The UK has a global reputation for the quality of its universities; a recent survey listed five UK universities in the world top 20. Ranked joint eighth place is University College London. Another league table where UCL scores very highly is in relation to its media profile. The university works hard to prepare its staff and leaders for media interviews and the strategy has paid off. In a typical month UCL can receive as many as 25,000 mentions in different media outlets around the world.

The person leading the media team is former journalist Kirsty Walker. In this podcast she describes the different techniques she has instigated to ensure that UCL keeps its high profile. She also explains the benefits of working closely with academics, giving them regular media training and how a prominent media profile can have many corporate benefits for the university.

Adam Batstone is a former BBC journalist who works with several universities, The Conversation and Universities Alliance to help academics understand the media and prepare for interview. Contact him via LinkedIn or email adam@adambatstone.co.uk