Introduction
Victoria University is located at the city of Melbourne, constitutes of ten campuses across the city suburbs, and has its origin in Australia. It is of importance to note that, VU was founded in 1916 as ‘Footscray Technical School’ but ascertained in 1990 after its consecutive merges with TAFE collages in Melbourne. As a result of its success, VU has emerged as one of the major and most culturally varied education institutions in the entire Australia. In connection to this, VU is among the five multi-sector universities that provide courses in TAFE and higher education. Additionally, VU provides graduate and post graduate courses as well as vocational education and TAFE. It should be noted that, VU has approximately ten campuses both local and international that have enrolled more than 50, 000 students. The central operation of VU is at the campuses found at Melbourne city in Australia where courses, researches and engagement activities are provided which have been proven locally pertinent and internationally important (Sheth, 1988).
On this basis, this study aimed at conducting a research on the perceived quality of the university by VU students. In this connection, this research will be useful both locally and worldwide in marketing this university as one of the best globally. In order to adequately carry out this research, a number of research methods were used which included interview, use of questionnaires and group discussion method. In relation to this, the hypothesis tested in the field was; ‘the quality of Victoria University is perceived positively by students’ (Pride & Ferrel, 2006).
Literature review
Australian higher education has had an important number of critical inflexion points when speaking about its quality in both contexts, national and international. It is said to be shifting from and “educational based” industry, to a “business” based industry that have changed the character and hierarchy of its institutions (Raciti 2010). The partial commercialisation and a corporative perspective of higher education institutions in the 1990’s, introduced to Australia the notion of the academic enterprise (Symes 1996; Marginson 1998). Universities at the turn of the 21st Century began to use marketing strategies to create a competitive advantage in the marketplace. The need to adopt marketing strategies was not only to protect the undergraduate student ‘consumer’ base that was under threat by intensified competition, but to also consolidate a position in the market (Raciti, 2010).
Australian universities at the turn of the 21st Century were diverse in character and served the interests of Australian society with their primary purpose being to create, acquire, apply and transmit knowledge (DETYA 1998).
Established under parliamentary Acts, Australian universities used to be autonomous, self-accrediting post-secondary institutions with international links. Their essence and main purpose was to promote knowledge, its development and acquisition through research and the sharing of ideas and thoughts. They offered both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programs that were largely financed by the Commonwealth Government (Nelson 2002).
At the turn of the 21st Century, higher education in Australia shifted from an elitist system toward a system of mass education. It had a predominantly public character and there appeared to be substantial uniformity in terms of institutional quality across the sector; hence institutions similar to ‘Oxford’ or the ‘Ivy League’ did not prevail (Nelson 2002).
By the last decades of the twentieth century, the concept of market had already become a key factor in Australian education (Nelson 2002). Terms such as educational property, products, consumers (students) and user pays permeated educational policy and administration, giving way to a new era in public education that is characterised by features of commercial markets (Nelson, 2003).
The question raised refers to the wether the quality of education remains a crucial factor in this new era of institutional shift and if it has prevailed as a fundamental competitive advantage in this corporative trend in higher education institutions and all the stakeholders involved (Marginson, 1998).
The purpose of this research is to analyse the perceived quality of the education provided by Victoria University from the perspective of its students as the main beneficiaries from a quality education (DETYA, 1998).
For an institution to excel in providing quality education to its students, it must have access and success in research. According to the research conducted by Jo Williams and his colleague, VU stands a better position with well stated research plans and original research tasks in progress. Additionally, VU research department provides quality research training and at the same time embark on a dedicated and cross disciplinary study; that is acknowledged not only in Australia but also worldwide (Symes, 1996).
Further, sources indicate that VU has received awards and achievements because of its hardworking students in extra-curricular activities. An example here is Liam Adams a student who won a silver medal at the 2010 ‘global university cross country champions’. Additionally, VU has been found to have well equipped lecturers like Professor Dorothy Bruck and her colleagues who carried out a research that had a potential to save lives. From this literature it can be concluded that, VU has the best qualities needed in studying not only in Australia but also worldwide (Hunt, 2002).
Proposition background
It is of importance to note that, the literature review provides a good proposition for marketing of Victoria University globally. From the awards won by VU professors in research, it is clearly revealed that VU has well equipped and experienced tutors who can be counted on in providing the best education to their students. On this basis, VU has a good marketing strategy to market itself all over the world through student confession. In this relation, the VU university councils believe that they have a superior product; based on the quality of their education and services offered. In this case, they are sales oriented where they make the best product and try to sell it all over the world to the target market. It is of importance to note that, VU has used the marketing theory of ‘value innovation and value curve’. In this connection, VU university council have identified what customers (students) put as priority and decided to provide it to them which is quality education. It is of importance to note that, the analysis of VU perceived quality would be based on the perception of Vu students on the proposition and background proposition (Kaden, 2006)
Proposition
It is with no doubt that, VU is among the best universities in the world that provide significant, relevant and quality education to its local and international students. In support of this, VU has established a number of campuses within the suburbs of Melbourne city and at the same time it has established a research department which aid in carrying out of researches in this institution. In this case therefore, VU has advertised itself globally through its quality and relevant education and as a result many international students have enrolled (McQuarrie, 1996).
Conclusion
In winding up, from the quality of education of VU; it is evident that, VU has used the theory of marketing referred to as ‘service mapping’ by showing its potentiality in improving students services. It is of importance to note that, the various marketing strategies and research have been used by this University.
Reference list
DETYA (Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs) (1998) The Characteristics and Performance of Higher Education Institutions: Occasional Paper. Series, Higher Education Division. Canberra: AGPS.
Hunt, Shelby, (2002) Foundations of Marketing Theory: Toward a General Theory of Marketing. New York: Sharpe Publishers.
Kaden, Robert et al. (2006) Guerrilla Marketing Research: Marketing Research Techniques That Can Help Any Business Make More Money. New Jersey: Page Publishers.
McQuarrie, Edward, (1996) The Market Research Toolbox: A Concise Guide for Beginners. New York: Sage Publishers.
Marginson, S. (1998) Nation-building Universities in a Global Environment: The Choices Before us, paper presented at University of South Australia. Canberra: AGPS.
Nelson, B. (2003) Our Universities: Backing Australia’s Future, Policy Paper. Canberra: AGPS.
Pride, William, & Ferrel, O. (2006) Marketing Concepts and Strategies. New York: South-Western College publishers.
Sheth, Jagdish, et al. (1988) Marketing Theory: Evolution and Evaluation. New York: Wiley Publishers.
Symes, C. (1996) Selling Futures: A New Image for Australian Universities? Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 21, no. 2, pp: 133-147.
Raciti, M. (2010) Marketing Australian Higher Education at the Turn of the 21st Century: A Precis of Reforms, Commercialization and the New University Hierarchy. E-Journal of Business Education & Scholarship of Teaching, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2010, pp: 32-41.
Williams, Jo, & Cherednichenko, Brenda, (2007) Beyond the benevolent university: authentic collaboration with communities for educational success. Case studies from 3 university-community partnerships in Melbourne, El Paso and Caracas. Web.