THE MOBILE REPORT (copy courtesy of C-Disc)
The usage of mobile technologies in Higher and Further Education
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Contents:
Introduction
There is a paucity of information about the current usage of mobile technology within Higher and Further Education. In order to plan effectively, institutions need a real insight into the consumption of mobile and an understanding of their students’ expectations. Institutions must combine an appreciation of the technologies available to deliver services to students and the pace at which they expect to increase their usage of mobile, and for which purposes.
The Mobile Report will be the UK’s most comprehensive and collaborative report on mobile within the Higher and Further Education sectors, giving institutions a real insight into the consumption of mobile technologies amongst their key stakeholder groups. It will also allow your institution to benchmark your current position in mobile development against other similar institutions.
Background
Mobile devices have been around for over a quarter of a century, but it is really only very recently that technological developments have enabled them to begin to realise their full potential as providers of data, services, communications and materials of all kinds, in clear and convenient ways.
We have moved from mobile telephones the size and weight of bricks to smart phones and onto iPads with bewildering speed, and it is perhaps no wonder that there are some who have got left behind, perhaps still believing that texting is the limit of mobile written communication.
Amongst the 15-24 year old group, over 50% now possess a smart phone, and there is no question that students and potential students understand how things are changing, and expect to be able to take full advantage of the new devices in every aspect of their lives, including their college and university experiences.
The recent explosion of interest in the potential of mobile devices to transmit information and engage with their various audiences, means that there is no doubt that more and more students will expect services and communication from their institution to be conveyed to them via their mobile handsets.
Today’s mobile devices and models typically serve as portable media players and camera phones, with high-resolution touch screen, GPS navigation, Wi-Fi and mobile broadband access, and the channel now provides a really powerful opportunity for organisations to communicate directly with their core customer set.
Increased investment in mobile technology and development is inevitable, not just for marketing purposes but as an important tool in the teaching arena.
When you consider every year in the UK over 6 billion texts are sent, over 6 million apps are downloaded and internet usage via mobile will overtake usage via pc by 2013, it is obvious that mobile will play a much more important role in any institution’s communications.
The Project Team
Four sector leading organisations have collaborated to offer this opportunity:
mobileSQUARED – Market leaders in the provision of specialist research, which enables brands, agencies and the mobile industry to increase engagement with the mobile consumer.
- mobileSQUARED data will provide a complete UK mobile market overview, but specifically (15-24 year olds only):
Iconic Mobile – A leading mobile development business, who recently launched the Student Finance Taskforce 2012 application (Download links: iOS, Android, Blackberry or view the mobile Web App.)
- Will be providing a complete synopsis on which Colleges and Universities have already launched apps, what type of application they have built (student engagement or student recruitment) and how you can access them.
360AdsFab – A specialist marketing, advertising and market research consultancy in the Education sector.
- Will be providing research to ascertain some of the issues institutions have been faced with during the design, development and after launch of their free student apps.
- The research will also include a survey on student’s opinion of their institution’s current mobile offerings, as well as asking the type of functionality they would like to see included in a University or College mobile application.
C-Disc – Specialists in mobile marketing, with substantial experience in the HE and FE sectors.
- Have recruited this panel of experts, and will market the report to the education sector in an effort to help marketing departments save considerable time and effort developing their mobile strategy.
The Mobile Report
In a world where time and resources are increasingly limited, the growth of mobile technologies will have a profound impact on your institution and the way it works.
It will not just be the work of marketing and communications that will be influenced by this development – mobile technology will have an impact on every institution. It will:
The Mobile Report will help you make sense of this fast moving and dynamic environment.
We would recommend that you and your institution don’t get left behind, and instead, you should join our mobile technology project.
Methodology
Our aim is to produce the most comprehensive and most collaborative insight into mobile within the HE and FE sectors.
Initially, in-depth interviews will take place with samples of staff and, separately, of students in order to gain insights into current behavior and thinking. The former will take the form of individual face to face or telephone interviews with marketing and communications managers, the latter will consist of focus groups with prospective and first year undergraduates, probably in London and Manchester.
On line quantitative research will then be used to reach all UK HE and FE institutions. Marketing and communications personnel will be questioned regarding their current investment in mobile technology for both staff and students, and their expectations regarding future developments. Additionally, we will survey a representative sample of over 1,000 current students nationally concerning their experiences of, and expectations for, mobile communications from their institution.
This will be supplemented with unique data from mobilesquared, who provides the UK’s foremost mobile consumption data
Reasons to participate – Outcomes
Universities and Further Education colleges will be provided with
National benchmark data on mobile phone ownership, device type and use of mobile technology
A report and insights into developments in the mobile industry and customer attitudes and behaviours:
The latest national ownership and usage figures for mobile devices in the UK by age group
A summary of further and higher education engagement with mobile technology and future plans
A summary of prospective and current student interaction with mobile technology and their views on mobile development in further and higher education
Prospective and current student views of mobile applications and mobile internet sites developed by the FE and HE sector.
Recommendations on enhancing your institutions’ engagement with mobile.
A thorough appraisal of the issues and costs for an HE or FE organisation to effectively enter the mobile arena
Pricing
The standard price is £795 (all prices quoted exclude VAT)
If you want to receive an additional section specifically on feedback from your own student body, which will include cross referencing this against national benchmark data provided by mobilesquared, there will be an additional charge of £200.
Bespoke Option – (£1,500 to £5,000)
The Mobile Report will work with an institution (or group of institutions) to deliver a bespoke piece of research which will include a presentation of findings, consultancy on developing and implementing a mobile strategy, and the provision of other perspectives which may be required.
For more information, please email info@mobilesquared.co.uk or call +44 (0) 118 977 6902
MobileSQUARED is a trading name of D2 Mobile Ltd. Registered in England Number: 6341397. Registered office: 1 High Street, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 4HP. VAT registration number: 921 1125 77.
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+44 (0) 118 977 6902
info@mobilesquared.co.uk
