Tuition fees were responsible for over 50% of university income in 2021/22 (source: HESA). In a competitive market, increasing and maintaining market share will be necessary to ensure the future of an institution.

Having the optimal portfolio of programmes (the “product” of the university to the general public) will reduce the risk on finances, ensure that marketing is focussed and relevant, and better define student target markets.

If your student numbers or quality are falling, programmes struggle to differentiate themselves against competitors, or there are opportunities that are not yet being explored, then reviewing the portfolio with UniViz could get your academic strategy back on track.

Methodology

A Portfolio Strategy project from UniViz will be custom designed to answer your key questions. A project will usually include:

• Programme Performance – Detailed, programme-level data to benchmark performance and identify recruitment strengths and weaknesses. Recommendations will be made to improve market position
• Opportunity Identification – Related programmes and subject areas that could attract additional students, bringing financial and reputational benefits to the university
• University Reach – Analyse the types of students recruited and identify opportunities for growth by finding underserved groups
• Portfolio Efficiency – An analysis of how the average number of students per programme compares with competitors and the market as a whole. A useful starting point to help craft the key questions to answer.
• Competitive Environment – How many competitors have similar programmes, how do they perform, and have they found success in areas that could provide growth?
• Academic Engagement – Interviews with academic and other relevant staff with portfolio responsibility. Adds subject- and institution-specific knowledge and context, and increases buy-in to the recommendations.

A kick-off meeting will enable senior decision makers to address key questions.

Learn more about the use of HESA Student Record data, and other sources, on the data page.

Reporting

A full Executive Summary will be provided, including all recommendations and key facts. All programme and portfolio analysis will be available in an interactive format through the UniViz Cloud.

The project will also include a in person or online presentation to ensure that recommendations are fully digested and colleagues have the opportunity to bring questions and discussion.

There is something for everyone in a Portfolio Strategy report, from programme leaders to marketers, to senior strategic decision makers.

Experience

With almost 15 years of experience in portfolio strategy and course review, UniViz is well placed to make recommendations that will have immediate impact.

Adam has designed numerous portfolio- and programme-level analysis tools, and spoken about portfolio management at conferences and webinars.

Ready to get in touch to discuss a brief? Email [email protected].

Sample Report

A sample report will be provided following the release of the latest HESA data (likely September/October 2024). It will include anonymised, edited data for a single programme to illustrate the format and analysis.