trends that will define 2026. Students engaging with interactive campus experiences that prioritise authentic storytelling over traditional advertising—a key driver for building trust in the 2026 digital landscape. Last year, I wrote about a train station in Malmö where a simple art installation, moving landscapes proje

Tired of transactional university marketing? Learn from the non-commercial Malmö art installation, Elsewhere. Discover how unexpected, creative campus interventions—like shared mental health photography, locker exhibitions, and collaborative murals—can authentically foster student belonging, boost well-being, and drive retention without a sales pitch. Embrace the strategic power of non-transactional communication in higher education to build a genuine sense of home.