Social media for universities’ strategic communication

Abstract

In the field of digitalisation and the acceptance of technologies, African universities are seriously behind the movement of their counterparts in Europe, the USA, and Asia. At a time when universities in different continents are facing increasing competition, they have come to realise that social media is a powerful and effective way to promote their activities and thus significantly improve the sector. This study informs about the purpose of social media in higher education in Africa, in that it assesses the various potentials and objectives that African universities can achieve using social media. Also, the chapter draws a holistic vision while focusing specifically on social media for communication in an African context, recognising the specific challenges facing African universities. Subsequently, the chapter lists several vital social media that are typically used by universities with a focus on the type of use and the different scopes. The chapter also highlights best practices for universities wishing to improve their social media communication strategies while listing potential implications for university engagement via social media.