Education Roundtable: Who Are We Really Communicating For- Parents, Students, or the Public?

In this month’s Education Roundtable, we’re digging into a question many education communicators are actively grappling with: who is our primary audience—and how do we communicate when their needs, expectations, and perceptions don’t always align?

From enrollment messaging and policy updates to crisis response and reputation management, education institutions are constantly balancing the perspectives of students, parents and caregivers, internal stakeholders, and the broader public. What resonates with one audience may create confusion—or even backlash—with another. This discussion will explore how education communicators are navigating competing priorities, clarifying audience intent, and making strategic decisions about tone, timing, and transparency in an increasingly visible and scrutinized environment.

This session is not a webinar. It’s an open, peer-led conversation created for education communications, PR, marketing, and public affairs professionals who want a space to share real-world experiences, compare approaches, and learn from others facing similar challenges.

What We’ll Discuss:

• How do you determine your primary audience when multiple groups are paying attention at once?

• When do parents, students, or the broader public require different messaging—or the same message delivered differently?

• How do you manage internal alignment when leadership, faculty, or staff have differing views on who messaging should prioritize?

• What role does monitoring and sentiment analysis play in shaping audience-specific communications?

• How do you adjust your approach during moments of heightened attention, such as policy changes, crises, or cultural flashpoints?

This roundtable is part of Meltwater’s Industry Circles program—client-only spaces inside mCommunity where professionals in similar sectors connect, collaborate, and learn how others are using Meltwater to solve real-world challenges in their day-to-day roles.

This session has limited availability, and registration will close once all 35 seats have been filled.