A Higher Ed Year in Review at Unibuddy

As the year draws to a close, it’s a good moment for all of us to reflect on where we’ve been and what we’ve achieved. For me, it’s been an enormous source of pride to see how you, our partner institutions, are empowering more students than ever on their journey to higher education – instilling the confidence they need to take the next step to a future which is right for them. 

Here are some of the amazing Unibuddy wins from 2022 which stand out for me:

Improving higher ed access through the power of conversation

Over six million messages were sent across Unibuddy’s higher ed platform this year alone. And, whether to alleviate higher ed fears, offer educational insight or simply to provide reassurance, that’s six million opportunities to make a meaningful impact. Every interaction is momentous in a prospective student’s story.

Related: The Higher Education Data You Need to Make Prospective Students Welcome

Take the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, for example. More than 2,500 prospective students used Unibuddy this year, each conversation leaving them more informed and more confident than they were before.

And the team at NYU Tandon in New York saw firsthand the impact those conversations have on student confidence: Unibuddy users were 85% more likely to enroll compared to their wider pool of prospective students. 

Related: See more customer success stories.

By increasing our reach we increase our community

Over the past year, we’ve seen our community of amazing partner universities and colleges grow to more than 600. This group of higher ed institutions hail from all corners of the world, spanning across every continent – and growing! I am absolutely thrilled to see the many unique different ways and cases we are helping our partners address, solve and succeed in their higher ed goals – helping them connect with students everywhere, anywhere on any device.  

Strong communities start with strong foundations

As we spend time with those closest to us, the holidays are a perfect moment to reflect on those around us and those dear to us: our friends, our family and our community. We can often take for granted the power and support we draw from our community for all of life’s biggest decisions – including where to study higher ed.  

That’s why it’s been a privilege to see the response to the launch of our newest product, aptly named Unibuddy Community. This platform, which is a part of our larger Unibuddy Platform, enables both prospective and current students that might be feeling nervous, lonely or apprehensive to connect with other incoming students in a safe and secure way. 

So many of our partners are Unibuddy Community, that are having an impact on their confidence today, and will no doubt be a part of their stories for years to come. Take the  communities created by Bournemouth University in the UK, for example, where more than 17,000 messages have been exchanged by prospective students finding friends and building that sense of belonging. Or consider the admitted students community at Hunter College in the US, where more than 3000 students have joined – making friends and forming bonds that will last through their course and beyond. They’re feeling more confident and a true sense of belonging – kudos! 

A sneak peak at Unibuddy in 2023

And now, as we look ahead to 2023, we’re excited for our biggest year yet! We’re planning to roll out a new way to combine the human connections our platform was built on, with personalized recommendations. Students will be able to get the information and insight they need, at just the right moment, to help propel them forward with confidence. 

I can’t wait to share more with you in the New Year.

On behalf of all of us at Unibuddy, Happy Holidays. However you’re spending the festive season, I hope you get some rest, and I hope you too can take a moment to reflect on where you’ve been and what you’ve achieved this year.

We can’t wait to see what the future holds as we continue to work together.

• Diego Fanara, CEO & Co-Founder, Unibuddy