Last month GMAC undertook a survey to understand how we can better support you in your role. Thank you to the 384 people who responded. The questions sought to understand the resources you turn to for information, how coverage of topics should change, and how you prefer to receive information.
The survey asked about the specific resources used to get information or news about the industry. While some responses were generic (websites, events, etc.), among those identifying a specific resource, media are the most influential source of information in aggregate (61%). This group includes traditional news media (particularly the Financial Times), education publications (e.g. Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed), and GME media (e.g. Poets & Quants). Again, looking solely at responses where a resource was named, 51% look to industry organisations, with GMAC most frequently cited (39%). Taken together, these two findings illustrate the importance of ensuring GMAC research is covered in the media. Lastly, personal networks and colleagues were mentioned by 27% of respondents.
GMAC aims to keep you updated on a range of topics but we wondered if there are certain topics we should increase – or decrease – coverage of. Student Recruitment, Application Trends, and Program Marketing were the three areas for which over 40% of respondents want coverage to increase. Among those in leadership roles, more insights into Market Trends were also sought.
Free text responses enabled you to tell us what increased coverage looks like. Aside from a hunger for more data, more frequently, you also want us to help you find – and share – strategies and best practices to address challenges, particularly around Student Recruitment.
Beyond the broad topics GMAC currently covers, the Council also sought your view on specific issues. Responses here were framed by the local context: North American schools consider it essential GMAC does more to address: 1. under-represented populations, 2. race and equity in business schools, and 3. student decision-making; while schools in Europe and Asia-Pacific were aligned around: 1. student decision-making, 2. international student flows, and 3. issues local to them.
How information is accessed demonstrated some clear preferences. The survey asked you to indicate the methods you regularly use to keep up to date. Reading articles or papers and speaking to colleagues or networks both garnered the most responses (78%). There were also differences by region: North Americans put greater weight on newsletters (67% vs 54% EUR, 56% APAC); Europeans leverage articles less than those from other regions (69% vs 82% NA, 83% APAC); while those from APAC depend least on their network (71% vs 80% for both NA and EUR).
As this short summary outlines, findings from the survey will help frame our content and event strategy for 2021. A couple of areas we are specifically working on will be to increase the number of briefing documents and use infographics more frequently to communicate research findings.
We appreciate the time you took to respond to the survey and will be further evaluating how we can do more to help you share and learn from each other, celebrate successes, and develop best practices.
You can access a PowerPoint of the results on the media page of gmac.com (login required).