The worlds of business and commerce are extremely dynamic environments demanding ever-changing skills and knowledge sets. The Knowledge Factory's CIM programme is designed to address these challenges and help you gain the premium marketing qualifications available and thereby assist you and your company to gain a sustainable, competitive advantage by developing a professional approach to marketing.

TKF's CIM programme, which is based at Wellawatte, is taught by some of Sri Lanka's best-qualified and experienced marketing lecturers headed by Failan Saleem. This expert team of lecturers has consistently helped students achieve well above the national average exam pass rates. At the TKF building there is extensive and well-equipped access to considerable on-line research and learning resources, and where best practice discussions of the best brands is a standard practice, all of which available to you once you start studying with us.

Since 2005 TKF has produced 29 Sri Lanka prize winners including a World prize for SMIP, and for the first time in Sri Lanka produced the first 4A's student at the December 2007 exams.
Prizes won at the July 2008 Graduation include ME,MRI, MMIP,MMP,SMIP and overall stage one (4A's)
What courses are offered?

• Part-time programme (Starting Oct/Nov 2008)
  
• Part-time morning and weekend programme
  
• Full time programme

Course Content - The First Stage programme starts on October 26th 2008,when students will attend three introductory classes familiarizing students with the new Syllabus special booklets will be provided for each student with the subjects and what options to choose
Where are the classes run?
All of the CIM programmes are run from No 23 Hamers Avenue Wellawatte, very close to the police station towards the sea side
Will I have to do much private study?
We would typically recommend between 1-2 hours of private study for each classroom hour.
Do you run any on-line support?
Not as such but lecture notes are available on a dedicated website.

Multiple Sri Lankan prize winner, Raidha Raleen
CIM Diploma
"I chose to do my CIM Diploma
at TKF for two reasons: the
first is the learning experience. The second, the most
important reason, is the center's
reputation as a centre of excellence for the
CIM qualifications.
Doing an evening class after a long day at
work can be hard, but I sincerely do not
notice the late time due to my tutors, who
as well as being extremely knowledgeable, are very animated on the topic of marketing ."

Saminda Sumanaratne
Category Manger, Uni Lever
CIM Diploma
"The CIM course at TKF
has provided me the essential
marketing knowledge and
skills required to be successful in a
marketing management role.
The professional qualification means that I
can move ahead in my career, and achieve
my aspirations.
The quality of teaching is excellent, and
through the course I have been able to
build a good network of people from
various industries in
and around Colombo."

NEW CIM PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE IN MARKETING (Level 4) Commencing 26th October/9th November 2008 Subjects
March to 30 May
Unit 1 - Marketing Essentials: 3 hour examination comprising:

" Part A worth 40%: ten short questions of four marks each used to test knowledge and understanding across the syllabus
" Part B worth 60%: Case study with three questions requiring extended answers and testing knowledge, understanding, application and evaluation
" All questions are compulsory

Unit 2 - Assessing the Marketing Environment: 3 hour examination comprising:

" a pre-seen case study
" Case study available on line (6 weeks before exam for tutors, five weeks for students)
" Students analyse the case study and produce a SWOT and PESTEL analyses (maximum 4 pages)Students to bring analyses into the exam and append to exam paper. Marks are awarded for how well the students apply the information from the SWOT and PESTEL analyses to the questions. Marks are not awarded for the analyses themselves.
" All questions on the exam paper are compulsory and relate to the case study
" Part A worth 40%: five questions of eight marks each testing knowledge and understanding
" Part B worth 60%: three questions of twenty marks each requiring extended answers and testing knowledge, understanding, application and evaluation

Unit 3 - Marketing Information and Research: research-based project:

" Three questions in the assignment - all compulsory

" Question One worth 50%: will always involve the preparation of a Proposal in response to a brief
" Question Two and Three worth 25% each: the focus will change each time to reflect the full breadth of the brief

Unit 4 - Stakeholder Marketing: work-based project:

" 4,000 words in total
" All tasks are compulsory
" Choice of two options
" Options will be different for each diet

The success of the assessment associated with each unit will be associated with the award of that unit, but students who wish to be awarded the CIM Professional Certificate, will have to successfully complete all four units.

Options for Full Time Stage 1/Block Course Stage 2&3 for CIM
At TKF we offer Full-time and evening study and now, the more intensive block course where we use a combination of distance learning and block teaching to provide an alternative mode of study. For each subject the delivery methods would be as follows:
Phase one: two day block or ten hours- there will be a bias towards tutor-directed input and student-centred group discussions.
Phase two: assigned reading and assessment, tutor support by telephone and email - involves self-study backed up with assessed work used for diagnostic purposes. Assessed work will typically involve past exam questions and case studies conducted under simulated examination conditions and submitted to the course tutor, electronically. Telephone support from the tutor will also be available within designated times.
Phase three: two day block or ten hours - focuses on applying the skills and knowledge gained to practical business situations, with a combination of tutor-led group discussions and student-centred activities. Minimum Five past papers in full
Phase four: assigned reading and assessment, tutor support by telephone and email - concentrates on assessed work in preparation for the professional examinations set by the CIM. Assessments are used for diagnostic purposes to assist you in monitoring and improving your individual performance. As with Phase two, work will be submitted to the tutor either electronically and telephone support will be available within designated times.

For more on Course timetable for the Block programme and Old Syallbus Prograame Call Failan 0777743747