Managing Social Media

Professor Robert CraikProvost and CEO

Heriot-Watt University MalaysiaFebruary 2013

Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, Putrajaya

Heriot-Watt University Malaysia

Full range of professional subjects

Growing to about 6,000 students

Teaching and research

Strong links with other campuses

MBA students in HWUM PutrajayaJan 2013

Active Edinburgh 7420 Partners 4584Learners Borders 652 Ind. learners 1423

Orkney 13 Business School 8500Dubai 1328

Heriot-Watt University:Learning partners

Social Media

Student + Social Media = FEAR

=+

Social Media

What are we afraid of?

ReputationVideos or tweets going

viral

Legal matters – not today

Student voice - why

Students have something to saySome lectures are boringSome lecturers are badly preparedSome staff don’t help students…

Social media is one outlet for frustration

FrustrationNo-one listensNothing is done

Student voice - How

Students have always been vocal and self-opinionated

We encourage this independence of thinking

Methods were Meetings, Demonstrations Posters, Leaflets …

Now Facebook, Youtube, Twitter

Managing social media

How do you manage social media

You cant manage it

Don’t bother trying

Social media – the answer

Listen to the students

Act on complaints and suggestions

Engage students in solving problems

Remove the frustration

Organisation

Vice-Chancellor

University

Class Reps

School Officers

Vice-Presidents

President

Deputy

Lecturer

Academic Heads

Programme Leader

Student Union

What do students do

UNIVERSITYSenateCourtLearning and Teaching BoardQuality and Standards CommitteeDiscipline CommitteeSchool committeesProgramme committees…

What do students do

STUDENT UNION•Student Council•Weekly Officers meeting•Regular School meetings

•Discuss key issues• VLE• Exam times• Feedback

Quality Review/Audit

Students are full members of

External QAA (MQA) Audits Internal academic audits Annual Monitoring Processes Reviews of External

Campuses

Benefits of partnership

Students have immediate routes for communication to the University

Effective means for fixing issues

Mechanism for joint planning the future to meet student needs/expectations

Social Media?

Student Union monitors social media and self-regulates

Student Union has an interest in preserving the reputation of the University

No frustration

Does it work

Sunday Times 2012

Scottish University of the Year 2011/12

Scottish University of the Year 2012/13

9th overall in the UK

Best University in the UK for Student Experience

Happy students