International Summer School on Marketing at Academia brings together 4 countries and international students

At the end of June, Short-Cycle Higher Education College Academia hosted its first Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) – s(M)art Skills: Summer Marketing School, bringing together students from Serbia, Turkey, Spain, and Slovenia. The program offered a dynamic and multicultural setting and an intensive and educational experience for 18 international students.

The introductory part of the s(M)ART Skills summer marketing programme covered topics such as strategic marketing and sales, giving participants in-depth knowledge of brand management, market research, consumer behaviour, social media marketing, creative advertising and content creation. Students were trained with the expertise and skills to create compelling marketing campaigns and strong brand identities through engaging lectures, real-world case assignments and visits to local businesses.

As part of the experiential learning, students had the opportunity to visit Teta Frida, a renowned local chocolatier, where they gained a personal insight into the world of manufacturing, branding and product marketing. This incredible experience deepened their understanding of the real-world applications of the marketing principles they had previously learnt through the virtual training component and inspired them to think creatively and strategically in their future marketing endeavours.

In the group part of the programme, students were divided into groups with assigned mentors. They were challenged to create unique marketing strategies specifically for Teta Frida. The case study presentations were later presented to the mentors, which was also the highlight of the s(M)ART Skills programme; the participants showed their creativity and artistic skills under the guidance of experienced mentors. They created fascinating advertisements and presented marketing strategies aimed at showcasing the uniqueness and charm of Teta Frida.

The group presentations were the product of several days of dedicated work and research while demonstrating the students’ ability to think outside the box and connect with their target audience. During the group discussions and presentation phases, mentors provided essential insights, comments and support, helping participants to improve their marketing strategies and their skills.

As the summer school coincided with the Lent Festival, a week-long festival of music, performances and cultural events, the students were able to attend a variety of events in the evening after the workshops.

The Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) – s(M)art Skills: Summer Marketing School encouraged ambitious students by helping them to develop new marketing strategies and connect more deeply with consumers. Through a combination of intensive and engaging lectures, group assignments and mentoring, participants learned the skills and mindset needed to succeed in the dynamic world of marketing. The lasting connections, themes and cultural experiences of the summer school will continue to inspire and influence the marketing careers of these students.