Positioning Strategy

Positioning Strategy

Table of Contents

Chapter I: Introduction4

Background4

The marketing of education to international students6

Service quality perceptions8

Student satisfaction9

Research Aims & Ob?ectives12

Chapter II: Literature Review15

The Blurring of Research, Learning, and Teaching Boundaries15

Dynamics of the HE recruitment market16

Need to review university promotional tools and messages18

Selecting A University22

Information sources when selecting a university24

Quality Perspective29

Need for service quality in higher education31

Moving forward42

Engendering learning leadership44

Managing differences45

A corporate university is enterprise driven46

Managing Career Pathways52

Chapter III: Research methodology56

Methodology56

Comparing Quantitative Approach with Quantitative Approach57

Data Collection and Ethical Issues60

Findings60

Research Limitations65

Chapter 4: Discussion, Results and Analysis66

Ma?or Implications67

Analyzing the Responses68

Results70

Open Day Technique72

Campaign Ob?ectives72

Recent Trends73

Timing74

Identification and Selection of Strategies75

Budgeting76

Evaluation76

Chapter 5: Conclusion78

References81

Appendix97

Positioning Strategy of a British University

Chapter I: Introduction

Background

Financial constraints imposed on higher education have encouraged institutions to recruit larger international student intakes for sourcing revenue. During the last 20 years, the provision of education for international students has emerged as a prominent growth area in the service sector. As seen from Table I, year on year growth has increased from 2.5 per cent between 2003/2001 and 2001/2000 and 5 per cent between 2000/2001 and 2001/2002.

In June 2001, the UK Government launched an initiative to attract an additional 50,000 international students to UK higher education by 2005 and to win market share from its ma?or competitors, the US and Australia. UK Government investment of £5 million over a three-year period has been made available to assist the British Council in identifying student influences and perceptions and develop its “Education UK” brand, subsequently launched in January 2000 to brand British education. Since the Government's initiative in 2001, there has been an 8 per cent rise in enrolled international students in HE (based on 2001/2000 figures).

Binsardi and Ekwulugo (2003) compare the UK growth rate with that of the US and Australia which achieved 12 per cent and 15 per cent growth respectively in 2000. The study shows that the UK is chosen primarily for its “educational standard and its recognized qualifications worldwide”. This is reinforced by Mazzarol and Soutar (2002) who having conducted a survey among 879 students at Australian colleges and universities, found that the most important factors were the quality and reputation of the institution and the recognition of the institution's qualifications in their own country.

Kinnell (1989) seeks to consider some of the more fundamental issues relating to marketing within educational institutions, particularly in connection with overseas students. Gaining a vocational qualification and having a special opportunity to study in England were overriding factors in the expectations of overseas students questioned at Loughborough University of Technology and Nottingham University.

Kotler's (1975) conceptual model of the “publics” associated with universities is also used by Kinnell as a means of considering the environment in relation to overseas students and it is suggested that both the students as well as the sponsors (government agencies, employers, parents) should be considered. Howarth (2003) confirms that there is greater need for accountability to parents than in the case of UK students, both due to cultural differences and also due to the high fees payable.

Paramewaran and Glowacka (2005), in their study of university ...