Marketing International Study Programmes to Finnish Upper Secondary School Students : Case: Lahti University of Applied Sciences Ltd
Vilkko, Iira (2017)
Vilkko, Iira
Lahden ammattikorkeakoulu
2017
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017053011067
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017053011067
Tiivistelmä
The project built to support the purpose of the thesis was to market international study programmes of Lahti University of Applied Sciences Ltd to Finnish upper secondary school students. The author collaborated with Kannas Upper Secondary School’s IB students. Lahti UAS, with other universities and universities of applied sciences in Finland, will start charging tuition fees from foreign students in the fall of 2017, and the upcoming change has already caused the number of foreign applicants to go down. Still, it remains imperative to market international programmes to Finnish students as well.
The thesis consists of two parts: theoretical and empirical. The theoretical part covers different areas of marketing in general, talks about the importance of a target audience, and introduces the reader to the case companies. The empirical part of the thesis covers a project that was executed in two parts. First, the author visited Kannas to give a presentation, and afterwards Kannas students visited Lahti UAS. They, together with an international group of students, participated in a discussion programme at Lahti UAS’ official campus radio. Qualitative methods were used to collect data for the research. The author observed and interviewed the focus group and had them fill out a questionnaire. The results of the research were highly positive and encouraging, as students stated they relate better to other students rather than to faculty members, and are thus more receptive and willing to participate.
Based on the findings, Lahti UAS is in need of additional marketing not only to Finnish students, but to foreign students as well. The project utilized can be applied in the future as well and modified in several ways to fit current needs and include more aspects. Social media can be applied to reach foreign students in the future. And, the project created an example of future marketing for Lahti UAS and other schools in Finland.
The thesis consists of two parts: theoretical and empirical. The theoretical part covers different areas of marketing in general, talks about the importance of a target audience, and introduces the reader to the case companies. The empirical part of the thesis covers a project that was executed in two parts. First, the author visited Kannas to give a presentation, and afterwards Kannas students visited Lahti UAS. They, together with an international group of students, participated in a discussion programme at Lahti UAS’ official campus radio. Qualitative methods were used to collect data for the research. The author observed and interviewed the focus group and had them fill out a questionnaire. The results of the research were highly positive and encouraging, as students stated they relate better to other students rather than to faculty members, and are thus more receptive and willing to participate.
Based on the findings, Lahti UAS is in need of additional marketing not only to Finnish students, but to foreign students as well. The project utilized can be applied in the future as well and modified in several ways to fit current needs and include more aspects. Social media can be applied to reach foreign students in the future. And, the project created an example of future marketing for Lahti UAS and other schools in Finland.