Salatiga – Satya Wacana Christian University (UKSW) uses communication strategies that adapt to the cultural, regional, and social backgrounds of prospective students. A 2026 study by George Nicholas Huwae, Ravik Karsidi, Prahastiwi Utari, and Andre Noevi Rahmanto found that adapting language, relationships, digital media, and cultural representation can help universities build closer relationships with prospective students while maintaining institutional identity.
The findings are particularly relevant as private universities operate in an increasingly competitive higher education environment. Universities can no longer rely solely on conventional advertising or basic institutional information. Prospective students differ in their regional backgrounds, cultural identities, socioeconomic conditions, communication preferences, and digital media habits. Parents and high school guidance counselors may also influence higher education decisions, creating different communication needs among stakeholder groups.
UKSW provides an important case for examining this communication approach because the university is known for its diverse student population from different parts of Indonesia and is represented through the institutional narrative of “Mini Indonesia.” At the same time, UKSW needs to communicate its Christian identity while reaching prospective students from different cultural, regional, and social backgrounds. This makes communication style an important element of university promotion.
The study uses Communication Accommodation Theory as its main theoretical framework. The theory explains how communication actors adapt their communication behavior according to the characteristics of their audiences. In university promotion, such adaptation can involve language, communication style, relationships with audiences, media choices, and the representation of cultural identity.
The researchers employed a qualitative approach using a constructivist paradigm and a single embedded case study design. UKSW served as the primary case, while the embedded units included the Promotional Division, Public Relations Office, Sales Promotion Team, prospective students, parents, and high school guidance counselors. Informants were selected purposively to provide insights into promotional planning, field implementation, and audience reception.
Data were collected through in-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and documentary analysis. The researchers observed university open houses, high school roadshows, educational exhibitions, and digital interactions through Instagram and TikTok. Promotional brochures, video advertisements, social media posts, enrollment reports, and marketing strategy documents were also examined.
The findings show that UKSW applies communication accommodation through four interconnected dimensions: linguistic, relational, media, and cultural accommodation. During direct communication, promotional teams reduce highly formal academic language and use more conversational styles that are easier for prospective students to understand. In certain regional contexts, student ambassadors also use familiar expressions or dialects.
Relational accommodation is implemented through student ambassadors. Students who come from similar regions or have relevant experiences can serve as communication bridges between the university and prospective students. The study found that peer-to-peer communication can make promotional interactions feel more accessible than communication delivered exclusively by formal institutional representatives. Discussions can also move beyond promotion to student experiences, academic life, campus adjustment, and social relationships.
Media accommodation is another important element. UKSW uses short-form videos, interactive social media content, direct messaging, and live question-and-answer sessions to communicate with prospective students. This approach demonstrates that universities adapt not only what they communicate but also where and how communication takes place.
Cultural accommodation is reflected in the way UKSW presents student diversity and regional identities. The “Mini Indonesia” narrative plays an important role in portraying the university as an educational environment that brings together students from different parts of Indonesia. Familiar cultural representation can create a sense of recognition and inclusion among prospective students considering UKSW.
However, the study also shows that friendly and relatable communication does not automatically lead prospective students to choose a university. Different stakeholder groups require different types of information. Prospective students generally respond positively to peer communication, digital interaction, and cultural representation. Parents and guidance counselors, meanwhile, require more detailed information about academic quality, tuition costs, scholarships, and graduate career outcomes.
The study reports that 48 percent of sampled stakeholders fully embraced the convergent communication narrative, while 32 percent negotiated the message by requesting stronger academic and financial information. Another 20 percent rejected informal messaging and preferred traditional academic indicators. These findings led the researchers to propose the concept of Balanced Institutional Communication Accommodation, which emphasizes balancing relational closeness with institutional credibility.
Under this concept, communication accommodation is not simply a marketing technique but a process for building relationships between institutions and their audiences. Familiar language, student interaction, accessible media formats, and cultural representation can reduce psychological distance. However, these forms of closeness need to be supported by accurate information, academic quality, financial transparency, and professional institutional communication to maintain trust.
For private universities, the findings highlight the importance of understanding different audience needs before developing promotional communication. Short and engaging digital content can attract prospective students, while detailed information about accreditation, faculty quality, graduate employment opportunities, and scholarships remains important for parents and guidance counselors. Different communication approaches can therefore be applied according to the role and information needs of each stakeholder group.
The study concludes that university promotional communication can become more effective when it adapts to audience diversity while maintaining institutional identity and credibility. At UKSW, this approach is reflected in language adaptation, student-based communication, digital media use, and the promotion of cultural diversity. The researchers develop these findings into the Balanced Institutional Communication Accommodation Model as an extension of Communication Accommodation Theory into institutional promotional communication.
Authors
Source: “Communication Accommodation in Christian Private University Promotion: A Case Study of Convergence Dynamics at Satya Wacana Christian University”, East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (EAJMR), Vol. 5 No. 9, 2026.
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