Latest news with #Jisc
Business Wire
08-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Infobip Helps HESA Double Graduate Outcomes Conversion Rates for Mobile Communications
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global cloud communications platform Infobip has enhanced its partnership with HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency), part of Jisc, to boost responses to its Graduate Outcomes survey, the UK's largest annual social survey. By implementing a Rich Communication Service (RCS) and mobile-first approach, Infobip has helped increase the agency's mobile survey conversion rates compared to SMS. Infobip has implemented a mobile and RCS-first approach for HESA, making the Graduate Outcomes survey available on this richer, more engaging channel across Android and Apple platforms. Share HESA, the UK agency for the collection and analysis of higher education data, delivers the Graduate Outcomes survey which surveys over 900,000 recent graduates annually. It helps improve university experiences for future students by providing a voice for graduates and postgraduates. To ensure UK higher education best reflects the actual needs of students, the survey needs to collect the experiences of as many graduates as possible. With survey fatigue and declining engagement an ongoing challenge, HESA is testing a number of different initiatives to boost online survey responses. With circa 70% of online responses completed on mobile, HESA needed to refresh its omnichannel approach and provide communication channels that graduates and postgraduates use and trust. RCS messaging enables organisations to increase their brand reputation and awareness. With RCS, HESA could add its survey logo and a link to its website. As the message design is more modern, it helps enhance reputation and verifies the message is genuine. Infobip has implemented a mobile and RCS-first approach for HESA, making the Graduate Outcomes survey available on this richer, more engaging channel across Android and Apple platforms; RCS survey conversion rates are double that of SMS. Dr Gosia Turner, Head of Surveys at Jisc, said: 'The Graduate Outcomes survey is a critical tool to allow recent graduates to share their experiences of UK higher education. To provide the rich, high-quality data that the sector needs, we need all graduates to complete the survey when they are invited. It's early days but the conversion rates on RCS compared to SMS look very encouraging.' James Stokes, Head of Enterprise, UK and Nordics, at Infobip, said: 'By integrating RCS capabilities powered by Infobip into the Graduate Outcomes survey, HESA has enhanced respondent experiences while helping boost completion rates. Having worked with HESA since 2018, this latest partnership demonstrates how we continue to innovate for our customers to help them achieve their objectives.' About Infobip Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected experiences across all stages of the customer journey. Accessed through a single platform, Infobip's omnichannel engagement, identity, user authentication and contact centre solutions help businesses and partners overcome the complexity of consumer communications to grow business and increase loyalty.
The Guardian
24-02-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
UK universities educate the most national leaders globally, analysis shows
Universities in the UK, many of which are in the grip of a financial crisis, 'educate more national leaders than any other country in the world', according to analysis. Research by Jisc, the UK's higher education digital, data and technology agency, found UK institutions had educated 50 world leaders who were in post in 2022, with the US in second place with 41, followed by the Russian Federation (14) and France (six). Sector leaders said the research demonstrated the success of UK universities on the global stage, yet almost three in four English institutions are expected to be in the red in 2025-26, according to a recent forecast by the higher education regulator, the Office for Students. Based on analysis of Wikidata, Jisc found the University of Oxford educated the most heads of state or government out of any UK university, with 36 since 1990, followed by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) with 24. Other institutions in the University of London federation collectively taught a further 16 leaders, followed by the University of Manchester and the University of Cambridge, which educated 13 national heads. Current leaders who graduated from the UK higher education system include Finland's president, Alexander Stubb, who obtained a PhD in international politics at LSE and Gaston Browne, the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, who got an MBA in finance at Manchester. Namibia's president-elect and first female leader, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who will be inaugurated on 21 March, studied at Keele University for apostgraduate diploma in international relations and a master's in diplomatic studies. A number of reigning monarchs have also studied for degrees in the UK, including Naruhito, the emperor of Japan, who studied for a postgraduate history degree at Merton College, Oxford. His thesis, titled A Study of Navigation and Traffic on the Upper Thames in the 18th Century, was 'very well-received', according to the university. Swingeing job cuts and course closures are under way across the UK sector. Vice-chancellors say tuition fees have not kept up with inflation and the recently announced modest increase, up from £9,250 to £9,535, will do little to help. A fall in the number of international students applying for visas is also contributing to the crisis. Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of Universities UK, which represents more than 140 universities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: 'We've always known that our universities are a national asset – and this report demonstrates just how extraordinary they are. 'In a time of increasing global instability, our universities' soft-power benefits are more important than ever. Studying for a degree at a UK institution can shape a life, and many world leaders look back on their student days here with glowing pride, and credit their institution with who they have become today. 'It is essential that these less tangible benefits of a degree are not forgotten, and that we protect our universities, and the role they play on the global stage, both now and in the future.' Heidi Fraser-Krauss, Jisc chief executive officer, added: 'Our latest research demonstrates the unrivalled impact of UK higher education across the world. Despite recent challenges, UK universities should remain upbeat that students who have studied in UK are having in impact as statespeople across the world.' The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has previously said of the crisis facing the sector: 'The dire situation we inherited has meant this government must take tough decisions to put universities on a firmer financial footing, so they can deliver more opportunity for students and growth for our economy.'
