With students looking towards a new era of responsibility for tuition costs and universities pulling together packages of student support to make university affordable, higher education must innovate.
Here at Cardiff University we have seen continued high demand for prospectuses, higher education fairs and open days, however students are understandably spending more time than ever considering what is best for them before completing their decision about where to study.
To help with this decision, we are committed to ensuring that a university education remains possible for any student who excels academically, whatever their background or situation. With this in mind we have developed a range of bursaries and scholarships and continue to stress the return on investment that university can bring in terms of career and life opportunities.
With more and more young people gaining a degree, students want to know that they will also be attractive to employers at the end of it. With more than 94% of Cardiff graduates in employment or further training within six months of graduation, we can offer a unique student experience, combining leading academic excellence, career opportunities and a fun and affordable lifestyle. As a result we remain one of the most sought after universities in the UK, with more than six applications per place last year.
However, to continue to raise awareness of the educational excellence and long term life value of a degree at Cardiff University, we must communicate this to students from all backgrounds on their own terms and provide information via the media where they feel at home.
Cardiff University's 2012 undergraduate recruitment campaign, 'Thrive', is designed to generate renewed excitement via digital and social media about the possibilities that university can offer. The campaign uses intrigue, innovation and an emphasis on social media to engage with the highest calibre students in a manner which goes beyond traditional recruitment techniques.
As part of the Thrive campaign the University is supplementing its packages of bursaries and scholarships for students with one "Ultimate Scholarship" - the offer of free tuition for life. This will see students compete in a series of academically rigorous challenges, designed by top academics at Cardiff University. We accept that it is a novel approach, notably the competition will only be open to those who have applied, met the entry requirements for and been offered a place at the university. This will ensure the finalists possess all the academic achievements required of any candidate to Cardiff. The Ultimate Scholarship is a life-changing prize and we want to find a student who has the passion and commitment to succeed.
For more information and to register for the Challenge, please go to www.cardiff.ac.uk/thrive