During the pilot, a selected group of Unibuddy’s partner colleges and universities will display a widget through which prospective students will be able to interact directly with student ambassadors from that institution.

Both stakeholders told The PIE that the move will help prospective students make more informed decisions on their future education.

“This will change the way universities interact with their prospective students”

“We’re pleased to be working with Unibuddy on this pilot project, helping students to discover more about the universities they’re interested in applying to,” UCAS’ director of external relations Helen Thorne said.

“Unibuddy’s messaging platform brings together future applicants and current students, and will help those researching their university and college options make a more informed decision about their future.”

The pilot will run in July 2019, and Unibuddy will collect feedback from partner institutions and students.

“Students engage with UCAS throughout their journey to university, and so piloting the integration of our peer-to-peer technology with the service is a great way to help even more students make better-informed decisions,” Unibuddy CEO Diego Fanara told The PIE.

“This will change the way universities interact with their prospective students.

“We know that current students are universities’ most powerful voice, and we believe in the power of peer-to-peer to nurture a sense of belonging, and boost student success,” Fanara added.