Changes in preferences and attitudes towards university selection in the post-COVID era

Abstract

General societal developments show that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about lasting changes in attitudes towards education and lifestyle, among others. The presented study aims to verify, using a quantitative questionnaire survey method on a sample of 500 respondents each, whether there have been changes in the preferences of potential students at a selected university in the Czech Republic between pre-Covid (2017) and post-Covid (2022) years. Current studies show that the post-COVID decision-making process is, among other things, generally more affected by the relationships with family and friends. Also, the paper’s goal is to verify whether this fact also applies to the area of preferences of university applicants and whether it is differentiated by gender. Based on the statistical testing and interpretation of the data, recommendations will be formulated for the marketing management of universities concerning how to adapt to changes in the preferences of applicants and how to effectively adjust the communication mix and message to the given target group, thereby increasing its interest in studying at the university. The proposed measures will thus contribute to increasing the competitiveness of universities, as they identify opportunities to target potential students more effectively.