Teaching in Higher Education

Critical Perspectives

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Marketing universities and targeting international

students: a comparative analysis of social media
data trails

Annette Bamberger, Yifat Bronshtein & Miri Yemini

To cite this article: Annette Bamberger, Yifat Bronshtein & Miri Yemini (2020) Marketing
universities and targeting international students: a comparative analysis of social media data
trails, Teaching in Higher Education, 25:4, 476-492, DOI: 10.1080/13562517.2020.1712353

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1712353

Published online: 29 Apr 2020.

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TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION
2020, VOL. 25, NO. 4, 476–492
https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1712353

Marketing universities and targeting international students:

a comparative analysis of social media data trails
a
Annette Bamberger , Yifat Bronshteinb and Miri Yemini b

a
Department of Education, Practice and Society, UCL Institute of Education, London, UK; bDepartment of
Educational Policy and Administration, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY

The competition for international students has spurred higher Received 26 June 2019
education institutions (HEIs) to craft marketing campaigns to appeal Accepted 3 January 2020
to potential students, with social media providing an increasingly
KEYWORDS
prominent platform for such interactions. We analyse the social International students;
media data trails (Facebook posts) of two Israeli HEIs to reveal how marketing and recruitment;
they portray themselves and craft appeals to international students. higher education; social
We reveal two distinct portrayals, closely linked to representations/ media; nation branding
brands of the nation and identify divergent approaches (personal
and institutional) which convey these portrayals. We argue that
these portrayals and approaches build the expectations of
international students for a particular academic experience, while
also constructing the image of the desired international student,
communicating inclusion/exclusion. Thus, this study provides
important insights for understanding the nexus of international
student marketing and recruitment and the datafication of HE.

1. Introduction
Over the past decade social media, online platforms which enable users to create and share
content, has become a common means of managing public relations for private, political,
economic, and social bodies; international organisations; and higher education institutions
(HEIs) (Szczudlińska-Kanoś, Sasak, and Šimanskienė 2017). Social media is widely acces-
sible by the public and is an influential source of information used to foster links among
HEIs; to recruit students; and to manage public relations more widely (Shields 2016). It
has emerged as an important tool for institutional branding, where institutions carefully
craft and promote desirable images of themselves to the public and various targeted
groups. The main way in which social media is harnessed to this task is by creating
digital data through ‘posts’. Belanger, Suchita, and Longden (2014) portray these as part
of the larger phenomenon of the datafication of society, in which digital data is used to
view and explain the world. Analysing digital data, thus provides a powerful way to under-
stand how different educational phenomena are conceptualised, promoted and enacted.
International students have become a key element for many HEIs for economic, aca-
demic, political and social reasons (Maringe 2010). To attract international students,
many HEIs (and nations, see Lomer 2017; Stein 2018) have embarked on rigorous

CONTACT Annette Bamberger [email protected]

© 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
 TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION 477

marketing campaigns, many employing social media (Kuzma and Wright 2013). The mar-
keting messages conveyed to international students by HEIs influence student expec-
tations and actual education experiences (Sleeman, Lang, and Lemon 2016). Thus,
understanding the content of and how HEIs portray themselves to prospective students
on social media is important. Previous studies provide insights into a variety of forms
of social media use in HE marketing practices (e.g. Peruta and Shields 2018; Valerio
et al. 2015), and social media use in student HE decisions (Assimakopoulos et al. 2017;
Constantinides and Stagno 2012). With few notable exceptions (e.g. Bolat and O’Sullivan
2017; Peruta and Shields 2018), less research has analysed the content of the posts, and
existing studies on social media use in HE marketing tend to rely on large-scale quantitat-
ive data analysis, that may not be sensitive to differences among HEIs and nations. More-
over, current research samples are predominantly from HEIs from Anglo-Saxon nations,
and thus, they constitute a rather limited understanding of social media use in marketing
in diverse HEIs on a more global scale. In contrast, we examine in-depth two dissimilarly
positioned HEIs in Israel, a destination for international students that is markedly
different. As a Hebrew-speaking nation with rather few international students and a dis-
tinctive set of political, social and economic characteristics, a study of how Israeli HEIs
portray themselves to prospective international students on social media, may shed
light on the multiplicity of this important emerging phenomenon.
We focus on international student marketing of two Israeli HEIs in a highly stratified
and differentiated system of HE; we analyse their social media data trails to understand
how they present themselves to international students, and how these HEIs build
student expectations and appeal to the desired international student. We examine Tech-
nion Israel Institute of Technology (Technion), an elite public research-intensive global
top-100 university which has prestigious branch campus collaborations in China (Guang-
dong Institute, (GTIIT)) and the US (Cornell University) and specialises in scientific
degrees, with students from the US and Asia as its main target international demographic;
and Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (IDC), an unranked academic college, that does not
receive public funding, offers mainly undergraduate degrees in the social sciences and has
the largest international student body in Israel, chiefly consisting of Jewish students from
the Jewish Diaspora. These HEIs represent diverse missions, disciplines, capabilities and
approaches to teaching, and are differently placed in global and local hierarchies of HE.
Peruta and Shields’ (2018) study reveals that different types of HEIs (e.g. liberal arts,
public universities) in the US context, employ different strategies to market and engage
with students on Facebook. Thus, our initial proposition is that an analysis of diverse
HEIs social media data trails could reveal different portrayals and approaches to inter-
national student marketing with implications for understanding how the datafication of
society impacts on this practice in HE.
We pursue the following lines of inquiry: How do the institutions represent themselves
to potential international students on social media? What do these representations reveal
about HEI approaches and appeals to international student marketing on social media?
How do these representations build international student expectations for their academic
experience? Who is the desired international student represented to be?
To address these questions, we analyse Facebook (FB) posts because this was the social
media platform which both HEIs used intensively in English. Both institutions maintain
FB pages in Hebrew and international pages in English; we analysed the latter because
478 A. BAMBERGER ET AL.

these would contain content designed for international students. FB posts from the inter-
national pages of Technion (95) and IDC (500) were collected over one year (March 2018
– March 2019), a period of time that reflects the scope of an annual marketing cycle. We
employed Qualitative Content Analysis methodology (Schreier 2012) and posts were
inductively coded to determine the type of the posts (e.g. student recruitment; campus
events); the format used (e.g. personal testimonials; videos; pictures); and the kinds of
appeals made (e.g. ‘excellence’; ‘family’; ‘rankings’). Posts were coded by the first and
second authors, compared and discussed; the analysis sought out similarities, differences,
outliers and alternative views, both within and across the two HEIs (Saldaña 2015). As
suggested by the disparity in the number of posts between the institutions, IDC had a
more strategic approach, posting often, around particular events and with professionally
(and student) designed videos, photos and graphics. The largest themes of IDC posts
included: student, staff and alumni personal profiles (136); student recruitment (125);
extra-curricular activities, campus events and student services (92); holiday greetings, cel-
ebrations and wishes (75); news updates (19); and job offers (15). Technion posted less
often, employed a less visually professional style with the largest themes being research
and technological achievements (42); student recruitment (25); and extra-curricular
activities and campus events (25). The analysis revealed two distinctive profiles which
we analyse in sections 3 and 4; illustrative posts are referenced by date and can be
located on the publicly available international FB pages of both HEIs.
We begin by establishing the role of social media in international student marketing
linking this to the datafication of society; we then situate Israel within this literature.
We proceed to analyse Technion and IDC social media data trails. We conclude with a
discussion of the wider implications of the study for understanding the nexus of inter-
national student marketing and recruitment and the datafication of HE.

2. Social media, international student marketing and datafication in HE

In an increasingly competitive environment of HE, social media plays a significant role in
marketing to and recruitment of students (Belanger, Suchita, and Longden 2014; Constan-
tinides and Stagno 2012). International students have become a key element for many
HEIs for economic, academic, political and social reasons (Maringe 2010). To attract
these students, many HEIs have embarked on rigorous marketing campaigns. Assimako-
poulos et al. (2017) argue that HEIs view social media and particularly FB as an efficient
tool for attracting students, chiefly by providing information about the HEI. Social media
studies in HE assert that a significant percentage of prospective students use social media,
particularly FB to collect information and form an impression about the HEI in question
(Peruta and Shields 2017). Hesel (2013) indicates these students are primarily interested in
understanding if they will fit into the learning environment at a particular HEI and thus
learn from social media about current student’s lives, building expectations for an antici-
pated experience.
Fundamental to understanding the relationship between social media marketing and
student expectations for the HE experience is an understanding of the content of the
posts. HE studies have indicated a certain shallowness of HEI marketing based on ideas
of ‘excellence’ ‘world-class’ or other such buzzwords (Hemsley Brown 2012; Oplatka
2002) however, it is precisely the content – and how this builds student expectations –
 TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION 479

that rather less is known. As mentioned previously, much of the research on social media
use in HE marketing focuses on the format of posts (e.g. Peruta and Shields 2018; Valerio
et al. 2015); posting strategies to foster optimal student engagement and relationships (e.g.
Brech et al. 2017; Clark, Fine, and Scheuer 2017); and how students use social media in
their decision of which HEI to attend (Assimakopoulos et al. 2017; Constantinides and
Stagno 2012). Thus, studies on HE social media have held a significant focus on identifying
and promoting ‘best practices.’ With few exceptions (e.g. Bolat and O’Sullivan 2017;
Peruta and Shields 2018), little research has addressed the content of HEI social media
trails, particularly in a qualitative way.
Social media use in HE marketing is considered a common worldwide practice (Assim-
akopoulos et al. 2017), however, much of the empirical work focuses on Western, Anglo-
Saxon nations and HEIs (although a wider variety of countries are represented in the area
of social media as a pedagogical tool in HE (e.g. Chugh and Ruhi 2018; Neier and Zayer
2015)). Thus, HEIs have adopted social media as a strategic tool for marketing and recruit-
ing students, however, rather little is known about how diverse HEIs from a variety of
nations portray themselves to students on social media.
Social media marketing is enabled by digital data and platforms, which are fundamen-
tally changing educational practices and indeed, possibilities. Jarke and Breiter (2019)
argue that data shared through digital platforms created by educational institutions and
stakeholders transforms boundaries (e.g. local/global spaces); relationships between
different actors; and even our conceptualisations about the purposes and definitions of
‘good education.’ Some HE studies address how social media affects and creates relation-
ships, particularly through engagement (as measured by ‘likes’, ‘shares’, etc. see, Peruta
and Shields 2017; Shields 2016), however these studies tend to rely on large scale quanti-
tative data, and do little to advance understanding of the messages that the HEIs might be
conveying. Significantly, despite an association with objective measures such as ‘likes’,
these data are not static or merely technical in nature. Rather, data is created and used
for particular (political) purposes (Williamson 2018). Indeed, social media is used to
shape and propagate certain understandings of people/institutions/phenomena; and pro-
vides clues for inclusion/exclusion and interactions among them – (i.e. how international
students will ‘fit in’ in a certain HEI and which ones are sought) (Hesel 2013; Peruta and
Shields 2017). In this way, the datafication of HE – and use of social media – is an inher-
ently political and social project.

2.1. Israeli HE, international students and marketing

Since its inception in 1948, Israel has been embroiled in an intractable geopolitical conflict.
It is a nation comprised of deeply divided societies with diverse national, ethnic, religious
and social groups. Albeit military and political in nature, this conflict affects all spheres of
Israeli life, including HE and incoming international student mobility. International
student flows are affected by various factors including the unpredictable security situation
in Israel; instability in Jewish communities around the world; regulations which restrict
movement and possibilities for collaboration both among groups in Israel and across
the region; Hebrew as the primary language of instruction; the Boycott, Divestation and
Sanctions movement (BDS); and the founding values of the State as the Jewish nation
which dictates who may live, work and immigrate to the country (Bamberger et al.
480 A. BAMBERGER ET AL.

2019; Yemini 2017). Thus, while the Israeli HE system has at least three universities reg-
ularly placed in the top global university rankings, and demonstrates strong performance
in research, with high publication, citation and patent rates (Marginson 2006); in the
realm of international students, with only 1.4% of its student population coming from
overseas, Israel performs poorly compared to the OECD average of 9% (Bamberger
et al. 2019; Maoz 2016). This recently attracted the attention of the Council for Higher
Education (CHE) – Israel’s central body charged with coordinating the HE system. In a
new multi-year plan announced in July 2017, internationalisation was identified as one
of the key foci, with the goal of doubling international student numbers to 25,000
within five years. Despite low numbers of international students, there is a long history
of engagement with international students, who have been fostered for particular
reasons, and in distinctive ways.
Jewish students from the Diaspora have been catered to in Israeli universities since their
founding in the pre-State period. Beginning in 1955, special programmes aimed at bring-
ing Jewish diaspora youth to Israel in an academic framework have been fostered to
encourage immigration; combat assimilation; build Jewish leadership in the Diaspora;
and promote a relationship with Israel (Bamberger forthcoming). Over time, these inter-
national programmes developed separate infrastructures, and while open to all, and stu-
dents from a variety of backgrounds attended, they were created for a Jewish
population including marketing and recruitment; funding; support services; and formal
and informal curriculum. International degree-seeking students – at the BA and MA
(without thesis) level – continue to be predominately Jewish and are broadly enrolled
in programmes taught in English (Maoz 2016). While these international programmes
may be revenue ventures for some HEIs, the State, non-profit organisations and Jewish
Diaspora organisations provide financial support for international Jewish students with
an eye towards promoting solidarity, Jewish identity and Israel-Diaspora relations
throughout the world (Bamberger 2019b). In addition to the traditional Jewish population
of international programmes, Israel has also historically fostered exchanges and partner-
ships for student mobility, particularly with countries identified as of strategic economic
and political importance. More recently, beginning in 2008 with the opening of a national
TEMPUS office and the subsequent expansion of Erasmus +, there has been an influx of
European students to Israeli campuses. Furthermore, since 2012 there have been signifi-
cant government initiatives to bring closer collaboration with China and India – including
sponsorship of Chinese and Indian research students (MA thesis, PhD, and post-docto-
rate) – with academic cooperation forming a basis for partnership.
The CHE plan builds on these established patterns and aims to expand the intake of two
categories of international students: (1) research students with a special focus on China and
India; and (2) excellent Jewish students, particularly from the US and Canada. The policy
documents emanating from the CHE reveal the drivers behind these new policies: Israel
hopes to build close economic and political relationships with these countries, while
strengthening the academic level of its HEIs and its research and development capabilities
to compete in the ‘global knowledge economy’ (Bamberger 2019b; Maoz 2016). The overall
outcome is that Israel targets two distinct strands of international students: (1) research stu-
dents, particularly from countries with which Israel wants to improve economic and political
ties; and (2), students from the Jewish Diaspora, connecting to the identity of the State as the
Jewish homeland. Increasingly these patterns are framed by the purposefully hierarchical
 TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION 481

and stratified nature of the Israeli HE system: universities as elite research institutions that
view the creation of knowledge as their primary mission; and colleges, as second-tier insti-
tutions that are primarily oriented towards teaching (Shavit et al. 2003; Yogev 2000). Little is
understood about how diverse Israeli HEIs market their programmes to international stu-
dents, particularly through new digital platforms, such as social media. As attracting inter-
national students becomes an institutional and national aim, and marketing efforts increase
system-wide, an investigation of the portrayals on social media of different HEIs is particu-
larly timely. In the following we present our analysis.

3. Technion: a prestigious research experience

Located in Haifa and founded in 1912, Technion, was the first polytechnic university
established in pre-State Israel. It focuses on sciences, engineering and related fields and
views itself as a premiere science and technology research university. It is a publicly
funded institution that dedicates itself to ‘the creation of knowledge and the development
of human capital and leadership, for the advancement of the State of Israel and all human-
ity’ (Kirsh 2013). Its national mission is expressed through development of applied
research and technology for national purposes, particularly national defence and the cre-
ation of technological industries. Technion was ranked 77th in the Shanghai ranking
(ARWU 2018) and by this measure, it is the highest ranking Israeli HEI.
While Technion has a long history of accommodating international students and new
immigrants, Technion International, its institutional infrastructure for international stu-
dents and teaching in English was created only in 2009. It specialises in science and tech-
nology areas and offers summer, gap-year, semester, and academic degree programmes at
the undergraduate and post-graduate level. Technion International hosts about 1100 stu-
dents from more than 50 countries annually, however, this is only about 8% of its student
body. Moreover, the percentage of Jewish students out of all international students at the
Technion is relatively low and reaches only about 13% (Maoz 2016).

3.1. Leveraging the start-up nation

Technion posts emphasised a strong connection with the State, based around the percep-
tion of Israel as a ‘Start-Up Nation;’ Israel was widely described as a centre for entrepre-
neurial success, and ‘cutting-edge technology.’ Technion also attributed national successes
in this area to its own role in training Israel’s scientists. Thus, the successes of Technion
graduates around the world were part of the marketing of the institution as a pillar of the
‘Start-up Nation.’
Israel has been named as one of 16 global ‘innovation champions’ by leading American trade
organization Consumer Technology Association (CTA). What is our secret? Many entrepre-
neurs and start-up creators come from the Technion. (9 January 2019)

Alumni successes were flaunted, and these achievements were linked to scientific and
entrepreneurial successes, that highlighted the connection to this nation brand.
Technion alumni creating the technology of the future … .Yoav Zangvil cofounder of #Reg-
ulusCyber. He majored in robotics, dynamics and control systems at the #Technion. Are you
a visionary and an entrepreneur? Study at the Technion. (6 May 2018)
482 A. BAMBERGER ET AL.

The focus on the ‘Start-Up Nation’ silenced other narratives of Israel and lived realities of
cultural tensions and the intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Likewise, the complexity
of the city of Haifa (a mixed city of Arabs and Jews) were not addressed in the posts. The
city was portrayed as a modern, technological and industrial city, with natural beauty and
plenty of attractions.
Technion is located in Haifa. This ancient port city has flourished into a modern style, futur-
istic city with high tech centres and various industry areas, featuring sandy beaches, forest
and many other attractions that make studying at the Technion even more special. (7
August 2018)

Thus, while Technion employed Israel’s nation brand of ‘Start-Up Nation’ as a way to
market itself to potential students, it also portrayed Haifa in an idyllic way. These portrayals
of the nation and locale, primed students for an experience in a technologically advanced
nation, while ignoring more complicated aspects of the lived reality in these places.

3.2. A prestigious research institution: global rankings, international

partnerships, and academic staff
Technion portrayed itself as a prestigious institution, focused on research, technology and
industrial application. Its prestige was evidenced by reference to global rankings; inter-
national partnerships; and student and academic staff achievements. Through reference
to global rankings Technion communicated its placement in the top hierarchy of HEIs.
For example, it highlighted its place in the Shanghai International Ranking (ARWU)
for 2018.
Technion has been ranked 77 in the annual list of world’s best universities published by the
Academic Ranking of World Universities 2018, also known as Shanghai Ranking. This year
Technion went up 16 places from last year’s! (15 August 2018)

Likewise, 42 posts (of 95) dealt with international research partnerships and competitions
in areas of applied research.
The scientific accomplishments of Technion were flaunted through achievements of its
academic staff and 14 posts were devoted to particular researcher achievements (not per-
sonal biographies):
What is so special about Technion’s academic staff? Their passion and accomplishments.
Studying at the Technion is learning from the best. Meet Prof … (27 July 2018)

Students (anonymously and as a group) were also highlighted in their capacity to join and
contribute to the international scientific prestige of Technion:
When studying Mechanical Engineering at the Technion you have the opportunity to be part
of a winning team! The Technion Formula Student Group was ranked #35th in the inter-
national competition and 5th in the show’s pitch for investors in the world in the Formula
Student Germany. (21 August 2018)

In sum, Technion portrayed itself as a prestigious research-oriented institution, primarily

through its global ranking, international research achievements, and academic staff and
student research achievements. Students were portrayed as academically strong and as
contributors to scientific achievements.
 TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION 483

3.3. Institutional portrayals, learning expectations and desired international

students
Technion, a globally ranked elite research institution, presented itself as a prestigious aca-
demic institution. It conveyed this through an emphasis on global standards and rankings,
particularly highlighting its international research cooperation and scientific achievements
of students and academic stuff with a significant emphasis on industrial applications. In
this way, the profile of the Technion, was similar to many other research-intensive top uni-
versities around the world. However, Technion also actively employed nation branding
tropes (i.e. ‘Start-up Nation’) to promote its academic programmes and credited itself
(and its alumni) with national successes in entrepreneurship. Any mention of the intract-
able conflict was avoided and the local experience in Haifa, a mixed Jewish and Arab city,
was essentialised to its industrial advantages and geographical qualities. Students were
appealed to by academic achievements and entrepreneurial successes. This profile
primed students for an academically challenging experience, in a top university in a tech-
nologically advanced and entrepreneurial ‘Start-Up Nation.’ The desired international
student would ideally fit into this profile, with a strong academic background in the
sciences and a desire to pursue applied sciences. Notably absent in the discourse were per-
sonal stories that relate to a national or personal identity of students, rather the focus is on
academic achievements.

4. IDC: an international homeland academic experience

IDC, established in 1994, was Israel’s first academic college that did not receive govern-
ment funding; it was founded with the aspiration to become the first non-governement
budgeted university in Israel. It aims ‘to train the future leaders of the State of Israel, to
nurture a financial, political, technological, and legal leadership of the highest caliber’
(IDC 2019). It espouses libertarian ideas of freedom from government intervention,
while simultaneously ‘maintaining a Zionist philosophy … ’ and ‘striving to strengthen
the State of Israel’ (IDC 2019). Thus, despite being an institution which does not
receive government funding, it has a national mission and through its academic pro-
grammes, aims to bolster national aims and ideologies. IDC promotes an interdisciplinary
approach and the combination of academic knowledge with practical skills and experi-
ence. It offers degrees in the social sciences, with practical applications and a focus on
the business (e.g. entrepreneurial; technology; start-ups) field while also touting social
responsibility and a commitment to the community.
The Raphael Recanati International School (RRIS), the institutional infrastructure for
international students and teaching in English at IDC, specialises in academic degree pro-
grammes (as opposed to semester, gap or study abroad programmes) and offers under-
graduate and post-graduate degrees in Government, Business Administration,
Economics, Communications, Psychology, and Computer Science. It was founded as an
international expression of the Zionist mission of IDC ‘ … with the shared hope and
desire to tighten the connection between Jews in the diaspora and in Israel.’ (3 January
2019) It was established in 2001, during the Second Intifada (Palestinian Uprising), a
time when many international students ceased coming to Israel. Reflecting on this
period and the role of the project for the institution’s Zionist mission, in a FB post, the
484 A. BAMBERGER ET AL.

philanthropic founder noted, ‘ … it was unclear if this important Zionistic project would
get off of the ground’ (3 January 2019). However, almost 20 years later, RRIS hosts about
2,000 students from more than 80 different countries, making it the largest international
student campus both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of its overall student body
(about 30%) in Israel. International students at IDC, are overwhelmingly Jewish (about
95%) (Maoz 2016).

4.1. Belonging in the homeland; learning in the Start-Up nation

IDC posts expressed a strong connection with the State of Israel, based around its identity
as the national homeland of the Jewish people. Personal student stories espoused a desire
to study in Israel, as a homeland experience. International students’ stories particularly
emphasised this connection to ‘home’ and ‘family’ often combined with a desire to
serve the State through volunteer and military service.
One day I received a call from a friend who was ready to return to the homeland. Together we
made Aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel) and … both joined the army … and now both
attending IDC together. This country has given me a family I could only wish for. That’s
why I decided to go IDC. I want to continue my journey in this little country we call
home! What better way to study than in the country we come from! (25 October 2018)

While less common, studying at the IDC was also depicted in line with Israel as the place
of Jewish refuge from persecution or instability in other countries. For example, a 21 year-
old student from Singapore delineated his family’s Jewish heritage, and finished by
proclaiming:
I chose IDC because I wanted to be in a place where I didn’t have to hide my identity. (29
January 2019)

While a student from Turkey noted:

I’ve been always passionate about coming to Israel and build my life here, where I can express
my Jewish identity freely. (3 July 2018)

Administrative staff profiles mirrored student stories, and detailed their international
backgrounds, Aliyah stories, and a strong idealistic connection to their work and align-
ment with the mission of IDC:
I made Aliya when I was 18 and joined [the IDF] … Israel was always my home and I am a
Zionist at heart. This is why I chose IDC when I finished the army … Now I work [at IDC]
… IDC is a home to me, and … I love marketing the RRIS and being part of this family! It
feels like a true Shlichoot [mission]! Associate Director of International Marketing. (13 June
2018)

While the previous discourse of Israel as homeland could be perceived as exclusive to

Jewish students, some student profiles also focused on advocacy for Israel, given Israel’s
contentious image in many regions in the world. These posts communicated inclusion
in the IDC community based not on ethnoreligious lines, but along political lines.
I am here to further my knowledge, to publicly advocate for Israel correctly and diplomati-
cally in order to keep Israel safe and on the map forever … With over 80 representing
countries there is a strong growing love for Israel showed from every student studying
 TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION 485

here, regardless of their heritage. The most important is the message they will bring back to
their countries about Israel, and I’m glad to be a small part of it. (26 August 2018)

Advocacy for the State supports the aims of IDC and a Vice-President and the Head of the
RRIS, emphasising this point in a promotional article in Haaretz (posted on RRIS FB, 30
October 2018) noted:
25 years ago, a former army base was transformed into a campus striving to creatively
educate the future leaders of Israel and the world; to encourage and develop global ambas-
sadors for the State of Israel and the Jewish People.

In addition to the homeland views of Israel, similar to Technion, IDC posts also made fre-
quent mention of Israel as the ‘Start-Up Nation’ and as a centre of innovation and entre-
preneurship. Many of the academic programmes were tied to this reputation (e.g. in its
Business; Entrepreneurship; and even Communications degree programmes), or
through Israel’s precarious position in the Middle East and its perceived expertise in Inter-
national Relations, Counter-Terrorism, and Conflict Resolution.
Israel is also known as the Start-up Nation of the of the world! For the first time in Israel
Entrepreneurship program is offered in English at IDC Herzliya! Join us today and
become one of those people that help change the world. (24 April 2018)

‘Combining Zionism and academic excellence’! Not only do we have a new entrepreneurship
BA degree and a new MBA in healthcare, we’re also on our way to becoming the first private
University in Israel! (2 April 2018)

While posts highlighting the ‘Start-Up Nation’ promoted degree programmes, alumni
were also profiled as a connection to employability in the ‘Start-Up Nation.’ Alumni
profiles featured pictures, country of origin, programme graduated from and current pos-
ition. These portraits convey the possible employment outcomes – on an international
scale – of a degree from IDC in the ‘Start-Up Nation.’
In sum, personal spotlights of both students and staff highlighted multiple identities
and brands of Israel. On the one hand, IDC relied heavily on portrayals of Israel as the
Jewish homeland, which were evidenced by student profiles that highlighted a feeling of
family and home as well as a commitment to supporting the national homeland, either
through Aliyah, service in national institutions or advocacy. On the other hand, IDC
posts highlighted the nation brand of Israel as a technological and innovative ‘Start-Up
Nation’ through its academic offerings and alumni spotlights. Thus, IDC marketing
relied heavily on national identities and brands and aimed to attract international students
who would share and be attracted by these attributes and values.

4.2. Supporting international students

IDC portrayed itself to have extensive student support orientation/services. First-year stu-
dents are assigned counsellors, advanced students who provide guidance about integration
into Israel and academic life. In 2018–19, there were 25 such counsellors, and at the begin-
ning of the academic year, they were introduced under the hashtag #MeetTheCounselor
with photos, short biographies (which usually included military service, volunteer activi-
ties and an international background), their reasons for becoming counsellors and an invi-
tation to connect and guide the student.
486 A. BAMBERGER ET AL.

I became an RRIS Counsellor because I am dedicated to helping people reach their full poten-
tial and conquer their goals. I believe that with the right tools, support and mindset you can
accomplish incredible things in this tiny, crazy and amazing country. I am here to help stu-
dents coming to IDC from across the globe to do exactly that. (4 October 2018)

The profiles of the counsellors reinforced the profile of the institution and the desired
international student, while also conveying the message about an infrastructure in place
to integrate and orient students.
This emphasis on student support was evident in profiles of administrative staff who
were profiled under the hashtag #StaffoftheWeek and held positions from student
housing, to financial aid, admissions, visa and Aliyah assistance, army coordination,
and extracurricular activities. The staff were likewise portrayed with their pictures, pos-
itions, a brief biography (highlighting Zionist experiences and values; and international
experience) and espoused a student-oriented mentality:
… IDC has been my second home from home for over ten amazing years and I am in charge
of the Housing Project … RRIS holds a very special place in my heart and of course above all
you the students! (15 May 2018)

The academic staff, while less prominent in the posts overall, was portrayed in a service
and support partnership with the students. As one student put it:
What I love most about studying at IDC is that students matter. The faculty actually cares
about what the students have to say and our experiences at school. Being a class rep I had
the opportunity to work closely with the faculty and it’s amazing how much they take us
into consideration when making academic decisions … . (24 July 2018)

The attitude of support and service was also in evidence at the most senior levels of the
institution. Highlighting this mentality, a Vice-President and the Head of the RRIS, in a
post advertising an information session, noted:
My door is always open and I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you!
(March 13, 2018)

These posts presented a student-support orientated institution, particularly through

student testimonies and profiles of its staff. Having a name, a face and even personal
details about the person who is tasked with housing, financial aid, international activities,
provides assurances about a level of care for students coming from abroad. This support
orientation reinforced the ‘family’ aspect referred to by many students in their description
of IDC. Prospective students could thus expect an academic experience, that would be
defined by support from administrative and academic staff.

4.3. An international institution through international individuals

A central aspect of IDC posts was the international character of the institution. This was
expressed through flaunting its international student body, administrative staff (as noted
above), academic exchange programmes, and through its medium of instruction: English.
It’s slogan, ‘Live in Israel, Study in English’ reiterated the proposition of the institution.
IDC offers an opportunity to meet people from around the world, through instruction
in English, however it emphasises the primacy of the country (homeland) experience –
of living in Israel.
 TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION 487

Image 1. RRIS student body statistics (14 October 2018).

The international character of the institution was conveyed through posts (e.g. holiday
greetings; recruitment activities) in numerous languages, including world maps with stat-
istics of the study body (see Image 1), and through the profiles of the students and staff
representing a wide range of personal or family migration stories.
Unlike Technion, the international character of the institution was not expressed in
academic achievements or global rankings, rather, it was heavily based on individuals.
Global rankings were likely not discussed because IDC does not appear in such rankings,
however, the national statistics released by the CHE, that IDC had the largest international
student body in Israel – in both absolute numbers and as a percentage of its student body –
were widely publicised on FB. This ranking served as the focus of the 70th anniversary of
the creation of the State (#70YearsforIsrael). Campaign posts were tagged with hashstags
#2KinternationalStudents, #86Countries, #35Languages and touted the national ranking:
IDC Herzliya is the most international academic institution in Israel * According to a report
of the Council for Higher Education, 2016. (8 April 2018)

Overall, the significant emphasis on the international student body of IDC, indicates that
prospective students would likely expect to be taught in international classrooms, in a
highly diverse environment.

4.4. Extra-curricular activities: fostering community and personal connections

About a quarter of the posts were used to advertise social and cultural events, trips, sports
and activities. The events showcased included trips around the country (e.g. orientation
488 A. BAMBERGER ET AL.

trip to the south of Israel; spring trip to the north of Israel) to become more familiar with
the country; Jewish religious events (e.g. Hanukkah parties; Shabbat dinners); national
events (e.g. Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony; Yom HaZikaron – Israel Remem-
brance Day Ceremony); sports teams, events and competitions; AEPi (a Jewish fraternity)
events; volunteering opportunities; and special events like the International Food Festival
and the graduation ceremony. The importance of this social aspect of the school for inter-
national students was highlighted in student stories and profiles. Events and activities were
viewed as a way to explore Israel, and to form social bonds and networks. For example,
students noted:
I was able to enrich my understanding and love of Israel both inside and outside of the class-
room. I learned about the many different cultures and backgrounds that make up the IDC
student population through fun events and festivals. (8 July 2018)

These activities are portrayed as creating social bonds among students from very different
(yet similar) backgrounds and connections to the country with a significant part of the
activities centred around exploring Israel, its culture and people. However, despite
having great diversity in their countries of origin, the student body is united in that
they are overwhelmingly Jewish (about 95%). These social activities developed a bond
to a homeland and to a social group, fostering both cosmopolitan and Jewish ethnic iden-
tity capital (see Bamberger 2019a). These activities prepare international students for
extensive informal learning opportunities that will build international social networks
and familiarity with the study country.

4.5. Institutional portrayals, learning expectations and desired international

students
IDC, an unranked and non-government funded academic college, presented itself as an
international academic experience that built on the identity of the Jewish nation; and
the nation brand of ‘Start-Up Nation.’ Intricately linked with these dual identities of the
nation, IDC portrayed itself as a student-oriented institution that provided support to stu-
dents – academically, administratively and socially; as an institution that would provide a
diverse and international learning environment; and as an institution with an emphasis on
extra-curricular activities that would provide extensive informal learning opportunities. It
conveyed this message in a highly personal manner with 136 posts, or over a quarter of the
overall posts, consisting of personal profiles and stories of students, and to a lesser extent,
alumni, administrative and academic staff. These posts featured a photo of the person,
their country of origin and programme of study (or area of responsibility for administra-
tive and academic staff) with a brief personal history and their reasons for choosing IDC,
experience or views of IDC. In addition to these personal profiles, almost all posts con-
tained pictures of students, which were labelled with their personal information. Posts
were often tagged with the names of the students, facilitating the circulation of the
posts within their FB network. Through its personal approach to marketing, IDC
exuded a strong sense of belonging and the desired international student was appealed
to along ethnoreligious and political lines. IDC positioned itself as an institutional base
between the transnational Jewish Diaspora and the national Jewish homeland, and
builds on diaspora sentiments, relations and routes of mobility. Pointedly, these IDC
 TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION 489

portrayals lacked a focus on research, high academic level or prestige, and furthermore,
given the homeland and Start-Up Nation representations of Israel, attention was
deflected away from Israel as a place of intractable conflict.

5. Discussion and conclusion

Through analysis of the FB posts of two Israeli HEIs, we reveal two distinctive profiles
which indicate divergent portrayals of the HEIs and approaches to international student
marketing, outside of the Anglophone nations/HEIs. This study has important insights
for understanding digital data, social media and its role in international student market-
ing, with implications for understanding the political and social contexts of datafication in
HE.
HE marketing has been widely conceived of as an institutional practice in which pres-
tige and institutional achievements are flaunted to attract students (Hemsley Brown and
Oplatka 2006; Oplatka 2002). While Technion aligned with this type of marketing, IDC
employed a very different approach that relied heavily on personal stories and profiles
of its international student body, and to a lesser extent alumni, administrative and aca-
demic staff. Importantly, this approach has been very successful and IDC attracts more
international students than Technion. Despite its lower ranking (both nationally and
internationally), employing a personal approach and a distinctive offering to international
students, IDC has effectively disrupted the hierarchies of HEIs. This personal approach
focusing on Jewish identity is facilitated by a digital platform which allows for rich
visual and written data to be conveyed, and also circulated within a network through
options such as tagging. Thus, this study suggests that the datafication of international
student marketing has facilitated varied marketing approaches and appeals for diverse
international students. In this way the datafication of international student marketing
can be understood as a complex fusion of diverse appeals, approaches and portrayals
which communicate a range of ideas, interwoven with particular academic, political,
social and cultural concerns. We further argued that these appeals, approaches and por-
trayals build the expectations of international students for a particular academic experi-
ence, while also constructing the desired international student. In this way, the
datafication of HE communicates inclusion/exclusion of students and shapes students’
expectations.
Previous research highlights the importance of the destination country in international
student decision making, noting the importance of perceptions of country as a place for
quality education; fun; and safety among others (Ben-Tsur 2009; Mazzarol and Soutar
2002). However, this study sheds light on the use and importance of nation branding in
international student marketing, demonstrating that nations can be portrayed in signifi-
cantly different ways by HEIs, depending on their mission, capabilities, relationship to
the State, academic disciplines, and intended target international student. Furthermore,
it indicates that nation brands and identities are multiple, can be crafted towards
diverse purposes, and may be used as a floating signifier. This suggests that nation
brands may also signify who is desired, and who belongs not only in a particular HEI
but also in a particular nation. Importantly, in both institutions, the emphasis on these
nation brands in marketing themselves to international students, were crafted in such a
way as to conceal more complicated and potentially unappealing features of the nation.
490 A. BAMBERGER ET AL.

This resonates with Stein’s (2018) analysis of the Canadian EduBrand, a national branding
campaign for HE, which she argues portrays an idyllic image of Canada that whitewashes
alternative, less desirable views of the nation while also building international student
expectations. These findings highlight the importance of analysing the political and
social aspects of datafication in HE and how these, in conjunction with technological
tools, affect the approaches of and appeals to recruitment of international students. As
more nations embark on branding themselves as destinations for international students,
our findings highlight the importance of analysing nation branding (e.g. Dinnie 2016),
and its implications for the HE sector, HEIs, and global patterns of student and scholar
mobility.
This study highlights how the datafication of international student marketing has facili-
tated new approaches, which draw heavily on the individual; and appeals towards inter-
national students along diasporic/ethnoreligious identities, and political views, outside
the widespread appeals of ‘excellence’ and ‘prestige.’ Furthermore, the significant role of
the nation – albeit as an interpretation of the particular HEI – indicates both the impor-
tance of place and nation brands, but also the multiplicity and even the emptiness of the
concept of the ‘nation’ in HEI marketing. More research is needed to understand how
nation brands for HE are created and their relationship with HEIs international student
marketing. But also, more broadly, how political and social agendas in conjunction with
digital platforms shape the inherently political project of datafication in HE. As nations
and HEIs vie ever harder for international students, we can anticipate increased inter-
national student marketing, and enlarged nation branding campaigns for HE, which
will almost certainly use digital platforms/social media.

Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID
Annette Bamberger http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8006-5557
Miri Yemini http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5633-6473

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