Private Universities in 2021– Ways to revive with those lost dreams.

Private Universities in 2021– Ways to revive with those lost dreams.

The Private Sector Education system came into the picture since the mid 80s when we realized that the Government driven education system is not adequate enough to cope up with the increasing demands of education in our country. The entire idea was to have better education infrastructure and ensure quality learning by privatising the education system. The Private Sector Education system came into picture since the mid 80s when we realized that the Government driven education system is not adequate enough to cope up with the increasing demands of education in our country. The entire idea was to have better education infrastructure and ensure quality learning by privatising the education system. 

After almost 30 years, with more than 400 UGC approved  Private Universities operating in India, quality term is lost in the kilograms of potatoes making education a business game for quantity.

Most of the owners of Private Universities are failing to understand the expectation of students, parents and Corporates and are running frantically for mass recruitment compromising on quality factor. Whereas this should not have been the situation. Government education system is good enough for the cost cutters. Private Universities were made to provide quality learning to all those deserving scholars who are ready to invest in quality education system for quality infrastructure and intellectual resources. But then only the deserving students should have been given the entries rather than opening the floodgate for everyone.

I personally feel that the promotion of a Private University should be based on quality factor and target market should be marked with only quality students.

After spending almost 20 years in education marketing sector, I dream about the education marketers going through a complete reformation in their strategy.

1.     Marketing resources have to be utilized to scout good faculty members.

2.     Marketing resources to be utilized for building good liasoning with the corporates.

3.     Marketing resources to be utilized for organizing HR Summits, Faculty Development Programs and Student Development Programs for students and teachers of schools and colleges.

4.     Marketing resources to be utilized for building a rock solid network with Principals, Deans, HODs of different schools and colleges and thus develop genuine opinion leaders in the process.

5.     Other than promoting the courses and programs, the marketing resources can be utilized to promote Management Development Programs.

6.     After every 6 months, quality education research projects to be given for execution to marketing resources.

7.     Marketing resources can be utilized for placement training of the budding students of the Universities. I have always felt that Marketing and placement are compliments to each other and both the teams must work hand to hand.

8.     Emphasis to be given on admission criteria for getting quality students. There cannot be a better branding activity than increasing the rejection percentage while taking students. You can only get pure water if you have a good purifier at your work place or home.

9.     The Marketing team should concentrate on increasing the number of applicants. Admission to be handled by the faculty members. To make biriyani, you need the required spices. Otherwise you end up making a simple Dal and rice. Let the faculty members be given more independence for choosing students. A faculty can only deliver well if he or she finds quality students inside the classroom.

10.  Immense use of Digital marketing and social media platform. Focus has to be on adequate lead generations and proper convertions using CRMs.

11.  Increase of CSR activities.

12.  University publications will create an impact in branding. Universities have to organize regular book fairs in different places from time to time showcasing the research and publications of faculty members.

13.  Involvement of existing students in regular competitive events.

14.   Placement leaders to be appointed from students.

15.  Regular alumni meets.

16.  Regular big ticket events with stakeholders.

17.  Targets to be given to marketing team members for recruiting maximum quality students and not for roping in masses.

18.  Special incentives to be given to marketing and placement team members for bringing quality students and quality placements. Placement targets to be shared with the marketing team members before they begin their admission campaign so that they can improvise their market coverage strategies accordingly.

19.  Need of bare minimum domain knowledge of Marketing team members related to courses and programs. Regular upgradation of skills of marketing resource persons.

20.  Regular audit for quality check related to Marketing, placements and academic delivery. Successful liasoning with the existing students and their parents towards creating a good word of mouth.

Overall, Marketing should ideally be the main pillar of a quality drive of a Private University and not a dealer of quantity.

The Marketing resources are to be made responsible majorly for branding and not for the intakes.

It takes moments to weave a dream, years to walk with the dream, and ages to establish the dream. And seconds to destroy a dream with few wrong steps.

I have always felt that reputation and good word of mouth are to be considered as the biggest earnings by the owners of Private Universities atleast for first ten to fifteen years. Money comes much later with consistent flow of reputation and good word of mouth.