Case Study
RMIT University
Meet Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
RMIT, one of Australia’s original tertiary institutions, is renowned for programs in architecture and design, built environment, engineering, accounting and finance, computer science and information systems, communication and media studies, psychology, education, law, and economics.
RMIT has 75,000 students, three campuses in Victoria, and major representation in Vietnam, with campuses in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. RMIT is proud of its multicultural heritage, rich and active campus life, and relentless pursuit of the best student experience possible at home and abroad.
The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology is among the top 15 universities in Australia (*2016-17 QS World University Rankings), is ranked 34th in the world for the international profile of academic staff, and has a 5-Star QS ranking for excellence in higher education.
RMIT Sought to Grow Enrollmentsin Online Postgraduate Degree Programs
Prior to partnering with լƵ, the university had few online postgraduate degree programs. The partnership would be responsible for selecting, designing, and launching the following six online postgraduate programs with embedded pathway programs:
- Master of Marketing
- Master of Human Resource Management
- Master of Supply Chain Management
- Master of Commerce
- Master of Engineering Management; and
- Graduate Diploma of Project Management.
The partnership would be launched under the newly created ‘RMIT Online’ entity, to scale more rapidly and to allow for a quick response to the changing market demand in the online space, while the division would leverage shared services with the main campus.
Throughout, there would be a focus on absolute quality in the student experience.
Six Fully Online Programs Launched in Record Time
Enter Keypath. A data-driven approach was taken utilizing the KeypathEDGE platform to develop data-informed, student-outcome-focused programs along with highly targeted go-to-market strategies. Through the KeypathEDGE Development and Design process, Keypath ensures the purposeful design of individual programs that meet the audience needs and skills-gap opportunities initially identified at the start of the partnership. The KeypathEDGE platform also includes an end-to-end marketing and recruitment approach, identifying and recruiting high-quality students for its programs.
The timeline was aggressive. The partnership agreement was signed in December 2015. RMIT was in market promoting the online programs by July, and the first intake of students commenced October 31, 2016. Keypath proactively hired Student Enrolment Advisors and Student Success Advisors to give plenty of time to prepare for launch and deliver a concierge enrolment service.
Record-Setting Results Followed Launch
The success of every partnership bears out in the numbers. RMIT and Keypath overachieved on enrolment projections by an average of 73 percent and built a healthy pipeline for future growth, proving it was possible to meet and exceed enrolment expectations while creating high-quality programs.
Performance can be attributed to the combination of many elements, all of them necessary, but team experience, brand recognition, commitment from university staff, admissions processes and systems, and proactive resourcing stand out among the top five differentiators of the RMIT and Keypath partnership.
Everyone involved rose to the challenge as a team, remained calm under pressure, and rallied around the goal of delivering a best-in-class student experience.
Programs Exceeded Enrollment Targets:
- Program 1: 116%
- Program 2: 53%
- Program 3: 221%
- Program 4: 329%
- Program 5: 59%
Programs to grow online enrolments
Master of Marketing
Master of Human Resource Management
Master of Supply Chain Logistics Management
Master of Commerce
Master of Engineering Management
Graduate Diploma of Project Management
"We searched for a partner capable of creating and implementing a comprehensive strategy for RMIT’s online postgraduate offering. Keypath was able to provide an end-to-end solution, from market research, course development and marketing, all the way through to student success and retention services, while working closely with our staff to ensure alignment with RMIT’s vision.”
Christopher Strauch, Former CEO of RMIT Online