2011 modules include:

• Branding
• Customer care
• Direct, interactive and online marketing
• Institutional politics
• International Marketing
• Marketing management
• Market intelligence
• Marketing communications and
• Pricing

Module descriptions

The meerkat is dead, Peter Slee
This session will chart the journey universities are making through the three ages of higher education marketing: marketing as publicity (the past) marketing as branding (the present) and marketing as institutional strategy (the future) and explain how we need to gear up for the professional challenges ahead.

The 4 real Ps of HE marketing: power, politics, people and persuasion,Tricia King
A talented new HE marketer will take about two weeks to work out what needs to be done. It may take two years to actually make it happen. This session looks at marketing structure and how to negotiate power, work with politics, understand people and be your persuasive best so you can make change happen quickly.

Learning outcomes:

• Understanding how and where marketing fits within your institution's organisational structure; how that might change dependent on the external environment and internal relations.
• Learning how to communicate marketing strategy effectively and influence your organisation's mission.
• Learning how to play the internal politics of your institution to marketing's advantage.

Who do you think you are? The reasons for branding, Tracey Lancaster
Can you, and should you, really sum up something as diverse and complex as a University in a single brand? This session considers the opportunities and challenges of building a brand, and touches on some of the practicalities that need to be considered along the way.

Learning outcomes:

The price is right, Richard Taylor
What is the right fee for an academic programme? This is a common question as globalisation leaves institutions to determine their own fees. In England, the recommendations set out in the Browne Review and Comprehensive Spending Review has led to differential pricing. At the same time institutions can set their own 'academic prices'. This session will look at how institutions set prices, reflecting on the marketing concept of price, strategies and new research.

Learning outcomes:

• Working knowledge of pricing, positioning and market research as relevant to the HE sector.
• How to use this knowledge and skills in a strategic context.
• Employing market research appropriately for business decisions around product portfolio, pricing and planning.

How to bring excellent customer service to the heart of your institution, Peter Slee
In this session understand how customer service is an integral part of how we need to operate and in this world of consumerism and forthcoming changes in how much students pay for their education. How will we exceed their expectations and provide an enhanced service with a reduced resource? Customer service strategy is a key element to the educational marketing mix.

Learning outcomes:

• Understanding how your institution's portfolio matches customer needs
• Students as customers - a culture change
• The value for money you offer
• Your institution's efficiency and reliability in fulfilling student expectations
• Communications with students/customers
• The professionalism, friendliness and expertise of your institution's employees in dealing with students as customers.

 "What Difference Does It /Make?" - What The Smiths and other bands can teach us about direct, interactive and online marketing, Chris Watts
Tolstoy said that "music is the shorthand of emotion". This session will consider the benefits of direct, interactive and online marketing - including the emotional connection it enables us to make with applicants - and will show how effective integration is the key to a successful campaign.

Learning outcomes:

• Understanding the main principles of direct and interactive marketing.
• Collecting customer information, how to manage it and how to use it.
• What are the key drivers to build effective customer relationships and grow response.
• Understand the importance of effective targeting.
• Effective measurement and analysis to inform continuous improvement.

Destination UK: Deal or No Deal, Christine Humfrey
How do we attract international students to the UK? What expectations do they bring with them and how do we market successfully yet manage these expectations? What do we promise and how well do we deliver? Are our competitors
doing better? What next?

Learning outcomes:

• Acquisition of knowledge on international markets, internationalisation strategies and global competitors.
• Understanding of some basic issues of cost and price and of the management of cost perception through marketing.
• Awareness of international student needs and the means of meeting that need through the student experience and management of expectations.
• Ability to think critically about international higher education values and to consider the range of motivation for international recruitment.
• Gaining more sharply honed skills in communication with international students and sponsors to promote the UK product and its delivery.

Employer engagement: opportunities and obstacles for HEIs and the role of marketing, Tim Longden
Government policy since 2003 has attempted to foster closer links between employers and HEI's and there are opportunities for institutions to develop their commercial income. This session looks at the opportunities and obstacles facing HEI's in working with employers and considers the role marketers should play in this relatively new area of activity.

Learning outcomes:

• Market understanding of this specialist audience segment.
• Learn to tailor the strategic marketing approach to this audience; applying the marketing mix.
• Understand how brand and positioning relates to this community.
• Gain an understanding of which tools and approaches are relevant to this market, including CRM.
• Learn how to engage with internal colleagues on this topic by developing communications for the academic community so that they better understand the needs and behaviours of this market.
• Evaluation and effectiveness of campaigns for this market.