How Exeter Business School Reimagined Its Recruitment Journey — and Boosted Enrolments
Summary
Client: University of Exeter Business School
Focus: Recruitment and onboarding experience for international students
Solution: End-to-end journey redesign using insight-led personas, service mapping, and value proposition development
Results: Higher enquiry-to-enrolment conversion, improved student intake quality, and increased revenue for the Business School
The Challenge: Making Recruitment Work for the Modern International Student
Exeter University Business School faced a familiar challenge: its international recruitment processes — while operationally sound — no longer reflected the expectations, behaviours, and decision-making processes of today’s high-value international students.
The experience from enquiry to onboarding was inconsistent, internally focused, and at times disconnected from what students truly needed to feel supported and confident in their choice.
“We knew the experience needed to be more than transactional. We wanted to show students — from their first click — that they mattered.”
— Director of Marketing & Recruitment, Exeter Business School
The Solution: Redesigning the Entire Experience with Students at the Centre
We partnered with Exeter Business School to deliver a complete reimagining of its student recruitment and onboarding experience. Our focus was on strategic clarity, practical tools, and measurable results — all grounded in deep student insight.
Key activities included:
Current-State Experience Mapping
A full audit of the recruitment journey across digital, human, and operational touchpoints — revealing friction points, missed moments, and misaligned messaging.Persona & Journey Design
We created a suite of accurate, insight-based personas representing high-value international students. Using ‘Think-Feel-Do’ methodology, we mapped their motivations, concerns, and expectations — from enquiry to enrolment.Touchpoint Redesign
Every stage of the journey was reworked to better align with student needs: from first contact emails to onboarding content, offer communications, and conversion support.Value Proposition Development
A refined student-facing value proposition was developed — clearly articulating what makes Exeter stand out in a global market, and why students should choose it.
The Results: A Smarter, More Effective Recruitment Experience
Since launch, Exeter Business School has seen a measurable shift in performance across key student recruitment metrics:
✅ Higher conversion rates
More students are progressing from enquiry to enrolment, thanks to clearer messaging and a more personalised experience.🧭 Improved onboarding and engagement
Students arrive better informed, more confident, and with a stronger sense of belonging — improving both retention and satisfaction.🌍 Stronger international appeal
Messaging and brand touchpoints now resonate more deeply with key global markets and agents.💰 Commercial uplift
The improved recruitment performance has contributed directly to increased tuition revenue and enhanced profitability for the Business School.
“We’ve created an experience that reflects who we are — professional, globally minded, and committed to our students’ success from day one.”
— Head of International Recruitment, Exeter Business School
Why It Worked
🎯 Student-first design: We designed around what students think, feel, and need — not just what internal teams want to say
🔍 Insight-driven decisions: Persona-led mapping kept the project rooted in real data and human behaviour
🌐 Cross-channel consistency: The journey works across digital platforms, agents, and in-person interactions
🧱 Built for real teams: The solution was actionable — aligned with the capabilities and goals of recruitment and admissions staff
