by Larissa Petryca, on 11 July 2024 08:30:25 CEST
In June and July, Berufskolleg Kaufmännische Schulen vocational college students from Bergisch Gladbach in Germany visited Prague City University as part of their Erasmus mobility programme.
Lecturers from PCU's School of Business created a 7-day special short course for the students. The course covered event management, digital marketing, marketing research, and campaign planning. It highlighted practical experience through a real-life project.
Digital Marketing Plan for Skate World Better
The course provided a comprehensive blend of theoretical knowledge and practical industry experience, all within the exciting context of extreme sports. A key component of the course was a project focused on developing a digital marketing plan for Skate World Better, a non-profit organisation dedicated to building skateparks across various African regions.
The organisation faced a significant challenge: maintaining a steady supply of used equipment to construct and outfit these skateparks. After an initial briefing on the issue, students were tasked with devising a solution. They proposed creating a Donation Centre within a Prague skateboarding store called Popname. The centre would also be supported by local awareness campaigns.
In the first part of the programme students learned the importance of strategic planning along with various marketing techniques. They explored methods for identifying target audiences, tailoring marketing messages to specific demographics, and analysing potential competitors. These theoretical lessons were reinforced through practical workshops and industry field trips.
Field Trips for Research
The first field trip took students to the DSC Gallery where they viewed a photo exhibition which demonstrated how the assigned company builds skateparks in Africa. Whilst there they engaged in discussions with Martin Louzeky, photographer and company owner of Kubo Krizo, who documented the projects. The second trip involved a site visit to Popname, the skateboard store they had designated for a future Donation Centre. These experiences allowed for a deeper understanding of how theoretical concepts may be applied in real-world settings.
Campaign Storytelling Techniques
In the second part of the programme students were introduced to storytelling techniques, along with examples in branding and marketing campaigns. As well as how to design and implement while combining profit and non-profit goals.
Academic Feedback
“It has been a great pleasure to oversee such a motivated and passionate group of students” said Prof Stefano Cavagnetto, the academic responsible for the programme “and to see what they managed to prepare and deliver in such a short amount of time. Their final presentations were of great quality, particularly when I consider their young age”.
Lucie Rivera, a lecturer at the School of Business who participated in the project, mentioned that “the teaching experience for the summer intensive course was extremely valuable to me. It was a joy to see how the students enjoyed the skateboarding project and how they related all material to practice. We established a strong bond through this experience and we are looking forward to welcoming future collaboration with Berufskolleg Kaufmännische Schulen in the future”.
Marek Kocak, a lecturer who helped deliver the course and who was the main organiser for the industry visits, added that “it was a pleasure to teach such curious and tech-savvy young students with a passion for the chosen class project”.
We are excited to welcome more students from Berufskolleg Kaufmännische Schulen and look forward to continuing our successful academic partnership into the future!
