Support and core? The changing roles of communication professionals in higher education institutions

In recent decades, the role of communication and PR within higher education institutions (HEIs) has grown in significance, marked by the expansion of communication departments, diversified work assignments for communication professionals, and an increasing focus on reputation and visibility. This study examines 203 job advertisements targeting communication professionals in Swedish HEIs from 1999 to 2022. Our analysis identifies a substantial shift in the expectations and roles of communication professionals. It reveals a pronounced trend of increasing expectations, necessitating candidates to possess a broader and deeper skill set to manage a wider spectrum of responsibilities in HEIs. Furthermore, while our findings signal a noteworthy transformation in the communication profession, it also shows the evolvement from a supportive function to a strategically integral role in aiding and forming institutional management and leadership. Moreover, this study highlights communication departments as particularly flexible sites for receiving and incorporating external trends and ideas in university organizations. • Limited research on communication departments in universities. • Inductive thematic content analysis of 203 job ads targeting communication professionals. • Diachronic data from Swedish universities spanning 1999–2022. • Growing expectations for broader and deeper skill sets. • Communication departments as flexible sites for incorporating external trends.