Key Attributes of Successful Communication Between Higher Education Institution and Prospective Students

Today’s higher education environment has become increasingly competitive and universities need to assume a strategic approach in communication with prospective students. Numerous studies have shown that modern digital communication channels are increasingly more used to promote the attributes of universities, while traditional channels are no longer considered that important. The principal aim of this study is to examine the importance of certain attributes and communication channels the students in Serbia rely on when choosing the most appropriate faculty. The research was conducted for the period 2007-2013. The results obtained clearly show that the Internet, friend recommendations and presentations at high schools are the most effective communication channels, whereas the university reputation, study system and quality of the study program are considered the most important attributes when making a decision to enroll in a certain faculty. Based on the research findings, the mathematical model for forecasting the respodents’ behaviour in the following five-year period was developed. It enables developing the communication platform that would contribute to enhancing the quality of the overall management processes of an higher education institution, market orientation, encourage successful recruitment of prospective students, their enrollment and retention.