Appeal of a Higher Education Institution: VAMK’s International Student Perspective
Autio, Niina (2019)
2019
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201905139417
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201905139417
Tiivistelmä
International students have been a popular topic of research over the past decades.
However, majority of the research has been written from the perspective of migration
studies and has focused on the largest destination countries. This thesis aimed
to identify factors influencing the attractiveness of Vaasa University of Applied
Sciences (VAMK) to international students.
In the theoretical part of the thesis, the decision-making process of international
students and the different factors affecting the process were presented. Higher education
marketing was discussed from the perspective of 7Ps service marketing mix.
The empirical research was conducted using a mainly quantitative questionnaire as
a research method. The questionnaire was used to describe the decision-making
process specific to VAMK’s international students.
Based on the questionnaire results and theory, VAMK’s current marketing mix was
assessed and recommendations for improving it were given. The main finding was
that VAMK’s current marketing communication activities are not as effective as
they could be. A recommendation was given to establish a strategy combining different
marketing communication channels to ensure their consistency.
However, majority of the research has been written from the perspective of migration
studies and has focused on the largest destination countries. This thesis aimed
to identify factors influencing the attractiveness of Vaasa University of Applied
Sciences (VAMK) to international students.
In the theoretical part of the thesis, the decision-making process of international
students and the different factors affecting the process were presented. Higher education
marketing was discussed from the perspective of 7Ps service marketing mix.
The empirical research was conducted using a mainly quantitative questionnaire as
a research method. The questionnaire was used to describe the decision-making
process specific to VAMK’s international students.
Based on the questionnaire results and theory, VAMK’s current marketing mix was
assessed and recommendations for improving it were given. The main finding was
that VAMK’s current marketing communication activities are not as effective as
they could be. A recommendation was given to establish a strategy combining different
marketing communication channels to ensure their consistency.