Beyond the brochure: What really matters when choosing a university

Choosing between a public university and a private higher education institution is one of the biggest decisions a student will make, and one of the toughest. While hundreds of thousands of students have already secured places for 2026, many are still weighing up their options as the academic year approaches.

For those students, and for senior high learners who will face the same decision in the years ahead, it is vital to look beyond glossy brochures and carefully staged open days, says an education expert.

“For some, choosing a higher education institution is about taking a first independent step. For others, it is about returning to study after years in the workplace, fitting lectures around meetings, assignments around family life, and ambition around reality,” says Nadia Landman, Head of Academic Quality Management Systems at Independent Institute of Education, part of ADvTECH.

Open days and impressive campuses play a role, she notes, but prospective students should try to understand what daily life will really look like once lectures begin and deadlines start to stack up.

When reality hits and support really matters

The true test of an institution rarely happens in the first week. It usually comes a few weeks in, when assignments pile up, confidence dips, work pressures grow, and life carries on regardless.

“Every institution talks about student support, but what matters is whether that support is visible and accessible when students begin to struggle, not only when they have already failed,” says Landman.

For parents, this means asking how first-year students who are falling behind are identified and what support follows. For adult learners, the questions are just as practical. Who do you contact if work deadlines clash with assessments? Are lecturers accessible outside office hours? Are lectures recorded if you cannot attend?

Institutions that truly understand their students, across ages and life stages, can clearly explain how they offer support before pressure turns into crisis.

Who is actually doing the teaching

Behind every qualification are lecturers responsible for turning content into learning. Qualifications and experience matter, but so do engagement, responsiveness and an understanding of who is in the classroom or online.

“Adult learners bring professional experience, practical questions and limited time. Parents want reassurance that lecturers are not only knowledgeable, but attentive and accountable. Strong institutions support their lecturers to teach well, and they take student feedback seriously,” says Landman.

In other words, quality teaching depends as much on how learning is delivered as on what is taught.

Preparing for the real world

Few people still believe a qualification alone guarantees a career. Parents worry about employability, while adult learners worry about relevance. At the core, both are asking the same question. Will this programme help me adapt to a changing world?

“Curricula should not be static documents. They should evolve with industry, technology and society. Institutions committed to quality review their programmes regularly, involve industry voices, provide work-integrated learning opportunities, and assess students in ways that reflect real-world complexity, not academic theory alone,” says Landman. “The aim is capability, not completion.”

Why quality and governance still matter

Accreditation, moderation and academic integrity may sound technical, but they protect the value of a qualification and the effort invested in earning it.

“Quality systems are not red tape,” says Landman. “They exist to ensure fairness, credibility and consistency, whether you are studying full-time straight out of school or part-time while working.”

Institutions that take quality seriously are usually transparent about how these systems work and why they matter.

One of the clearest indicators of quality is service. How quickly are emails answered? Are questions met with empathy or deflection? Is communication clear, honest and respectful of people’s time. Over time, these everyday interactions reveal whether an institution is built around rigid systems or around students with real lives.

“Higher education is not a transaction. It is a commitment of time, energy and belief in a better future,” Landman says. “Parents may not walk the journey for their children. Adult learners may not have the luxury of starting over if things go wrong. In both cases, the choice of institution matters deeply.”

“When weighing up your options, remember that the strongest institutions are not defined by the loudest claims. They are defined by their willingness to answer difficult questions openly, thoughtfully and without hesitation. Asking those questions early is how students and parents move beyond the brochure and towards a decision that truly supports success.”