Organizational and societal goals in tension? A survey of communication practitioners at Swiss higher education institutions

Abstract

The public communication of higher education institutions (HEIs) has gained importance both in practice and research and can serve different goals. Many scholars argue that HEI communication departments mainly aim to promote their organization and are less concerned with broader societal goals and normative principles of communication. Since these assumptions have not yet been explored empirically, we surveyed 203 communication practitioners from all 42 Swiss HEIs on their role conceptions and the quality criteria used in their communication departments. Our results show no general dominance of organizational over societal goals and revealed few differences between different types of HEIs.

Higher Education Institutions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: Comparing Swiss Universities’ Social Media Communication

“…To explain these differences, the affordances of the social media platforms and their user groups as well as the strategic aims of HEI communication may play a role. Nevertheless, recent research on the goals of HEI communication found only small differences between HEI types (Fürst et al, 2022b), insinuating that aims of communication are an implausible explanation. Further research into the influence of social media platforms on HEI communication is needed to confirm and better understand structural differences in communication.…”

“…In line with Raupp (2017, p. 149), we understand the strategic communication of HEIs as their "intentional, internally and externally directed communication that serves to maintain and expand their organizational legitimacy." However, as mentioned previously, in the context of increasing expectations from society to fulfill the "third mission," HEIs not only pursue organizational goals but also societal goals, such as fostering dialogue and supporting open science initiatives (Fürst et al, 2022b). Social media platforms have become an integral part of the strategic communication of HEIs across the world.…”

“…Research on media coverage of research universities and universities of applied sciences in Germany suggests that the size, type, and external funding of HEIs impact the visibility of HEIs in news coverage, in a way that favors large research universities with high third-party funding and research in social sciences and humanities (Friedrichsmeier et al, 2015). Research from Switzerland has revealed differences in educational profile, subject specialization, student profiles, and research involvement of different HEI types (Lepori et al, 2014) as well as in their orientation towards societal and organizational goals (Fürst et al, 2022b), but not concluded on how such differences might affect online communication practices.…”

Communication of higher education institutions: Historical developments and changes over the past decade

“…Peters (2022), drawing on numerous similar diagnoses from the past few decades, emphasizes that the public communication efforts of many HEIs have moved toward a corporate model. Like other scholars before him, he argues that this trend can lead to clashes with the normative foundation of other models of science communication, for example, when HEIs uncritically promote organizational developments and achievements to boost public reputation, exaggerate the findings of studies conducted in-house, or do not disclose their limitations and scientific uncertainties (Fürst, Volk, Schäfer, Vogler, & Sörensen, 2022b;Sumner et al, 2014;Weingart, 2017). The study by Fürst and colleagues (2022a) in this Thematic Section illustrates this development: In Switzerland, most HEI leaders see the creation of a good image and a positive public reputation as one of the main goals of their organization.…”

Zwischen Ethik des Gemeinwohls und strategischer Profilierung: Rollenselbstverständnisse und Qualitätskriterien in der Hochschulkommunikation

“…Wie in vielen anderen OECD-Ländern haben die vor rund drei Jahrzehnten einsetzenden New Public Management-Reformen das Schweizer Hochschulsystem stark verändert. Diese gehen mit einem erhöhten Legitimationsdruck und einem wachsenden Wettbewerb um öffentliche Sichtbarkeit einher(Friedrichsmeier / Fürst 2012;Fürst et al 2022a).Nach Durchführung eines Pretests (siehe dazuFürst et al 2022b) und der Erstellung einer Kontaktliste von allen Kommunikator:innen in zentralen Kommunikationsabteilungen von Schweizer Hochschulen führten wir im Herbst 2020 eine Online-Befragung durch. Der Fragebogen war in Deutsch, Französisch und Italienisch verfügbar.…”