TUS earns prestigious international marketing award

Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) has received a Silver Award at the 2026 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards, earning international recognition for its innovative data-driven approach to student recruitment marketing.

TUS was recognised in the Marketing category for its submission, Using Micro-Conversions to Transform CAO Student Recruitment Marketing, an innovative, evidence-based campaign developed by the Athlone Campus Marketing Team.

The CASE Circle of Excellence Awards recognise outstanding achievement in educational advancement across higher education institutions worldwide.

This year, teams from 628 institutions in 33 countries submitted 4,185 entries across 93 award categories, with 493 entries recognised by the judges.

The award-winning campaign examined how success is measured in student recruitment marketing.

Rather than focusing solely on the final outcome of a CAO application, it examined the interactions prospective students make throughout their decision-making journey, known as micro-conversions.

By understanding and measuring these early engagement points, such as visiting course webpages, downloading a prospectus, registering for an Open Day, watching student and campus videos, requesting further information and engaging with digital content, the Athlone Campus Marketing Team gained richer insights into prospective student behaviour. This enabled the team to optimise marketing activity throughout the recruitment cycle and make more informed, evidence-based marketing decisions.

The independent judging panel praised the campaign's strategic approach.

"The judges commended this campaign for its strong use of data and clear metrics that demonstrated effectiveness throughout the student recruitment process. It provided a thoughtful approach to modern attribution challenges and offered a well-structured, measurable strategy."

Orla Thornton, Director of Marketing and Communications, Athlone Campus, said: "Receiving international recognition through the CASE Circle of Excellence Awards is a testament to the professionalism, creativity and commitment of our Marketing team. To be recognised alongside leading higher education institutions from around the world validates the strategic, evidence-based approach we have taken to marketing at TUS.

"Marketing today is about far more than recruitment. It plays a critical role in building institutional reputation, strengthening engagement and supporting the University's strategic ambitions. This award reflects what can be achieved when creativity, data and insight come together with a talented team committed to continuous improvement.

"This recognition belongs to the entire team, and I would particularly like to acknowledge Sarah O'Brien, who led the digital marketing strategy for the campaign, together with Daire Taylor, MaryJo Neilan, Caoimhe Horan, Eden Raper and Owen Coughlan, whose collective efforts made this achievement possible."