OK I've been thinking again. Yes, I know I should probably give it up. Anyhow, this time it was about why a lot of students from other countries come to the UK to study marketing. Here is what I came up with. However, I would be very, very (I mean very) interested in the views of marketing students about this. In a sense, I am using this blog to do a little market research. So there you are, real marketing in action at the Marketing: An Introduction blog spot.
1. My feeling is that overseas students want and expect a traditional UK educational experience. They probably need frequent/daily contact with peers and tutors throughout the year in order to feel properly part of the institution and the British educational culture (which they value). They are NOT just here for the qualification, as some people seem to think. They want much more than JUST the qualification.
2. In general, more work-experience integrated into the programmes is a good thing (within reason). However, not all students will want it, so should internships be optional rather than compulsory?
3. The CIM is the premier professional body, and business schools need to stay close to them. Other professional bodies may be desirable, but are less valuable. The key professional bodies, other than CIM, are IDM, DMA and MRS. (Are they? Do students care about professional bodies at all?)
4. There is a limited range of programme titles that will attract substantial student numbers. We mustn't try to get cute by using innovative programme titles - the students will just not come. Students want programme titles that give a sense of authority, not programme titles that reflect the latest fad.
5. Presumably WOM [sorry, word-of-mouth] - by which these days I mean largely social media - is just going to become more important. If a student is having a bad time, then friends at school back home will hear about it. Not long ago, this was not the case. This has important ramifications.
6. Overseas students come here because it's Britain/a major city/English-speaking and a reputable educational institution. They like qualifications that combine marketing and management. They want to experience a proper UK education; they want to respect their tutors for their expertise, wisdom and kindness. They want to be treated well, and have problems resolved swiftly. Yes, they want some preparation for work, but they don't actually want a highly vocational training-like programme - that doesn't conform to their idea of a traditional UK university education. They want a nice combination of the intellectual and the practical. They want to feel educated, that their horizons were widened by their time at a British university. Obviously they want employment-relevant stuff as well - but NOT only that stuff.
CIM = Chartered Institute of Marketing
ReplyDeleteIDM = Institute of Direct Marketing
DMA = Direct Marketing Association
MRs = Market Research Society
One choice criteria which post-graduate students especially don't seem to consider as significant is price. Would you choose a programme because it was the cheapest?
Don't know how much personal experience will help,but that's all I can talk about,so here goes.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy. If you're a reasonably smart and motivated person(or at least have a motivated mum), getting here really shouldn't be a problem. The bigger parts are the English exam and whatever exam you're supposed to take in your country(the mark I was supposed to achieve in that one was almost ridiculous after all the preparation I did) which,again,are more than reasonable.
And of course,there's English.Yes, America would be another option,but the change is too drastic for most people,getting into uni there is more difficult and,well,they're not the real thing anyway,are they? :)
And here the case becomes very subjective:the services are so much better.Professors and tutors aren't trying to get as little work done as possible for their way-lower-than-normal paychecks and make your life just a bit more miserable along the way- most of them are fulfilled individuals who actually give a damn if you're left with anything from them.And that feels really,really good.
Maybe the transition is a bit too sudden.Maybe they expect you to get involved in everything without them having to hold your hand,as you're supposed to be an adult by now.But in 1st year,when you've got all that spare time,you're not experienced and bold enough to go look for and do everything you'll later find out you could have done.Or at least that's what a friend in 3rd year's telling me.
Thanks very much, Sorana. So I think you and I are in agreement that a lot of it is to do with being in England (well, Scotland is also 'the real thing') and having professors you can respect for expertise, wisdom and kindness. The British university system is about to go through some big changes. I really hope that the good relationship between students and professors is maintained despite these changes.
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