Malaysia Islamic Universities Presence In Social Media And Its Visibility As Edu-Tourism Products
Keywords:
Presence, Social Media, Islamic University, Edu-Tourism, Public Islamic UniversityAbstract
The use of social media, extending beyond information exchange to proactive engagement, has significantly changed news delivery. Rapid engagement requires accessibility to the latest information and news. Many institutions, notably Malaysian Islamic public universities, use these techniques to maintain visibility and engagement with their audiences. This approach promotes educational institutions as educational tourism products known as Edu-tourism. Edu-tourism emphasises educational content that satisfies visitors' requirements and motivations to study while traveling, and media exposure has helped universities attract, grow, and enroll students. This article analyzes Malaysian Islamic public universities' social media presence as Edu-tourism products and their strategies for promoting their institutions and enticing prospective students. The content analysis method was employed by contrasting and thematically analyzing the educational and promotional digital content shared by Islamic universities on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Digitalising university promotion on social media has transformed traditional marketing methods by creating new opportunities and changing conventional advertising approaches. This study discovered that by analysing and comparing the news, information, and digital content on official Islamic public universities' Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, the approaches have evolved to meet current communication demands, enhancing universities' visibility as Edu-tourism products. This has expanded public engagement and access to campus tours, promoting Edu-tourism. Thus, social media has revolutionised university engagement, indirectly promoting Edu-tourism. The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) were chosen for this study because they explicitly identify as Islamic universities, as shown by the word "Islamic" in their names. This designation demonstrates their dedication to incorporating Islamic principles and values into their academic and administrative structures.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Mohamad Hafizuddin Mohamed Najid, Mohd Faridh Hafeez Mhd Omar, Nurul Nadirah Abu Hasan, Nurul Fathihin Mohd Noor Shah
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