Internationalising the University web pages

Wednesday, 05 June 2013

The University has recently completed a project to ‘internationalise' its web pages in order to become more accessible to the wide audience using the University's website.

The project to internationalise the University's webpages has been supported by the International Initiatives Fund. Led by Leigh Blount, Luke Micallef and Alison Fabian in the Digital Development team and Tom Eastwood in the International Office, this involved a considerable amount of background work with focus groups of students and staff to fully understand how to better represent the opportunities we provide and our international activities.

As such, following the completion of this first phase of work in March 2013 the greatly enhanced webpages are already contributing to an increased number of overseas student applications. One key feature of these improved webpages is that international activity has been made more pervasive as they feature more images and stories with an explicit international focus. Another emphasis is to ensure that the route through the website is as quick and easy to follow as possible for overseas students.

The importance of internationalising the University's webpages derives from the need to present ourselves as a global University which welcomes overseas students. Such students need to access the information they require as easily as possible, and our international reputation must also be made accessible online to academics, parents and sponsors. Essentially Reading's global profile and reputation is changing quickly at a time when the desire to recruit students from overseas has increased and our global credentials will come under greater scrutiny.

Highlights of the new webpages include:

• an interactive map which shows our overseas partnerships (in alignment with a major review of these partnerships undertaken by the international Project Board)
• enhanced country pages providing all key facts for prospective students and details of our engagement such as alumni activities and partnerships in their country
• an international student video syndicated to YouTube and Facebook available for staff to use at recruitment events

Professor Steve Mithen, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Internal and External Engagement) said: "An International perspective pervades all domains of activity at Reading, whether related to teaching, research or the student experience. That is now reflected within our website that provides a sophisticated blend of the local, regional and international, a portal to the world that is informative and attractive to all parties and which demonstrates the on-going growth in our global reputation."