Mapping TikTok Adoption in Romanian Universities: A Comparative Analysis of Social Media Communication Strategies Across Public and Private Universities

This study analyses the adoption of TikTok as a communication tool among Romanian universities, addressing a gap in understanding how Romanian universities use the social media platform preferred by Z Generation for institutional communication and student engagement. We conducted a systematic review of a total of 85 accredited higher education institutions (52 public and 33 private), aiming to map TikTok adoption rates, identify content strategies, and evaluate engagement metrics across different institutional types. Our analysis targeted official university TikTok accounts, where we categorized content types and we measured engagement indicators including views, likes, and comments. We further compared engagement levels between public and private institutions to highlight differences in visibility and communication style. Our findings reveal that while TikTok adoption remains uneven, institutions that adapt to platform culture (e.g., use of trending audio, short storytelling, or humorous formats) achieve higher engagement. The results underline TikTok’s growing role in higher education branding, recruitment, and digital visibility, while also revealing opportunities for more structured strategies in Romanian academia. Findings provide practical insights for university administrators developing social media strategies and theoretical implications for understanding institutional communication in the digital age.