Leicester universities' global goals after football triumph

[davieG]

By Matt Pickles.

• 11 May 2016
•  
• From the sectionBusiness

I

•  

Leicester's universities are hoping that Leicester City's fairytale success in football could also bring them a happy ending, in terms of raising their global profile and attracting overseas students.

Will it mean being able to stop explaining to non-English speakers how to pronounce "Leicester"?

And could top-scoring Jamie Vardy find himself sitting next to a vice chancellor on a flight to a Champions League match next season?

The Premier League has few rivals in terms of a global following, with matches televised to an audience of three billion people.

Even in the most remote village in China or sub-Saharan Africa, you can see children in a Chelsea or Manchester United football shirt.

And Leicester's two universities - the University of Leicester and De Montfort University - will want to tap into the Premier League's global fanbase.

The manner in which Leicester won the league - against all expectations - makes it even more likely that global fans will be aware of their triumph.

 LEICESTof Leicester celebrations of the football team have been shared on social media

This name recognition makes it easier for universities to start conversations with prospective students and donors.

"It doesn't matter where in the world I go, whenever people see my name badge you can guarantee they will be desperately keen to speak about the team," says Leicester University's president and vice chancellor Paul Boyle.

Professor Boyle expects an increase in applications this year and De Montfort University is already claiming a 60% rise.

More stories from the BBC's Global education series looking at education from an international perspective and how to get in touch

At the other end of the premiership table, the University East Anglia is concerned that Norwich City's possible relegation might hit their student recruitment for next year.

Vice chancellor David Richardson says the football team's premiership status has helped the "international profile" of the university and the city.

The Premier League is very popular in China, home to the biggest number of international students at Leicester University and the world's biggest market for overseas students.

eicester now can claim to have footballing aristocracy as well as Richard III

This gives universities which share a name with a popular Premier League club an edge in the competition for Chinese students.

"In the past, I had to tell people we were 45 miles south of Sherwood Forest which they knew because of Robin Hood," says Christopher Shaw, Leicester's assistant director of fundraising and alumni relations. "Now we have to do less work to explain who and where we are."

Professor Boyle says images of his students celebrating the team's success have been shared around the world on social media and give a positive impression of student life at the university.

The university held a "back the Blues" event in which a conga line of excited students and staff snaked around the campus and the football club's logo was painted onto the car park.

as given an honorary degree, building links between club and university

This week, De Montfort University students will celebrate with Leicester's players as the trophy is paraded on campus.

These scenes are reminiscent of the "game day" phenomenon at colleges in the US, where crowds of students celebrate the university team in the quad, accompanied by marching bands and cheerleaders.

These are major events on colleges' social calendars, and are used for recruitment and fundraising.

Professor Boyle, who studied in Colorado for a year, says he recognises the comparison but notes UK universities have a long way to go to match the role of sport in US higher education.

 

[Trav Le Bleu]

Meh, who cares what they do in the USA?

[Wymsey]

Thought they were world-renowned anyway, particularly Leicester Uni?

[m4DD0gg]

Thought they were world-renowned anyway, particularly Leicester Uni?

Not really not even in top 50 anymore....and as for de montfort

[zak_lcfc]

Not really not even in top 50 anymore....and as for de montfort

Don't know where you got that from but Leicester Uni is 32nd and DMU 65th (most improved this year) not the best granted but could be much worse!

[m4DD0gg]

Don't know where you got that from but Leicester Uni is 32nd and DMU 65th (most improved this year) not the best granted but could be much worse!

I'm talking in the world mate. Most uni's in UK are shit

[Thracian]

 

By Matt Pickles.

• 11 May 2016
•  
• From the sectionBusiness

I

•  

Leicester's universities are hoping that Leicester City's fairytale success in football could also bring them a happy ending, in terms of raising their global profile and attracting overseas students.

Will it mean being able to stop explaining to non-English speakers how to pronounce "Leicester"?

And could top-scoring Jamie Vardy find himself sitting next to a vice chancellor on a flight to a Champions League match next season?

The Premier League has few rivals in terms of a global following, with matches televised to an audience of three billion people.

Even in the most remote village in China or sub-Saharan Africa, you can see children in a Chelsea or Manchester United football shirt.

And Leicester's two universities - the University of Leicester and De Montfort University - will want to tap into the Premier League's global fanbase.

The manner in which Leicester won the league - against all expectations - makes it even more likely that global fans will be aware of their triumph.

 LEICESTof Leicester celebrations of the football team have been shared on social media

This name recognition makes it easier for universities to start conversations with prospective students and donors.

"It doesn't matter where in the world I go, whenever people see my name badge you can guarantee they will be desperately keen to speak about the team," says Leicester University's president and vice chancellor Paul Boyle.

Professor Boyle expects an increase in applications this year and De Montfort University is already claiming a 60% rise.

More stories from the BBC's Global education series looking at education from an international perspective and how to get in touch

At the other end of the premiership table, the University East Anglia is concerned that Norwich City's possible relegation might hit their student recruitment for next year.

Vice chancellor David Richardson says the football team's premiership status has helped the "international profile" of the university and the city.

The Premier League is very popular in China, home to the biggest number of international students at Leicester University and the world's biggest market for overseas students.

eicester now can claim to have footballing aristocracy as well as Richard III

This gives universities which share a name with a popular Premier League club an edge in the competition for Chinese students.

"In the past, I had to tell people we were 45 miles south of Sherwood Forest which they knew because of Robin Hood," says Christopher Shaw, Leicester's assistant director of fundraising and alumni relations. "Now we have to do less work to explain who and where we are."

Professor Boyle says images of his students celebrating the team's success have been shared around the world on social media and give a positive impression of student life at the university.

The university held a "back the Blues" event in which a conga line of excited students and staff snaked around the campus and the football club's logo was painted onto the car park.

as given an honorary degree, building links between club and university

This week, De Montfort University students will celebrate with Leicester's players as the trophy is paraded on campus.

These scenes are reminiscent of the "game day" phenomenon at colleges in the US, where crowds of students celebrate the university team in the quad, accompanied by marching bands and cheerleaders.

These are major events on colleges' social calendars, and are used for recruitment and fundraising.

Professor Boyle, who studied in Colorado for a year, says he recognises the comparison but notes UK universities have a long way to go to match the role of sport in US higher education.

 

 

 

It's time British universities started caring about our own kids' academic future from what I heard on the news this morning.

[FrankH]

It's time British universities started caring about our own kids' academic future from what I heard on the news this morning.

 

But foreign students pay much higher fees, and this helps keep fees lower for our native students.

[midland_red]

Thought they were world-renowned anyway, particularly Leicester Uni?

The University of Leicester is a serious research institution, De Montfort, well, perhaps not...