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Publicizing Your Education Abroad or Away Program

The promotion of education abroad opportunities is a joint effort between Global Initiatives and the program director, with Global Initiatives working to promote education abroad as a whole and the directors being responsible for outreach for their individual programs. This page details the support that Global Initiatives provides to promote education abroad and faculty-led programs, as well as some tried-and-true tips to help directors maximize their reach.

Action Steps for Directors

Schedule classroom visits and info sessions

Personal outreach is powerful. Students are more likely to take action when you speak to them in a classroom setting or via an in-person or online Zoom session. (See Traditional Marketing Channels below.)

Students want to hear from you and learn about you (especially if students have not taken a class with you before). It is often beneficial to include cultural elements of the host country within the info session—share information about pop culture, traditional foods or music trends! Be sure to teach the culture and the physical landscape of the host country—location, leadership, weather and major tourist attractions. 

Reach out to past participants for testimonials

Your program has had an impact on your students' lives—they will often be very happy to share this experience with others. Ask them to reflect on their experiences, the location, and the impact study abroad has had on their lives. If they share visuals, even better! Identify student advocates and ask them for assistance at information sessions and events—your future students will thank you for it!

Here are a few simple ways to collect and use testimonials:

  • Provide a shared folder for students to contribute their photos during the program.
  • Ask students to shoot a reflection video to wrap up your course.
  • Encourage students to participate in our Where in the World is Miami series: an easy way to share their experiences and encourage other students to take part in future programs.
  • Include student photos and/or testimonials on your TerraDotta online brochure page.
  • When students return to campus, encourage them to take part in the International Education Week contests.

Develop shareable content

One-page flyers, text and photos for social media posts, digital screens, etc. can be easily shared and are a low-cost way to publicize your program. Keep it simple and uncluttered, add compelling visuals, and direct your readers to a link for more information (QR codes are great for flyers, posters, and digital signs! However, they should not be included on social media posts.)

Important! Avoid including information about program costs on your materials, especially if you plan to print them. Instead, point students to your Terra Dotta program page.

 

The image below uses university branding to convey a simple message for MUDEC info sessions.

MUDEC Info Session Sample

Align with Miami Brand Identity

Maintaining Miami brand identity is important because your program represents the university: your digital and print materials should look professional and polished.

University Communications and Marketing reviews all branded materials to ensure that communications are consistent across the university.

For internal events (e.g., an info session for students), this means:

  • All materials must include either an official university logo or lock-up.
  • At least one of the university's brand pillars must be portrayed in all materials.
  • Official brand typefaces or an alternate digital typeface must be used.
  • Brand color palette encouraged but not required.
  • Editorial style guide must be followed.

Global Initiatives Support

Student Orientations

Global Initiatives participates in first-year student orientations, including Fall and Spring sessions and transfer student orientations. We staff tables at the resource fairs and offer optional informational sessions for incoming students and families.

Education Abroad/Away Advising and Info Sessions

Education Abroad staff advise prospective students on a "big picture" level when meeting with them during advising sessions. If students are a good fit for your program, we encourage them to apply. Specific advising on faculty-led programs is also available, though we defer to directors on most program details.

We also offer on-demand info sessions throughout the academic year in classrooms, residence halls, student organization chapter meetings, and online.

Application Portal (Terra Dotta)

When approved, Global Initiatives can add your program to our education abroad application portal. This is the source for students to research and find potential programs, and serves as the application site for programs. Students are able to search for programs based on term, location, and field of study. Miami programs are prioritized in the list.

Marketing Resources for Faculty-Led Program Directors

Digital Marketing Channels

Digital Displays

For digital displays, you have several options.

  1. Submit a design to Campus Services, with the potential to reach up to 100,000 views weekly across 75+ digital displays. The ad will be shown for 15 seconds up to 15 times per hour at Armstrong Student Center, Goggin Ice Center, Campus Stores, and the Recreation Sports Center. Cost associated with this work can be expensed to your workshop index. Learn more about Miami University digital display packages.
  2. Check with your divisional or departmental communication staff for their policies on running digital ads in academic buildings that have screens.
  3. Request to display your digital sign in MacMillan Hall’s lobby and ground floor lounge for free! Send your artwork to Karen O'Hara (oharakm@MiamiOH.edu) to initiate this request.

Tips for digital displays

  • Most Miami screens display images at 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels tall (the same ratio as a PowerPoint slide.) 
  • Your sign is a digital billboard which will display for only 15-30 seconds. Keep your design simple and uncluttered.
  • Include a QR code to lead viewers to your website or application page.

Email Marketing

Many students report being overwhelmed by the sheer number of university mailings that hit their inboxes. (See 4 Reasons Students Don't Read Your Emails and How to Change That.) But there are ways to cut through the noise.

Your department may already use Emma, Miami's enterprise email marketing system. Check with your departmental communicator to see whether you can promote your program in an upcoming newsletter.

  • Education Abroad and Global Initiatives send out regular Emma newsletters. Email Karen O'Hara to explore options for featuring your program in one of our upcoming newsletters.

Tips for email messaging

  • Work with your departmental/divisional communicator to strategize how to reach the right people.
  • Keep the message brief.
  • Use clear and direct language: use the word “you” and include action verbs that convey a sense of urgency.

Social Media

Share your program photos: Hashtag #MiamiOHGlobal or tag Miami University Global Initiatives (@MiamiOHGlobal and @MiamiOHAbroad) in your posts for a chance to be reposted.

Snapchat/TikTok/Instagram Takeover: Many students participate in social media takeovers to share their experiences with others. If you’d like to run a social takeover during your program, check with your department/divisional communicator to see if this option is available to you. Identify a promising student as early as possible, then make arrangements before your program launches.

Other Takeover options:

Tips for social media

  • If you are posting on a Miami account, review social media policies and processes with your departmental/divisional communicator.
  • Each platform has different requirements for image sizes. A square layout will work for most of them!
  • Make your post mobile-friendly. Ensure that text on visuals is large enough to be readable. Include alt text to make your images accessible to all.
  • DO NOT include a QR code on social media posts. If you want to include a link, consider using a link shortener like bit.ly or tinyurl, or just include it in the body of the post.
  • Social media is a great place for short videos (1-2 minutes at most). If your video includes spoken word, use captioning tools to make your video accessible to all.

Traditional Marketing Channels

Information Sessions, in person or virtual

After you arrange the room and date, be sure to list your information session on the University Localist Calendar. Add the following filters so we can share the information on our calendar:

  • Group: Choose Global Initiatives and Education Abroad
  • Events by Interest: Choose Global and International

To host a virtual Information Session, set up a meeting in your chosen conferencing tool. Miami has capabilities for Zoom, WebEx, and Google Meet.

Classroom Presentations

Many students cite classroom presentations as one of the major ways they first learned about their study abroad programs. Contact your colleagues teaching courses that are likely to have a targeted student audience, and ask for a few minutes of their class time to share information about your workshop. Get your name, your face, and your enthusiasm for your workshop out in front of a captive audience.

Posters/Flyers

Your posters must align with the Miami brand. There are several tools you can use.

Printing Services

Visit Miami’s printing services to order your posters and other materials.

Publicize the information session

  1. Send the link and access information for the meeting you set up through a listserv maintained by your department and/or other departments with eligible students.
  2. Design and distribute digital and print materials.
  3. Request promotion of your event through Global Initiatives channels by completing this marketing request form.

Final Thoughts

This is a Partnership

We want to help fill and promote programs that create transformative educational experiences that our students have abroad and away: programs that are possible only because of you. We appreciate your commitment and want to continue fostering this working relationship. Let us know if we can help you get the word out!

The Miami Brand

Following the Miami branding guidelines is important because your program represents the university as a whole. It's the best way to ensure that your digital and print materials look professional and polished.

Macmillan Hall
Contact Information

Global Initiatives

214 MacMillan Hall
531 E Spring St.
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-8600 513-529-8608 fax

Château de Differdange

1, Impasse du Château
L-4524 Differdange
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
+352-5822-22-1