TVU sees massive increase in UCAS applications!
Thames Valley University (TVU) has seen full time undergraduate applications to attend the University rise by 67.1% over the last 12 months – one of the biggest increases across England!
A number of factors have contributed to this huge increase including the implementation of a strategic marketing and communications plan to publicise some of TVU’s achievements over the last few years, focusing on the University’s West London location and improved facilities.
Lynn Grimes, Director of Marketing & Recruitment at Thames Valley University said:
‘We have a number of unique pockets of excellence which have been recognised recently in the public domain. These have all helped us develop our marketing strategy to transform TVU from being considered a clearing institution to being a university of choice.’
TVU is home to the London College of Music which is the leading specialist institution for pop music, performance and music technology, as well as home to London’s top hospitality school.
In November 2009 TVU was the only modern university to win the 2009 Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education.
In May 2009 The Guardian’s 2010 University Guide showed a 16 place jump in rank from 85th position to 69th, making it the highest ranked modern university in London.
The significant jump made TVU the most improved university in London as well as one of the top three fastest climbers in England. The Guide also ranked TVU as number one for nursing studies in England – which has seen an increase of 160% in applications to study nursing year on year.
This achievement built on TVU’s 2008 success in being ranked number one for graduate employment in a Higher Education Statistics Agency league table.
Since receiving these accolades, TVU has worked hard to develop a coordinated campaign to communicate our successes to the local community and the wider public, focusing on our outstanding provision of quality education particularly in culinary arts, hospitality and nursing.
Lynn Grimes, said:
‘As part of our marketing strategy we have also focused a great deal of attention on social media, which appeals to potential students, including being the first university to set up a Twitter account that acted as a hotline for students asking about clearing, launching the Official Thames Valley University Facebook Group and also being the first to launch an iphone application, ‘iUni’.’
In addition, as part of a longer term strategic plan, TVU has been working towards reducing our footprint across the Thames Valley region and returning to its roots – enabling the University to focus its resources on improving the facilities in West London to provide better a working environment and improved learning areas for staff and students – making TVU a first choice university for people living in the West London area.
This has meant that the increased numbers of students who have visited TVU when considering their choice of university have seen a newly refurbished campus and been met by friendly, focussed staff from the newly formed recruitment network.
In anticipation of the growing amount of interest in the University, TVU has been working to form a specific task group to deal with applicants and will continue to work towards improving the University’s reputation.
Ends
For more information, please contact Fiona Chapman: phone 020 8231 2914 or e-mail
About Thames Valley University
1. Named No. 1 for graduate employment (Times Higher Education, July 2008).
2. 2009 Queen’s Anniversary Prize Award winner for TVU’s London School of Hospitality and Tourism.
3. Home to London’s top hospitality school, providing integrated training from culinary arts to hospitality management.
4. Home to London College of Music, the leading specialist institution for pop music and music technology.
5. Ranked No. 1 for nursing and midwifery studies in England (Guardian university guide 2010).
6. The only university to offer a degree course developed in conjunction with Hewlett-Packard Limited, the leading technology solutions provider (Computer Systems Management FdSc).