Strategic development of the Greek centre for work based learning partnerships (GCWBLP)

Work based learning (WBL) is the term being used to describe a class of university programmes that bring together universities and work organisations to create new learning
opportunities in workplaces. Middlesex University was a pioneer in the institutional development of work based learning through its National Centre of Work Based Learning
Partnerships (NCWBLP) established in 1993. The Greek Centre (GCWBLP) was established in Athens and began operations in 1997 to promote WBL programmes at all levels in Greece.The programmes were very successfully introduced with a total of 110 registrations by end of January 1999.
The main purpose of this project is the identification of business opportunities for the GCWBLP that will reinforce and expand the student intake levels. The main aim is to design a long-term development strategy for the Centre that will also contribute to its interim development in the form of a three-year marketing plan. Research was absolutely necessary to implement and evaluate additional (new) ways to promote the WBL programmes and expand student recruitment. This research area is directly related to my work role as I am currently in charge of various marketing activities to promote WBL Studies.
Action research approach was applied to develop and evaluate marketing literature (brochure) for the programmes and to assess the effectiveness of the advertising campaign and the received feedback was applied to propose improvement for the revision of the brochure (out in August 2002) and for the enhancement of the advertising campaign effectiveness (September-October 2002). Action research in combination with survey approach was applied to find out the current profiles of an individual WBL perspective student-client, to assess the level of satisfaction from all the WBL graduates and to evaluate corporate perception of WBL
programmes. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews (only for the last survey) were applied to gather the required data.
The response from the potential student profile survey provided directions for promoting the WBL programmes more effectively by targeting professionals with extensive working
experience in specific fields. The past graduates' satisfaction survey produced very encouraging results as the vast majority of the respondents confIrmed that WBL programmes
managed to match their initial expectations and commented that they would very likely recommend them to others.
The WBL concept was positively perceived by the majority of the training managers from the insurance industry. The training managers in the banking sector did not perceive WBL that well as most of them commented that they would not recommend WBL to their organisation due to the specific requirements (relevant subject-based knowledge acquisition) that training programmes should meet in order to be approved. The major fmding from the survey on marketing WBL programmes overseas was associated with the partnership concept that hasbeen very successful in the form of collaboration with other educational institutions which
provide the taught subject-based knowledge and a solid base of students for WBL programmes to expand.
Intensified promotion and identification of new markets for existing programmes were identified as the strategic choices for the coming two years. For the third year (2004-05),
enhancement of the currently delivered programmes with the introduction of a taught subject based module was recommended in line with the survey findings. Further research is necessary in this area to develop this "new" module. Research is also recommended in the diversified application of the WBL programmes under which the work based research project is the major component thus increasing the marketability of the programmes within the
corporations and various educational providers.