Why ‘SLIM Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing’ is the Most Practical Qualification?
View(s):The Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) is the national body for marketers incorporated by a Parliamentary Act in 1980.
SLIM has many educational products in its portfolio. This article discusses one of its unique programmes which is known as the ‘SLIM Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing (PGDip M)’. According to national and international stakeholders, the SLIM PGDip M covers a wide range of marketing aspects in comparison with any other programme in the country and Asia Pacific region.
‘First go Local & then go Global’
‘Global theory with Local insights’ is another theme of SLIM and the meaning behind this is that SLIM PGDip M concentrates not only on global examples but also on Local examples to be shared amongst students throughout, as it is required by organizations. Today’s corporates may not be interested in people purely qualified in foreign degrees and other foreign programs, but what matters most would be; whether the candidate understands the LOCAL market perfectly and could apply theories learnt into practice. SLIM PGDip M has included a variety of local case studies and examples to the curriculum, especially to cater to this need.
Dhanesh R Jayathilaka Vice President-Education/Lecturer MBA (Wales), MSLIM, PGDip M (SL), MCIM (UK), CPM-ASIA PACIFIC, Practicing Marketer (SL), Member of American Marketing Association (AMA), Chartered Marketer (UK)
If a person needs to be a practical level marketer and not to solely obtain a qualification per se, he/she should go through a practical level course which would sharpen the right skills and groom the person with right attitude. The PGDip M has not also been designed with either 100% examinations or assignments, since it is clear to us that such requirement would not help create practical marketers. Indeed, we are well aware that 100% exams will just make students ‘book worms’ and not practical thinkers. Conversely, when students are faced with a 100% assignment based learning, they will be tempted to and will definitely seek assistance from already qualified people in the fraternity. This would once again produce unpractical yet qualified marketers who would not be sought by many organizations.
Hence, the SLIM PGDip M is crafted with the right blend of assignments, exams as well as classroom presentations which would produce a practical marketer with proper communication skills. We believe that a marketing programme must test the presentations skills of a student, if not, it would not only lose credibility but it would also be impractical for students. This scenario is very well understood by the SLIM BOS (Board of Study) which is comprised of eminent titans in the fraternity starting from Prof. K U Kamalgoda, Prof. Uditha Liyanage, Dr J A S K Jayakodi, Mr Deepal Sooriyarachchi, Mr Dehan Senevirathne, Prof M J S Wijerathna, Prof Sampath Anarathunga; & members of the SLIM Education Reforms Committee which includes Mr G S Sylvester, Mr Amithe Gamage, Mr Maxwell Ranasinghe, Mr Ravi Bamunusinghe, Mr Rohan Somawansa, Mr R M P Dayawansa, Mr Tilan Wijeyesekera & Mr Nalin Munasinghe.
SLIM also has the first mover advantage in assignments and has employed the lecturers who have this exposure to guide students to the required level. Another unique feature of SLIM is that, it is the only Institution which does not have competitors and does not consider other institutions or lecturers of any other institutions as competitors. SLIM as a mature brand, practices the ‘Blue Ocean’ strategy clearly and appropriately.
We have clearly identified the importance of branding and it is known that SLIM PGDip M is the only professional marketing curriculum with a brand management subject.
It is understood that 3-4 lecturers cannot produce a practical marketer, as a small number cannot contribute and share a broad spectrum of knowledge & experience. For a student to be a practical level marketer, he/she should be exposed to minimum of 15-20 lecturers and this is facilitated by SLIM PGDip M. Our panel of lecturers primarily hails from Healthcare, Telecommunication, Education, Banking and numerous other industries with different styles of lecturing and different insights, which will no doubt sharpen the skills of PGDip M students’ in order to generate an extremely well rounded marketer.
We always reserve the first priority to SLIM-grown products, when it comes to lecturing and opportunities are offered to enter into sub committees of National level events such as SLIM Brand Excellence, SLIM NASCO (National Sales Congress), SLIM Peoples’ Awards & Effie etc. which allows students to meet seniors in the fraternity and also for them to know the process of said events, which will help them to think practically.
SLIM shows the right path with a highly diversified number of products from Sales to Branding up to an MBA and even assisting students to find employment as lecturers and opportunities to support students/members as referees and / or mentors.
SLIM is a Full Member of the Asia Marketing Federation (AMF) & Member of American Marketing Association (AMA). A SLIM Membership (MSLIM), enables you to become a Member of American Marketing Association, which again would expand your horizons to the global arena.
SLIM also has won many national & international awards for its contribution to the marketing fraternity such as Brand Excellence in Service Industry & overall Brand Leadership at the Global Awards for Brand Excellence 2012 conducted by the World Brand Congress, Most Admired Events for Branding & Marketing at the Annual Asian Business Leadership Awards 2012, Gold Award at the National Business Excellence Awards 2012 etc..
The heritage value of SLIM, being the oldest marketing body and being the National Body for Marketing, has contributed to all marketers in the country.
You as Sri Lankan students, members & lecturers can contribute to the ONLY National Body for Marketing and in turn SLIM can make you a real marketer recognized by national and international organizations.
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