Market Assessment

BACKGROUND

The University has set ambitious targets to grow and diversify its international student population. To support this process from 2010 onwards, the Market Insights team within the External Relations Directorate have provided an initial assessment of the market potential, especially the international market, for current and new taught postgraduate degree programmes, undergraduate programmes, online distance learning courses including MOOCs, PGCerts. Assessments are also conducted for any major changes to existing programmes (e.g. title change, change in delivery mode or key courses). 

A market assessment determines the degree of market opportunity that a potential programme offers. This is based on both quantitative market data and feedback from the central and College recruitment, conversion and marketing teams.

Some of the main data sources employed include HESA student recruitment numbers, competitor data and labour market insights. HESA data provides historical recruitment trends. Additional external data sources provide information on the levels of interest from prospective students for key competitor programmes. Labour market insights looks at the trends in the job market and further supports programme design by identifying key skills which can subsequently feed into course/programme design. Taken together, these all help to provide an overview of what is happening in the current market place.

The assessment provides College Recruitment Teams with an overall rating for the new programme. This process has been included by the Academic Policy & Governance, as part of the Course and Programme Design and Approval process.

The Market Insights team also provide a tuition fee recommendation based on competitor benchmarking as a standard part of the market assessment report. IELTS requirements for competitor programmes will be included from 2025.

 

THE PROCESS

MARKET ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE

In order for a meaningful assessment to be carried out, a market assessment questionnaire was developed in consultation with key College contacts, which is used to provide the background, the purpose and intended audience for the programme being introduced. Other areas which are of interest include:

  • Unique selling points, such as ranking, accreditation, internship, field trip etc.
  • Career path and employability enhancement for the students, e.g. built in work experience, or job opportunities
  • Any information to support tuition fee setting, e.g. high teaching costs, special funding agreement, partnership MoU/MoA requirements etc.

Programme proposers are asked to complete the Market Assessment Request Questionnaire‌ (must be completed in Adobe Reader). For further information please contact:

Allison Chudleigh, Market Insight Officer
External Relations
Email: externalrelations-marketintelligence@glasgow.ac.uk

 

THE RESULTS

The Assessment Document

The final report is typically delivered within 15 working days after acknowledging receipt of the market assessment questionnaire.

The current assessment model consists of five sections: 

  • Comments by the College Recruitment Conversion Marketing Managers on the School/College strategic fit and industrial trend and policy fit, and comments by the University recruitment  team based on their experiences engaging with agents and students
  • Programme information of existing competitor programmes in Scotland and the UK
  • HESA recruitment figures to UK competitor programmes
  • User engagement analytics from external programme listing sites and labour market insight data on demand and skills
  • An overall rating is provided (High, Medium/High, Medium, Medium/Low, Low)

 

The results are presented in the final Market Assessment document. The overall rating refers to the degree of market opportunity based on meeting the following criteria:

High will be determined by:
  • Regions – excellent strategic fit
  • College - excellent strategic fit
  • Unique selling points
  • Links to professional bodies
  • Clearly defined career path
  • Placement opportunities/project work/fieldwork trips
  • Market opportunity
Medium will be determined by:
  • ‘Some’ expected registrations
  • ‘Some’ selling points but not unique
  • ‘some’ links with professional bodies
  • ‘Some’ reference to career path
  • Modules may require further development
  • 'Some' College strategic fit
  • ‘Some’ market opportunities but may not be from ‘expected’ markets
Low will be determined by:
  • Fewer expected registrations than listed above
  • No selling points
  • No link with professional bodies
  • No clearly defined career path
  • No College strategic fit
  • High market saturation
  • Modules not in line with market requirements/competitor opportunities
  • Little collaboration with industry and employers
  • No accreditation by professional bodies