The University Comms Podcast

Beth Lloyd and Sara West are Internal Communications Managers at Imperial College London, where they run a staff communications network of 400 people across 11 campuses. In this episode we talk about how they built it, how they've used it to drive brand consistency and coordinate sensitive all-staff campaigns, and what other universities could learn from their approach. If you work in higher e...

In this episode, I’m joined by Emma Kelly, Communications and Marketing Officer in The University of Manchester's accommodation, to talk about she used Discord to rethink student induction. Faced with low engagement on Facebook, rising comms fatigue, and inboxes receiving more than 400 emails a day, they trialled a new approach built around real-time, two-way communication. We explore how the...

In this episode, Gareth Hughes is joined by digital experience and AI consultant Tom Noble-Sabokbar to explore why so many university websites still feel like Blockbuster in an age of Spotify. They discuss how universities continue to organise digital content around internal structures, while students search by intent, questions, and need, and why that mismatch is costing institutions attention, t...

Universities are heading into a year of major shifts in communications. Gareth and Josh Patmore break down the three trends that will shape 2026: the rise of university owned video formats, how attention fragmentation is changing audience behaviour, and why storytelling is becoming an essential skill for comms teams. This episode offers clear insights for anyone working in university communication...

Students are using AI tools like ChatGPT to decide where to study, compare universities, and check entry requirements - often before they ever reach your website. Flo Vincent from the University of Edinburgh shares what she’s learned from researching how applicants are using AI, what it means for content and recruitment teams, and how universities can prepare for what’s next. How students are real...

What happens when a Vice Chancellor sits down with students to tackle their toughest questions - on camera? In this episode of The University Comms Podcast , Gareth Hughes speaks to Jules Maclachlan, who has led a step change in leadership engagement. From the award-winning Oxford Road Chats video series to “Ask Me Anything” open meetings, we explore how real dialogue, unscripted conversations, an...

Host Gareth Hughes talks with Michelle McMahon from the University of Limerick’s marketing team about using psychology to make communications pop. Learn how Limerick taps into ideas like emotional connection and the exposure effect to create stories that hit home, not just on social media but everywhere. From their student-driven content to building a sense of belonging, Michelle shares simple, pr...

In this episode of The University Comms Podcast, Gareth Hughes speaks with Siobhan Stayt and Jas Whiting about a campaign at UWE Bristol that promotes positive masculinity. They discuss the complexities of defining masculinity, the research that informed their campaign, the creative process behind their video, and the challenges they faced in launching it. The conversation highlights the importanc...