Intelligent Management and Artificial Intelligence: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities, Vol.1

Purpose: This study evaluates how internet‑based communication tools shape higher‑education institutions’ images from students’ viewpoints, identifying the most potent instruments and contrasting perceptions between public and non‑public universities within intelligent management frameworks. Need for the study: Accelerating digital transformation compels universities to sustain engaging online profiles. While scholarship highlights intelligent management and digital outreach, Polish studies rarely foreground student perspectives. This research addresses that gap by measuring perceived effectiveness of key online channels in university–student communication. Methodology: Using Computer‑Assisted Web Interviewing, we surveyed 383 students from public and non‑public universities in Poland’s West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Descriptive statistics and the Mann‑Whitney U test compared assessments of four tools: institutional websites, social media, e‑mail marketing, and SEO/SEM activities. Findings: University websites were deemed the most influential image‑building medium, followed by social media. Students at non‑public institutions rated the visual appeal, navigability, and functionality of digital tools more highly than peers at public universities. Perceptions of e‑mail marketing and search‑engine visibility did not differ significantly between groups. Practical Implications: Universities should professionalise and regularly refresh their digital touchpoints, prioritising content currency, mobile optimisation, and coherent branding. The greater agility of non‑public institutions in adopting contemporary online solutions may confer a strategic edge, signalling to prospective students a forward‑thinking, student‑centred culture aligned with intelligent management principles.