IMPACT OF DIRECT PROMOTION ON UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT INTENTIONS: ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROMOTIONAL METHODS IN SRI LANKA’S ODL SYSTEM

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of direct-promotional strategies in shaping students’ intentions to enroll in public universities, focusing on rural districts in Sri Lanka. In a context of growing competition and limited awareness of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) opportunities, institutions like the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) face major outreach challenges. Using the Higher Education Choice Model (Hossler & Gallagher, 1987), the study analyzes how social media, websites, advertisements, peer initiatives, and financial messaging influence university choice. A quantitative survey-based design was adopted. Data was collected from 239 respondents aged 19 to 24, selected through a random sampling method across four rural districts. A structured questionnaire captured demographic data and perceptions of seven key promotional constructs. Construct validity was confirmed through correlation analysis, while internal consistency was validated with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.747, indicating acceptable reliability. Hierarchical multiple regression was employed to assess the incremental impact of each promotional factor on students’ enrollment intentions. The results indicate that “Awareness by University Students” was the most significant predictor of enrollment intention, followed by social media engagement, university websites, financial motivation, and institutional awareness campaigns. Together, these predictors accounted for 69.4% of the variance in students’ enrollment intention (F = 38.923, p < .001). Assumption tests confirmed the absence of multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity, and autocorrelation, validating the robustness of the regression model. In contrast, traditional methods such as parental influence, mass media exposure, and cut-outs/banners did not show statistically significant effects. These findings offer valuable implications for higher education policymakers and administrators. Public sector universities, especially those offering ODL programs, can adopt more targeted and cost-effective promotional strategies, particularly leveraging peer advocacy and digital media, to better engage prospective students in underserved rural regions. The study contributes to the evolving discourse on equitable access to higher education, emphasising the need for evidence-based outreach frameworks tailored to the rural realities of developing countries.