International Higher Education Teacher Award ^2024/25

The nonbusiness marketing class is detailing the public utility, the budgetary public service and nonprofit sectors, and some cross-sectoral and non-sector-relevant fields of marketing. Besides providing a theoretical basis for the issues, the course focuses mostly on applying knowledge in practice. Working partially in a flipped method, students have the chance to discuss the theoretical aspects of certain sectors in class. Then a real problem is presented to them, connected to the specific sector, they need to solve in groups. Why is this course innovative? - It requires active participation from students as discussions are held instead of frontal teaching. - We educate responsible citizens, as we learn about greenwashing, donating, corporate social responsibility, social responsibilities, sustainable consumption, green marketing, etc. - Digital skills of students are enhanced, as they can create social media content (FB, IG, YT), videos, creatives and online ads, create events, etc. (assessment is based on this, too) - Assessment is based on the solutions presented to the specific marketing problems of the 3 outside organizations involved. Student groups create a presentation and summarize ideas and findings in a report. - Assessment includes third parties as well. The teacher does not decide on her own but involves the three outside institutions in decision-making and determining the final grades of students. - Assessment is diverse. Those, who do not wish to participate in the project work, can take an exam at the end of the semester, so different forms of completion are allowed for students with diverse needs. - International and intercultural competences are enhanced, as one out of the three practical project tasks is connected to an international initiative and ideas can be optionally handed in in English. The main outcomes of the course are as follows: - Students have encountered three different organization’s real-life marketing problems. - The problems were narrow enough so that student teams could solve them in 2 weeks each and then present the results on the third week. - Students got enhanced presentation and problem-solving skills - Students could get a practical experience in the field of nonbusiness marketing. - Participating organizations got many different solutions to their existing marketing problems and could benefits from students’ insights and ideas. Some ideas were carried out in real life.

Methodology

In the Nonbusiness marketing course, students have the opportunity to get to know the main sectors of the field. Other than learning the theoretical aspects of both public utility, budgetary public service and nonprofit sectors, they get an insight into one institution's marketing problems from each sector. Throughout the semester, students work on three projects, related to each of these sectors and contribute their own ideas to the proposed marketing problems in each sector. The nonbusiness marketing class is detailing the public utility, the budgetary public service and nonprofit sectors, and some cross-sectoral and non-sector-relevant fields of marketing. Besides providing a theoretical basis for the issues, the course focuses mostly on applying knowledge in practice. Working partially in a flipped method, students have the chance to discuss the theoretical aspects of certain sectors. Then a real problem is presented to them, connected to the specific sector. In the fall semester of 2021/2022, the 14-week course structure was as follows: - Week 1-6: Insight into the nonprofit sector and practical marketing problem project task with the local MASZK association. - Week 7-10: Insight into the budgetary public service sector and practical marketing problem project with the local cultural house in Kiskundorozsma. - Week 10-14: Insight into the public utility sector and practical marketing problem project with MVM (Magyar Villamos Művek). Method of course: - 1st way to complete: Students attend classes and take an individual exam in the exam period - 2nd way to compete: Students work in groups and solve three marketing problems of outside partners (1 from each nonbusiness sector) Before the start of the new semester, the teacher reached out to organizations from both three sectors. Thankfully, all organizations were happy to work together with university students, so project work could start as early as September. Outside partners involved (1 marketing problem each): - Nonprofit organization: MASZK Association, Szeged - Public utility sector organization Petőfi Sándor Művelődési Ház, Dorozsma - Budgetary public service sector organization: Magyar Villamos Művek (MVM) Task of partners: - Together with the teacher of the course design a narrow marketing problem - Present the problem to students and allow them 2 weeks for solving the issue and coming up with own ideas - Listen to the presentation of students, read the handed in assignments and choose the best ones (they automatically get maximum points for that assignment) Task 1, MASZK: How can we reach the youth to promote the harmful effects of fast fashion? Create 10 advertisement on social media (creatives and posts too) to advocate for slow fashion and raise the attention of the youth! Task 2, Cultural house: The younger generation is hard to reach. Now you have the chance to create an event (or series of events) to somehow involve them in the life of the city of Dorozsma, and attract them to the local cultural house. What would this event be? Create advertisement for it! (5-5 advertisement ideas and final created advertisement is needed). Task 3, MVM: MVM has changed its name, AGAIN. Consumers can barely remember now what the name is, so your task will be to find an attractive new name for the new Facebook of MVM. Facebook does not allow MVM to rename its old channel, so the task is to find a name and create a strategy of how to attract the more than 20,000 followers to a new Facebook page. Create 5 creatives and 3 name suggestions for this. Why is this course innovative? - It requires active participation from students as discussions are held instead of frontal teaching. - We educate responsible citizens, as we learn about greenwashing, donating, corporate social responsibility, social responsibilities, sustainable consumption, green marketing, etc. - Digital skills of students are enhanced, as they create social media content (FB, IG, YT), videos, creatives and online ads, create events, etc. (assessment is based on this, too) - Assessment is based on the solutions presented to the specific marketing problems of the 3 parties involved. Student groups create a presentation and summarize ideas and findings in a report. - Assessment includes third parties as well. The teacher does not decide on her own but involves the three outside institutions in decision-making and determining the final grades of students. - Assessment is diverse. Those, who do not wish to participate in the project work, can take an exam at the end of the semester, so different forms of completion are allowed for students with diverse needs. - International and intercultural competences are enhanced, as one out of the three practical project tasks is connected to an international initiative and ideas can be optionally handed in in English (nonprofit project work). The methodology is relevant in the chosen category, as the course design is centered around students, so that they can gain practical experience during their studies. Or if they wish so, they can also take an exam from the theory they learned.

Tools, equipment, technology used

There were no specific tools used in this class, except for the ones students could freely apply. Some student groups used Photoshop, Canva, and other video editor pages, so that they could finalize their solutions for the marketing problems and create creatives, videos and pictures.

Outcomes and outputs, main results

The main outcomes of the course are as follows: - 3 solutions/group for each marketing problem - Students have encountered three different organization’s real-life marketing problems. - The problems were narrow enough so that student teams could solve them in 2 weeks each and then present the results. - Students got enhanced presentation and problem-solving skills - Students could get a practical experience in the field of nonbusiness marketing. - Participating organizations got many different solutions to their existing marketing problems and could benefits from students’ insights and ideas. - Students gave very positive feedback on the course stating how practical it was. They enjoyed taking part, which also motivated me, the teacher to keep continuing with this specific curriculum design. - Close cooperation with the participating organizations, which ensures future collaboration with them in the future. - Various possibilities to finish the course (exam or project work) - Happy and engaged students and teacher. :)

Lessons learnt

When applying this specific good practice, there are some areas that need to be considered: - 3 project work might be a bit too much for students, as real time-devotion is needed in exchange for the practical insight - finding capable and committed organizations is key, as they are the ones to determine the majority of the project task (as they provide the marketing problem) - other than discussing theory during classes, an even more specific flipped classroom method could be applied. Video recordings should be given to students to listen to, then come to class more prepared, where we can concentrate on the real marketing problems of the organizations at hand, while applying the methods learned from the videos. - Students are quite engaged in issues regarding sustainability, so more topics connected to it could be added.

Adaptability and sustainability of the best practice (for other institutions)

I believe that this practice could be applied at any institution, where nonbusiness or nonprofit marketing is taught. Besides looking at the theory, reaching out to local stakeholders would make a difference in students' learning process. As this way, they could experience working on a real problem, while providing solutions to local organizations, who mostly suffer from budgetary constraints especially regarding their marketing activities.

Promotion of best practice

I promote the best practice throughout institutional channels, mainly among colleagues of marketing. The local marketing club was also invited to join in any project they wanted to. Recently, a news in connection with this specific Nonbusiness marketing class was shared on the faculty social media webpage. After the completion of the semester, the students also participated in the Christmas Shoebox Initiative as part of their course. (A voluntary donation initiative for the ones in need.)

Scope and impact

• Course/department level
• Faculty level
• Institutional level
• National level
• EU/EHEA/International level

The course had closest impact on its students due to the practical insight into the field. It also impacts other courses and faculty, as the idea of inviting outside stakeholders came also from other faculty members. Therefore, I hope this would also motivate others to start practical coursework. Hopefully, Nonbusiness marketing is influential on an institutional level too, as I rely heavily on word-of-mouth advertisement and on local social media news advertisement on the faculty channels. I also believe that the course content and the initiative would be quite useful for students and help in the education of responsible citizens of Hungary and Europe.

6.1 Digitalization

• Innovative, novel methodology in using digital tools/devices in teaching
• Digital skills development and assessment both general and profession-related, embedded in course design, in teaching and assessment

Reasoning: All project group tasks needed students to enhance their digital sills: editing a video, creating an online advertisement, designing a Facebook/Instagram post or finalizing a poster.

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6.2 Internationalization

• Students engagement in international projects

Reasoning: Students taking part in a real-life marketing problem related to a nonprofit's international project.

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6.3 Inclusion and diversity, universal design

• Inclusive course design, universally designed divers activities to meet special students' needs
• Innovative teaching methodology for inclusion and meet diverse student needs
• Alternative, flexible assessment methods for students with special needs

Reasoning: The course could be finished in two different ways: - 1st way to complete: Students attend classes and take an individual exam in the exam period - 2nd way to compete: Students work in groups and solve three marketing problems of outside partners (1 from each nonbusiness sector)

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6.4 Sustainability

• Sustainability goals are addressed in the course(s)
• Teaching material contains profession related sustainability aspects
• Special courses reflecting to UN 2030 Sustainability goals, Green Deal - mini-courses, microcredentials
• Social entrepreneurship projects, service-learning in the topic
• Environmental attitude, skill development and assessment either general or profession-related
• Sustainability aspects are considered in all phases of the learning practice - "hidden curriculum"

Reasoning: We educate responsible citizens, as we learn about greenwashing, donating, corporate social responsibility, social responsibilities, sustainable consumption, green marketing, etc. If needed, student could stay at the involved organizations and implement their plans first-hand.

3.3 Public contact datas

Name	Email address	Website
Dr. Anita Kéri	keri.anita@eco.u-szeged.hu