THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL DIGITAL NETWORKS ON UNIVERSITIES’ REPUTATION

Digital social networks are widely used by Universities. Universities try to improve the communication with students and other stakeholders by properly using them. The way Universities apply them can have a positive or negative impact on general student’s and other stakeholder’s perception of the University.

This research offers a comparison of the way two Universities, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and Cordoba University, both located in Spain use social digital networks and how this use is impacting their reputation.

For this objective a survey has been sent to representative samples of students and other university partners to know about the perception they have from the information that the university provides in digital social networks.

The survey is composed by a group of questions trying to identify the main objectives that the students and other partners have when interacting via digital network, the quality of technology and processes developed for this interaction and their degree of satisfaction. A factor analysis has been applied by using SPPS.

Results from the study show the importance of having a clear strategy in the way the Universities use digital networks oriented to the pursuing of main university objectives. A clear communication aligned with main institutional objectives in an environment of mutual respect and using the right channel increase the University reputation.