scholarly journals Excellent prospects for beautiful minds: marketing international education

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 582-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Vuori
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
International Education ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Marketing Communication ◽  
Prospective Students ◽  
Market Mechanisms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Universities Of Applied Sciences

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how Finnish higher education institutions communicate market differentiation on the admissions webpages of their international business and technology programmes when attempting to appeal to prospective students and distinguish themselves from other institutions. Design/methodology/approach – The sample included admissions webpages of 68 bachelor’s and master’s programmes representing both Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences. The analysis method was a qualitative content analysis. Findings – The international programmes heavily accentuated their labour market relevance in their advertising and generated strong claims regarding the future career prospects of the graduates. In addition, the programmes emphasised their pedagogical methods and international atmosphere. References to non-academic life were not observed. Research limitations/implications – The analysis was only based on text and included two study fields. Practical implications – The results of this study can be used by marketers to critically examine their own marketing differentiation efforts and promises made to students. Social implications – Finnish business and technology programmes send an unequivocal marketing message that education has an instrumental value and students are considered consumers of education. Originality/value – This study is the first comprehensive study of the marketing communication practices of international higher education programmes in Finland. Moreover, this study contributes to the study of global international market mechanisms and research on marketing communication practised by higher education institutions.

Student preferences for slogans of higher-education institutions

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-669
Author(s):  
Andriy Kovalenko
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Prospective Students ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Student Preferences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Promotional Materials ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The slogans adopted by higher-education institutions usually target all college stakeholders without differentiation, even though these stakeholders may have quite different connections to the organization. The purpose of this paper is to understand whether there is a relationship between students’ cultural backgrounds and their preferences for slogans of higher-education institutions. Design/methodology/approach The study utilized a survey for data collection. In total, 295 participants answered questions about preferences for slogans appealing to purchase or product involvement, and individualistic or collectivist values. Findings The results suggest that participants from both collectivist and individualistic societies prefer slogans that appeal to the values pertinent to their respective cultures. Representatives of both groups preferred slogans referring to the benefits of education over slogans describing features of particular institutions. Practical implications Slogans with messages appealing to people from collectivist and individualistic messages cultures should be included in promotional materials and distributed among corresponding audiences. Slogans for prospective students should refer to the advantages of studying in a particular institution, while current students should be targeted with slogans that encourage dedicated studying in general. Originality/value The findings contribute to the understanding of factors increasing effectiveness of higher-education slogans. It is also one of the first studies of how students from India (Punjab and Kerala states) and the Philippines process promotional materials from western educational institutions.

Input resources indicators in use for accreditation purpose of higher education institutions

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 176-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazid Mati
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Prospective Students ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accreditation Standards ◽  
Key Indicators ◽  
Students Satisfaction

PurposeHigher education is a complex system that involves multiple inputs and outputs, where various activities and processes are performed. The purpose of this paper is to monitor the input resources used for executing various activities of higher education institutions. These resources are classified into three types: human resources, physical resources and financial resources.Design/methodology/approachThe author examines various national and international accreditation standards to determine their requirements for key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor input resources. Moreover, the author uses implications proposed by previous research and best practices.FindingsA set of appropriate and generic KPIs is developed for each type of these resources leading to a total of 72 key indicators. These indicators are easy to measure, which makes them practical to be adopted by a large scale of institutions.Practical implicationsThe proposed indicators provide adequate information to administrators and policy-makers, accrediting bodies and stakeholders to identify the progress and achievements. These indicators are also used for benchmarking purposes by comparing the institution’s performance against their comparable institutions counterparts. Moreover, they are used for marketing purposes to commercialize the institution by attracting prospective students and teaching faculty in addition to increasing current students’ satisfaction.Originality/valueThe paper gives special attention to developing a set of generic KPIs for assessing the availability and quality of input resources used for carrying out various activities of higher education institutions for the aim of improving their performance and hence helping them comply with the requirements of accreditation standards.

The utilization of Internet marketing communication tools by higher education institutions (on the example of Poland and Ukraine)

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Artur Kisiołek ◽  
Oleh Karyy ◽  
Liubov Нalkiv
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Internet Marketing ◽  
Marketing Communications ◽  
Marketing Communication ◽  
Communication Tools ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Internet Users

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to compare and contrast Internet marketing communication tools used to accomplish key marketing goals between European Union higher education institutions (HEIs) and non-EU HEIs, such as in the case of Poland and Ukraine.Design/methodology/approachIn the article, the authors used the literature review method to justify the importance of implementing HEI marketing strategy based on marketing communications with Internet users, and thus to justify the relevance of the chosen research topic. Based on the literature review, the authors identified the goals of HEI advertising campaigns on the Internet (branding, recruitment of students, site traffic increase and subscription of Internet users to the university newsletter) and substantiated the analytical study of the two countries. The survey conducted by the authors allowed them to form their conclusions, the validity of which is based on the interpretation of the indicators calculated in the analytical section.FindingsThe hypothesis that the focus of HEI Internet marketing communications, recruitment of students, is universal regardless of the country of origin is proven. There is also no significant differences in Internet marketing communication tool use that is “simpler” and cheaper. University marketing managers widely use Internet advertising tools, but they have difficulty implementing public relations and sales promotion tools. Internet marketing communication is an important component of HEIs' marketing strategies, thus, comparing EU and non-EU HEIs informs future strategies.Practical implicationsThe results of this research are of interest to HEIs that seek to improve the adaptation of their marketing communication strategy to meet the conditions of digitalisation and to strengthen their competitive foothold within the market. Also, the findings can help HEI marketing staff members to improve marketing communication tools used to build and maintain relationships with their online customers.Originality/valueThis study highlights the similarities and differences in approach to Internet marketing communications among EU (Poland) and non-EU HEIs (Ukraine). In conducting a thorough review of research, as well as a survey of 185 HEI marketing staff members, the paper offers insight into the approach HEIs of varying cultural backgrounds take to Internet marketing communications and online recruitment.

Competitive advantage, what does it really mean in the context of public higher education institutions?

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haijing Helen de Haan
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Research Universities ◽  
Public Higher Education ◽  
Competitive Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Universities Of Applied Sciences ◽  
Job Function

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically investigate the discourse on “competitive advantage”, a concept that has been widely applied in the public higher education sector, but rarely defined and conceptualised. Design/methodology/approach – In order to get some insightful understanding about how “competitive advantage” is actually manifested in the life and activities of public higher education institutions (PHEIs), it is necessary to obtain data about the perceptions held by education practitioners in different sub-sectors and at various job function levels. In total, 73 interviews at 16 Dutch PHEIs were conducted in the period of 2009-2011. Findings – By studying the diversified meanings, 13 elements were identified in constructing the competitive advantages sought by PHEIs, and, more importantly the significance of each element is rated and ranked. Furthermore, this research discovered that the research universities and universities of applied sciences perceive this concept differently; also, the practitioners holding different job functions gave divergent meanings to this term. The clarification of this container concept “competitive advantage” leads to the conclusion that the business way of defining “competitive advantage” should be critically reviewed and verified in the context of the public higher education sector. Research limitations/implications – This study used just two parameters for the selection of individual respondents: their job function and the length of their working experience. Further studies that adopt different selection parameters are, therefore, encouraged as offering the potential to further enrich our knowledge about how competitive advantage is perceived and put into practice. It is hoped that the findings from this research offer some guidance in developing a framework for such further studies. Practical implications – The sectorial differences revealed by this study can help research universities and universities of applied sciences design their competitive strategies more suitable with their specific characteristics. The job function level differences shown by the research findings can help institutions to identify and close the gaps between the central level and faculty level in their strategic planning and implementation. Originality/value – The clarification of the container concept “competitive advantage” is unique in the current educational management literature, particularly in both qualitative and quantitative ways. The comparisons between two institutional types and two job function levels may help PHEIs to effectively design competitive strategies according to their specific institutional characteristics and by understanding the gaps between the central and faculty level.

scholarly journals Creating efficiency model of higher education institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol 91 ◽  
pp. 01047
Author(s):  
Jana Janikova
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Data Envelopment Analysis ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Returns To Scale ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Universities Of Applied Sciences ◽  
The World ◽  
Constant Returns To Scale

The paper deals with assessing the efficiency of the faculties of universities of applied sciences. A model based on Data Envelopment Analysis was created, using specifically the CCR alternative. It is an input-oriented method, assuming the constant returns to scale. The model was subsequently validated on an example of a specific university. The results clearly show that the model was able to determine how and to which extent a given faculty is effective. It also provides the assessor with a tool to manage the efficiency of the faculty, as it is able to identify the causes of possible ineffectiveness. Further research focuses on the model´s applicability in the environment of all universities of applied sciences ideally all over the world.

scholarly journals Teaching innovations in Asian higher education: perspectives of educators

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.M. Wong
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
The Other ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Advanced Technologies ◽  
The Many

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the teaching innovations that have been implemented in higher education institutions in Asia and the perspectives of educators on them. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 educators who were affiliated with 23 higher education institutions in ten Asian countries/regions. The interviews covered information about the teaching innovations of the participants’ institutions, the characteristics of the innovative practices and the participants’ views on them. The relationships between the characteristics of institutions and their teaching innovations were also examined. Findings The results showed that the teaching innovations included two main categories, namely, those which involved the use of advanced technologies and those which did not. The innovations that involved the use of advanced technologies were mainly from larger institutions, while the other category was mainly from smaller ones and had been practised for less than 1.5 years. Differences were also identified between the two categories in terms of the aims and importance of innovations, innovative features, the evaluation of innovations and improvements needed for them. Originality/value The results highlighted that technology is only one of the many aspects of teaching innovations, which is different from the view prevailing in the literature. They also suggested that differences in the scale of institutions (in terms of number of students) possibly influences the kind of teaching innovations adopted.

Strategies to promote sustainability in higher education institutions

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 1018-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Issa Ibrahim Berchin ◽  
Vanessa dos Santos Grando ◽  
Gabriela Almeida Marcon ◽  
Louise Corseuil ◽  
José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Public Institution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Federal Institute ◽  
Sustainability In Higher Education ◽  
Education Science ◽  
Education In Brazil

Purpose This paper aims to analyze strategies that promote sustainability in higher education institutions (HEIs), focusing on the case study of a federal institute of higher education in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach The research was based on a scientific literature review on sustainability in HEIs, to identify the recurrent actions for sustainability in these institutions; and a case study of a federal institute of higher education in Brazil, to illustrate how these actions are being implemented by HEIs. Findings Concerns about sustainability, prompted by the Brazilian federal legislature, led federal HEI to change its internal processes, infrastructure and organizational culture toward sustainability. Practical implications The findings presented in this study, more specifically the sustainability plan of the Federal Institute for Education, Science and Technology of Santa Catarina, aligned with the recommendations proposed, can be used and replicated in other HEIs. Originality/value Scientific literature about organizational changes led by sustainability concerns, in HEIs specifically, still needs more attention in the academia. By addressing the case of a Brazilian public institution of higher education, this paper contributes to the literature on sustainability in higher education by reporting the process of implementation of a sustainability plan.

Accelerating the implementation of SDG 4: stakeholder perceptions towards initiation of sustainable community engagement projects by higher education institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lombuso Precious Shabalala ◽  
Sisa Ngcwangu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Reciprocal Relationship ◽  
Stakeholder Perceptions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Community

Purpose This paper aims to present the results of an investigation on how a reciprocal relationship between the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) in South Africa and the surrounding communities can be used to accelerate the implementation of sustainable development goal 4 (SDG 4). The aim of this paper is to establish stakeholder perceptions on the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the development and implementation of sustainable community engagement (CE) projects geared towards the acceleration of SDG 4. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology was adopted. This consisted of a presentation at UMP, an educational tour of the campus and discussion sessions with 3 education officials and 19 high schools representatives from Ehlanzeni District Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Content and narrative analysis were used to analyse the data obtained during the discussions. Findings The key findings indicate that a reciprocal relationship between HEIs and their surrounding communities can be used to accelerate the implementation of SDG 4 by positioning HEIs to take the lead with initiatives and implementation of CE projects. Research limitations/implications For HEIs to be in a better position to take a leading role in CE, they must guide without imposing, else it may lead to stakeholders losing interest. Practical implications The importance of a mutual working relationship between HEIs and communities becomes paramount, as it may lead to the realisation and acceleration of SDG 4 through CE. It is suggested that HEIs prioritise CE and also involve communities from the conceptualisation of any project. Originality/value The paper raises awareness and demonstrates the importance and possibilities of using CE towards the acceleration of the implementation of SDG 4 by HEIs.

Student entrepreneurship ecosystems at Australian higher education institutions

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Maritz ◽  
Quan Nguyen ◽  
Sergey Ivanov
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
University Student ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Student Entrepreneurship ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Entrepreneurship Ecosystems ◽  
Start Ups ◽  
The Impact

PurposeDespite the significance, university student start-ups and student entrepreneurship ecosystems (SEEs) have been subject to little research. This study aims to apply a qualitative emergent enquiry approach to explore best practice SEEs in Australia, complimented by narratives from leading scholars in higher education institutions with the aim of delineating the integrative components of SEEs.Design/methodology/approachAdopting the entrepreneurial ecosystem framework and aligned to the social cognitive theory, this paper explores the components and dynamics of SEEs, contributing to an understanding of how such components can better support the growth, sustainability and success of student start-ups. The authors extend entrepreneurship research on social construction using narrative research.FindingsThe findings provide guidelines for researchers, entrepreneurship scholars and educators, entrepreneurship students, policymakers and practitioners to enhance the impact and success of university student start-ups by adopting a student ecosystem approach.Research limitations/implicationsThe narratives represent a limited number of universities with an opportunity for further research to empirically measure the impact and outcomes of SEEs. The research is exploratory, inherently conceptual and emergent, providing an opportunity for validation of narrative frameworks in future studies.Practical implicationsThe findings may assist university managers to be more aware of their own subconscious preferences to student entrepreneurship and start-up initiatives, which may be useful in refining their impact and offerings regarding a quest toward the entrepreneurial university.Social implicationsFrom social perspectives, the alignment of the components of SEE has the ability to enhance and shift the entrepreneurial mindset of entrepreneurship students, notwithstanding enhancement of intentionality and self-efficacy.Originality/valueThis is the first study of SEEs in Australia, highlighting the importance of the integration of entrepreneurship education programs, entrepreneurship education ecosystems, the entrepreneurial university and specific start-up initiatives such as university accelerators. Furthermore, students may enhance their entrepreneurial mindset by actively engaging in such ecosystems.

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