Institutional communication in higher music education institutions: a comparative study between Spain and the international context

This article analyses the management of institutional communication in Spanish higher music education institutions, comparing it with leading international institutions. Its objective is to identify differences and similarities in the structure, resources, strategies, and functions of communication departments to detect areas for improvement and propose recommendations to optimise their impact and institutional projection. The research adopts a quantitative approach based on an online questionnaire completed by 40 national and international institutions. The questionnaire comprises 38 closed and open-ended questions, addressing the composition of communication departments, their objectives, the channels employed, strategic planning, and performance evaluation. These data are compared to identify trends and divergences in communication management. The findings reveal significant differences: international institutions have more structured departments, specialised teams, and greater investment in communication, whereas Spanish institutions exhibit a lower degree of strategic planning and resource limitations. International institutions prioritise reputation management, international projection, and impact assessment, while Spanish centres focus primarily on student recruitment and the dissemination of activities. Furthermore, international institutions diversify their communication channels and employ advanced analytical tools, whereas a more traditional approach prevails in Spain. This study provides a novel comparative perspective on institutional communication in higher music academic institutions, a field that remains largely unexplored in academic literature.