Cardiff Met wins two national awards for student recruitment excellence
Cardiff Metropolitan University has been recognised nationally for excellence and creativity in student recruitment, scooping two prestigious awards at the 2026 HELOA Awards.
Cardiff Met won Best Practice in Student Recruitment for the University’s ‘Help! I’m Going to Uni’ podcast and Best Undergraduate Initiative for ‘Get Cardiff Met Ready’.
The HELOA Awards celebrate outstanding work across UK universities in student recruitment, outreach and access, and are voted for by peers from other higher education institutions.
These latest successes come hot on the heels of Cardiff Met’s silver award for Best Use of Content at the Heist Awards for ‘Help! I’m Going to Uni’.
Cardiff Met’s ‘Help! I’m Going to Uni’ podcast uses innovative ways of supporting prospective students and tackles the real anxieties of starting university with honesty, humour and authenticity.
Featuring diverse student voices, the podcast has become a standout tool for the University to connect with applicants and has been woven into Cardiff Met’s campaigns, live events and prospectus content.
The ‘Get Cardiff Met Ready’ pre-enrolment event recognises its impact on helping new students feel confident, connected and prepared to begin university life.
Held on campus before enrolment, the event offers practical sessions, student-led talks and interactive activities to ease anxieties and build belonging. Over 880 students attended in 2025, a 14% increase on the previous year, and 94% said they felt more prepared to start their studies.
Rebecca Lever, Chief Marketing, Communications and Student Recruitment Officer at Cardiff Metropolitan University said: “Both initiatives show our creative thinking and commitment to continuous improvement.
“These latest wins highlight Cardiff Met’s commitment to innovation, collaboration and putting students at the heart of everything we do. Well done and thank you to everyone involved.”
‘Help! I’m Going to Uni’ is available for streaming on major platforms, including YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.