How the University of Helsinki Elevates Student Recruitment Through Engagement and Expectation Management

Student Recruitment is Multilayered

When universities talk about recruitment, the focus is often on outreach: how many applications can be generated, how wide can the message travel, and how loudly can an institution promote its unique selling points? But for Mats Engblom, working in student recruitment at the University of Helsinki, the real work begins after a student has already shown interest.

“Recruitment isn’t about finding a magic formula,” Mats explains. “There is no one trick pony that solves everything. It’s always three, four, five things you need to do together—slowly, carefully—to get results and improve.”

For Mats, success lies in balancing outreach with engagement, listening with expectation management, and making sure students are not only recruited, but prepared.

Moving Beyond Selling Points: Listening to Students

Too often, recruitment strategies are designed around what universities want to say, not what students are trying to ask. Mats sees this imbalance as one of the greatest challenges for the sector.

“Yes and no… universities are listening to students,” he says. “The problem is that it can be difficult to actually hear them, or to find the students who are willing to speak up. That’s why student ambassadors are so important: they bring the real voice of students into the process.”

Instead of pushing only hard selling points, Helsinki is focusing more on fit. Mats stresses the importance of helping offerholder students discover for themselves whether the university, and Finland as a study destination, align with their goals and realities.

“It’s about finding the right student who wants to come to your university or your country. That’s becoming more and more important.”

Within their Goin’ Community, the University of Helsinki has cultivated a strong group of ‘Champions’,  students who voluntarily step up to support incoming peers. These Champions actively share insights, discuss academic topics, and provide guidance based on their own experiences. Their presence plays a crucial role in helping newcomers feel welcomed, informed, and at ease. As a result, offer holders gain access to an authentic, engaging space where they can ask questions and receive trustworthy answers, all without requiring direct university intervention.

Engagement Insights That Truly Matter

The University of Helsinki utilizes Goin’ as one of the main points to better understand their students’ needs. When asked what engagement insights are most valuable, Mats resists narrowing it down.

“Honestly, all insights are valuable,” he says. “At that stage in the funnel, every single offerholder is important. You want to do your best to get them to accept your offer.”

But for Mats, it isn’t just about what the university learns. It’s also about what students learn.

“It has to be a good fit. You can’t force people into accepting an offer and then face poor retention rates. Engagement should help students realize: is this really for me?”

This is where Helsinki has seen tangible results with Goin’. According to recent survey data, 98.9% of students using the platform said it made them more excited to begin their studies at Helsinki, while 85% said it made them more likely to actually enroll. In Helsinki’s own case, admitted students who engaged through Goin’ converted at rates significantly higher than the average baseline.

“It’s not only about higher conversion rates for universities,” Mats emphasizes. “It’s about students feeling more informed, more welcome, and more prepared.”

Expectation Management: The Most Important Fix

If Mats could wave a magic wand to fix one thing for incoming students, it would be clear expectation management.

“Students need to know what they’re getting into,” he says. “The cost of living, the content of the program, the academic expectations. There are always going to be unknowns when moving abroad, but if we can bring them as close to ‘super well informed’ as possible, we’ve done our job.”

That preparation has direct retention benefits. In Goin’s 2025 survey, 95% of students said the platform reassured them that choosing their university was the right decision. Moreover, 87% express that having their community helps them with preparations, underscoring Mats’ point that informed students are more likely to persist and succeed.

What Students going to Helisinki say about their community experience

Before arriving in Helsinki, students are able to establish their network, make friends and prepare together with their Goin’ community platform. Here are some of the hundreds of messages The University of Helsinki has received from their offerholders:

“Goin’ is pretty good to connect with everyone and find people easily from my country and abroad. I am a part of many groups, and I have talked to many people so far. It made it very easier to prepare myself beforehand.” - Amanda from Sri Lanka

“I’ve found people from my area who were going to the same program at UH. We were able to chat and share our progress and information. I feel I'm not alone in this journey.” - Rouxe from The USA

“Our community helped me locate the people who were starting the same master course as I am and create the class group vibes beforehand!” - Miguel from Spain

“Goin’ has helped me a lot with connecting with people from my same country and has helped to support each other during residency permit application and admissions.” - Nicole from Colombia

“Students know their prospective friends before starting their studies. In addition, some groups contain good topics that can answer some problems about sending certified documents, housing, residence permits, etc.” - Adit from Indonesia

Recruitment as a Human Mission

Like many in higher education, Mats didn’t set out to build a career in student recruitment. But over time, he found meaning in the work.

“I slipped into higher education by accident, but what kept me here was the realization that this isn’t just about marketing or communication. It’s about helping young people find something they want to do with their life.”

That mission, helping students not only to choose, but choose well, is what continues to drive him and the team at the University of Helsinki.

“Recruitment is about offering possibilities,” Mats says. “It’s still the student’s decision and responsibility, but we’re giving them the option to say: this could be my path.”