NCUK launches refreshed brand
Posted:
At NCUK’s annual Global Engagement Conference on Tuesday 26 November, in front of more than 100 representatives from its partners across the world, NCUK formally launched its refreshed brand, clearly repositioning itself in the international higher education space as a leading global pathway provider.
Stuart Smith, NCUK’s Chief Executive Officer, commented:
Unlike other pathway organisations, NCUK was originally formed 35 years ago by a group of universities in the UK to enable access for international students to a university education. We therefore understand our students and our partners well, and to date, more than 50,000 students have trusted us on their journey to study at university. We have a unique story to tell and our work to rebrand and reposition NCUK will enable us to do that.
NCUK’s in-country pathway programmes are shaped with universities to achieve the standards and academic rigour NCUK partner’s demand. The pathway provider supports its students on their journeys to study at a choice of over 60 of NCUK’s top ranked university partners across the world, including 19 in the QS Top 200.
Smith continued:
Students can study NCUK pathway programmes with our study centre partners – international schools, colleges and universities – in over 110 locations across 40 different countries. This makes our pathway programmes responsive to changing student preferences, such as students wishing to study overseas for less time. This also ensures, particularly as the cost of acquisition in new and emerging markets grows for universities, that we are well placed to support universities with their diversification goals, making the investment in multiple source markets so our partners don’t have to.
NCUK, which recently celebrated record numbers of international students enrolling on its pathway programmes, prepare its students well to succeed at university and beyond, transforming futures. 89% of NCUK students go on to achieve a 2:1 or higher at university.
One of the changes NCUK has made is to update its logo descriptor from, ‘The University Consortium’, to, ‘University Pathways’, to describe better what it does, positioning the organisation more clearly as a pathway provider. NCUK is also working to position itself as a thought leader in the pathway and TNE space, adding greater value to its partners and the sector with its on-the-ground insights.
Indeed, key findings noted in Transforming Student Futures, NCUK’s first student insight report, published last week, state the biggest reason international students choose an NCUK pathway route is because they want to study at top-ranked international universities. The report also found that a growing number of students are looking to start their studies in their home country before travelling overseas, particularly for financial reasons.
Andy Howells, Chief Marketing Officer at NCUK, commented:
NCUK and its in-country pathway model is extremely well placed in regard to helping support universities with challenges around diversification, as well as to support students and changing student preferences, as a growing number now look to study overseas for less time. NCUK has a rich history and heritage – it’s the only pathway provider originally formed by universities – and it attracts high quality students with big ambitions. Testament to this is the sheer number of QS World Top 100 and 200 universities who are partnered with us. This brand refresh gives NCUK a strong platform from which to speak more boldly, confidently and clearly about who we are, how we can help our students and partners, and the successes we deliver.
As well as positioning its core business as pathway provision, clearly communicating the benefits for students and partners of its well established in-country pathway model, NCUK is diversifying its service offering to continue to support its partners and the sector. These new services, part of NCUK’s brand relaunch, are designed to strengthen international connections and enhance recruitment strategies for NCUK’s partner universities.
NCUK+ is a new multi-channel marketing service that connects universities with a targeted pool of pre-qualified international students and influential counsellors, helping institutions expand their global reach and boost enrolment. Through strategic exposure in sponsored articles, emails, and social media campaigns, NCUK+ also provides valuable insights into emerging trends in student recruitment. This service is exclusive to NCUK university partners.
University Global Staffing Solutions enables universities, inside or outside of NCUK’s partner network, to establish dedicated, in-country teams in key markets, supporting recruitment, admissions, enrolment, and more. With tailored recruitment and full support for payroll, HR, and legal compliance, NCUK’s service streamlines in-country staffing, reducing administrative burdens for institutions.
