NSW public universities spent $86.56m on advertising, marketing and promotional in 2021

The figures are in their annual reports, tabled last week in state parliament.

The state total was up 4 per cent on $83.461m in 2020. Spending changes appear to indicate varying levels of optimism or otherwise as institutions dealt with a second year of lockdown. Thus Uni Wollongong, (which took a big hit on a student accommodation agreement), cut spending from $8.132m  in 2020 to $7.580m last year.

Overall, there is no consistent pattern across outlays. In 2020, for example, Western Sydney U spent $14.325m in 2020, dropping to $12.081m last year, while UTS increased its spend from $8.647m in 2020 to $9.490m.

UNSW spent up substantially, leading the state with an $14.407m outlay ($9.779m in 2020). Second-place spender was Uni New England, at $12.375, up nearly $2m on $10.227m in 2020.

Uni Sydney, perhaps the highest profile institution in the state, spent-up, by nearly $2m, to $10.418m – but this put it fifth on outlays. A dividend on brand equity perhaps.