The challenge: declining interest in arts and humanities

Across the UK, universities are experiencing a steady decline in applications for arts and humanities courses. The University of Birmingham, while still performing strongly in many areas, began to see this trend creeping into its own recruitment numbers.

The challenge was clear: how do you reignite excitement for subjects that risk being overlooked, and connect with students in a way that feels both modern and meaningful?

The approach: bringing courses to life with Springpod

The university turned to Springpod’s Subject Spotlights - interactive, online tasters designed to give students a real sense of what it’s like to study a subject at university.

Instead of relying on static prospectus pages or generic videos, Subject Spotlights deliver immersive content that helps students picture themselves in the classroom, tackling real topics and engaging with the subject matter.

Thanks to Springpod’s collaboration with UCAS, Birmingham’s Spotlights were placed directly in front of students already exploring their university options. Combined with Springpod’s network of over 800,000 young people, the university was able to reach a large, targeted audience with content that stood out.

The student experience

For students, the Spotlights went beyond just sharing course details, they were moments of genuine inspiration.

One student described their experience this way:

“This made me realize how all people have different ways to think of a passage, or maybe like words. I was very inspired with this and it makes me want to study at Birmingham university.”

That sense of discovery and excitement is exactly what the university hoped to achieve: showing young people the power of arts and humanities and helping them feel connected to the subjects.

The results: sparking applications and offers

The 2024 recruitment cycle brought the impact into sharp focus. In total, 188 students eligible for entry engaged with the University of Birmingham’s Subject Spotlights.

But it wasn’t just about the numbers - it was about the depth of engagement. Out of the 188, 75 students watched their Spotlight from start to finish. Meaning we aren’t referring to casual views, and are instead seeing students fully immersing themselves in the experience, reflecting the quality of the content and its ability to hold attention.

What happened next was even more telling. From those 75 students who completed the programme, 60 went on to apply to the university. That’s an incredible 80% conversion from engagement to application, showing just how powerful a Spotlight can be when it resonates.

And the story didn’t stop there. Every single one of those 60 applicants went on to receive an offer. For the University of Birmingham, this demonstrated not just the scale of influence, but also the quality of students being attracted through Springpod.

Why it worked

The success came down to one simple shift: meeting students where they are. Young people today want experiences that are interactive, digital-first and inspiring. By delivering content in a format that students love, Birmingham was able to reignite interest in arts and humanities and translate that inspiration directly into applications.

Looking ahead

The University of Birmingham’s experience shows that sector-wide challenges don’t have to be roadblocks - they can be opportunities. By partnering with Springpod (and UCAS), the university found a fresh way to connect with students, spark their curiosity, and secure high-quality applicants in subjects where interest had been declining.