According to national rankings, Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) graduates are the most valued marketing professionals in the job market (magazine “Reitingai”, 2014). To prove the point: KTU marketing undergraduates were the first Lithuanians, who found themselves among the winners of Google Online Marketing Challenge last year.
Two teams of KTU School of Economics and Business students were announced as winners in an annual Google Online Marketing Challenge in 2014. KTU students became Google+ Social Media Marketing Global Winners and European Winners. One more KTU students’ team made it to the Google+ Social Media Marketing Final in European region.
According to the head of the undergraduate Marketing study programme Žaneta Piligrimienė, the outstanding achievement is the result of the unified efforts from students, their teachers and business representatives. According to her, hands-on practical experience, which the students can get during their studies, is crucial for their success.
“We have been collaborating with Google for several years now, therefore our students can acquire the digital marketing competencies, which are essential in today’s world, and to become certified Google AdWords professionals”, says Piligrimienė.
The ideas from the marketing students – self-drying towel Quikiz and a protective dog collar Doglight – gained a lot of attention from visitors and media at the exhibition Technorama 2015 and the competition IDĖJA 2015.
“My feeling is, that soon these ideas will develop into physical products”, Piligrimienė is convinced.
Technological University Environment Is a Bonus for Marketing Studies
The marketing academic Piligrimienė maintains that the authors of ideas, such as Quikiz and Doglight have the advantage of studying at a technology university where they can gain access to new technologies easily. Marketing students attend lectures and communicate with engineering, technology and other students from different majors, and can jointly use their different competencies for implementing their ideas.
Regimantas Urbanas, Baltic States’ Marketing Manager at Google says that advertising on the Internet and smart devices is the most effective advertising channel with the largest growth potential. “Even if you are not planning to work at an advertising agency you have to have the know-how of advertising so you know what services you can have and how to evaluate the results”, says Urbanas.
“The marketing students at KTU acquire knowledge on today’s customers, they learn how to encourage them by using traditional or digital methods, they can develop communication for promoting the trademark or image of the company in various medias using traditional and digital marketing tools”, Piligrimienė lists the skills gained studying marketing.
Business Professionals Participate in the Study Process
Business professionals are closely involved in the preparation of marketing professionals at KTU: they read lectures, provide case studies for class work and award the top performers.
“The students get invaluable experience by undertaking real practical tasks, which they pitch to the business representatives themselves. The best solutions are usually been awarded with scholarships and other substantial prizes. Participation of businesses in the study process is a win-win situation: the students can develop their skills and present them to the potential employers, and the latter have a chance to choose the most talented employees”, says Piligrimienė.
Practical Skills Gained Through Work Placements Abroad
KTU’s School of Economics and Business marketing students can undertake the compulsory work placement both in Lithuanian and foreign companies.
Erasmus+ opens vast possibilities for those willing to gain work experience abroad. Also, there is a unique chance to gain practical skills and knowledge by participating at Google digital advertising challenge, and the consultations for those willing to become certified Google AdWords professionals are available. 12 out of 14 students working with the AdWords used the opportunity in the last semester.
During the course of studies, students can enrol into international study projects with partners from the USA, Germany, Spain, Singapore or Finland. For example, just recently an international study project Virtual Reality Marketing, where a team of students from Lithuania, Austria and Germany were creating virtual reality games for business partners, ended.
“In the project, our students were responsible for preparing the games’ marketing plan, and their results were evaluated by both international teachers and business representatives as outstanding”, says Piligrimienė.
