Advertising Expenditures

The request was refused by Heriot-Watt University.

Dear Heriot-Watt University,

Please provide all available financial records for Heriot-Watt's advertising since 2016, including a breakdown of expenditure for each traditional media platform and social media platform (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and any others).

I would also like all available information pertaining to Heriot-Watt University's adverts that were projected onto the exterior of the Burj Khalifa, including but not limited to financial records, internal communications, documents, promotional materials, memos and staff travel/expenses associated with the advertising campaign.

Yours faithfully,

J Dennis

Freedom Of Information,, Heriot-Watt University

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Thank you for your information request. As a Scottish University, we
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[2]http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourR...

or by contacting the Scottish Information Commissioner's Office at the
following address:

Scottish Information Commissioner,
Kinburn Castle,
Doubledykes Road, St Andrews,
Fife KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Fax: 01334 464611
E-mail: [email address]
Website: www.itspublicknowledge.info

Information Governance Team
Governance and Legal Services
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh Campus
Riccarton
Edinburgh EH14 4AS

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Freedom Of Information,, Heriot-Watt University

Dear applicant

 

Thank you for your information request dated the 26^th November 2019. 
Your request has been handled under Scottish legislation: the Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA).

 

As you will be aware, all Scottish Universities are acting in an
increasingly commercial environment and in order to attract students and
potential research opportunities,  we are therefore having to promote our
programmes (both academic and research) globally.  Although we consider
the information commercially sensitive and therefore exempt under Section
33(1)(b) of FOISA we are keen to be as transparent as possible and help
you with your research.  In response to your first question therefore, we
can confirm that, we have spent a total of c £961k on advertising and
marketing related activities over the last 3 academic years i.e. c320k per
year.  This equates to c0.1% of our total consolidated annual spend.

 

In response to your second question, the event you are referring to
coincided with our graduation and staff would have been in the Dubai
campus regardless so information regarding travel costs is exempt under
Section 17 of FOISA. As mentioned above, Scottish Universities are
strongly encouraged by Ministers and public funding agencies to promote
their programmes globally and to generate additional income.  Since we
opened our Dubai campus in 2005, we have established a prestigious
reputation in a highly competitive market which we work hard to maintain
(please see the link below).

 

[1]https://www.hw.ac.uk/news/articles/2019/...

 

Events such as these will generate publicity for the Scottish Higher
Education Sector and we therefore consider that the detailed information
you have requested is exempt from release under Section 33(1)(b) of
FOISA. 

 

Your right to seek review of our decision

 

If you are not satisfied with our response or our reasoning set-out above,
you have forty working days today in which to request a review of our
decision. Any request should be put in writing and should be sent to Ann
Jones, Head of Information Governance, at the address detailed at the
bottom of this email. The request should:

 

(a) detail your request for a review of our decision to be undertaken;

 

(b) describe the nature of your original request; and

 

(c) explain the reasons why you are dissatisfied with our response.

 

If you remain dissatisfied with how your request for information has been
dealt with, you also have the right to apply to the Scottish Information
Commissioner for a decision as to whether we have handled your request
properly.

 

Information relating to your right to seek review is available from the
Scottish Information Commissioner's web page at:

http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourR...

 

or by contacting the Scottish Information Commissioner's Office at the
following address:

 

Scottish Information Commissioner,

Kinburn Castle,

Doubledykes Road, St Andrews,

Fife KY16 9DS

Telephone: 01334 464610

Fax: 01334 464611

E-mail: [2][email address]

Website: [3]www.itspublicknowledge.info

 

Contact us

 

Finally, should you wish to discuss the contents of this email, please do
not hesitate to contact me.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Information Governance Division

Governance and Legal Services

Heriot-Watt University

Edinburgh Campus

Riccarton

Edinburgh EH14 4AS

Telephone:

[4]https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/informatio...  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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