UWC Mahindra College

What We Did

Brand Audit

Positioning Strategy

Content Strategy

Copywriting

User Experience Design

Website Design

Website Development

About the Client

UWC Mahindra College (MUWCI), a two-year residential International Baccalaureate (IB) school located in the Mulshi Valley, Pune, India, is part of the global United World Colleges movement. Known for its immersive educational experience, MUWCI combines academic rigour with grassroots-level learning, encouraging students to engage with their surroundings and address the challenges of developing nations.

Position MUWCI as a top destination for Indian and international prospective students.

Create awareness about MUWCI and improve the admissions rate.

Attract potential donors and give them a complete overview of MUWCI.

Make the donation process easy.

Balance essential curriculum details with insights into MUWCI life to give prospective students a glimpse of the experience.

Select a cost-effective, scalable technology framework that makes content easy to update.

We developed a great partnership with Bokaap Design over the course of designing our website! They frequently challenged and simplified our ideas using crucial insights gained from experience, and they’ve helped create a highly functional yet beautiful website that does justice to our school.

Ninad Adawadkar, Former Communications Manager

Brand Positioning

Target Audience Definition

The new website was designed to address the needs of multiple user groups:

National committees
Prospective students and their parents
Alumni and donors
Prospective faculty and staff
Current students, parents, and staff

Stakeholder and Research

We conducted extensive interviews with college representatives and students to understand MUWCI’s unique value proposition. Discussions with current students and surveys with national committees, alumni, past parents and alumni provided insights into their expectations from the website. This research informed our strategy to position MUWCI effectively for its target audience.

Sitemap and Content Organisation

We audited the existing website and created a streamlined sitemap. Raw information from handbooks, brochures, videos, and verbal communication sources was collated into structured content verticals. This approach grouped relevant information, reduced redundancy, and addressed the needs of diverse user groups.

Messaging and Tone of Voice

We unified UWC Mahindra College’s messaging across the website, social media, and campus communications, ensuring consistency in how the college is presented. The tone was crafted to be approachable and clear, accommodating MUWCI’s international audience, including non-English speaking students. This cohesive approach aligned all platforms with the college’s values and narrative.

Creating the MUWCI Experience

To balance factual content with the immersive MUWCI experience, we employed several strategies:

Added photographs and videos of the campus, students, and activities across the site.
Quotes from students were included on every page to provide authentic perspectives.
Inter-linked to relevant blog posts to offer deeper insights into campus life.
Developed a dedicated page, “The MUWCI Experience”, featuring stories, photos, and videos directly from students.

Design Strategy

The design language for UWC Mahindra College was carefully developed to reflect its identity as a well-established and forward-thinking educational institution. The website employed a modular design system, creating reusable interface blocks tailored to different types of content. This approach ensured a consistent visual identity across the site while allowing each page to maintain a unique layout and character.

The visual style struck a deliberate balance between professionalism and approachability, meeting the expectations of a prestigious international school while engaging its diverse, global audience. This cohesive design system reinforced the college’s reputation for academic excellence and innovation, presenting a polished yet inviting digital presence.

The Outcome

The redesigned MUWCI website delivered a visually compelling, information-rich, and user-friendly experience. It successfully addressed the needs of diverse target groups, streamlined the flow of information, and highlighted the transformative impact of MUWCI’s location and philosophy.

By balancing factual accuracy with immersive storytelling, the website effectively communicates MUWCI’s unique offerings and reinforces its position as a leading educational institution. This collaboration exemplifies how research-driven design can solve complex challenges while meeting business and user goals.

Note: The version of the website that was live from 2018 to 2024, during which we also supported them with ongoing updates. The site has since undergone a refresh.