Assessing the Use of Social Media in Internal Communication in Higher Education Agencies: the Case of Commission for University Education and Higher Education Loans Board
Abstract
This study sought to explore the use of social media in higher education agencies, focusing on
the Commission for University Education (CUE) and Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
The study made use of a case study design with mixed methodologies in data collection which
comprised of content review of the agencies’ social media platforms, questionnaires to members
of staff across departments of CUE and HELB, and key informant interviews to the two
agencies’ Corporate Managers. Findings indicated the presence and use of social media as
communication platform in higher education agencies which had been integrated with other
corporate communication platforms such as websites, branded materials, seminars &
conferences, outreach programmes for synthesized and mainstreamed corporate message.
However, in the integration process, the findings informed that it should carefully be done so as
not to lose the distinct respective corporate identities. An intra and inter working approach need
also to be devised for ownership and inclusivity in the management of the social media
platforms. Communication Offices were viewed as best suited to champion management of the
higher education agencies’ respective social media platforms. The study also found out the need
to constitute Corporate Communication Advisory Committees whose membership should be
drawn from functional areas of the higher education agencies as per the agencies organizational
structures. The Management (decision makers) of the higher education agencies having been
found not to be fully supporting the management of social media platforms, there was need for
the Management to be part of the team driving the use of social media in the agencies under their
leadership. The decision makers would participate by such means as membership to the Advisory
Committees, commit the necessary resources as well as designate a team with clear terms of
reference to be fully responsible in the managing their respective social media platforms.
Further, the study established that there was general lack of knowledge of social media related
policies despite them being in place in the HE agencies with majority not adhering to the
requirements of the social media related policies. The study also identified various benefits to the
higher education agencies in their use of social media to communicate. Such included them
being a vital feedback tool, resolve inquiries and complaints and communicate higher education
agencies’ various services and events. A number of challenges and risks such as cyber attacks,
staff apathy, lack of requisite infrastructure were identified to affect the use of HE agencies’
social media. Measures such as regular monitoring, putting in place guidelines on social media
operations, lobbying for Management support, training of staff, provision of requisite hard and
software infrastructure were proposed to mitigate against the challenges and risks to better
corporate communication efforts of using social media communication in higher education
agencies.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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