Leaders of businesses both domestically and internationally, marketing and communication experts participate in advising and guiding first-year students of the School of Communication Design.
Recently, on May 25, 2023, the School of Communication Design (under the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City – UEH) organized a wrap-up session to evaluate projects in the course: Public Relations and Advertising Strategy and Campaigns. The course is designed for first-year students majoring in Digital Communication and Multimedia Design.
The course provides students with knowledge, skills, and practical experiences in developing and executing communication campaigns for businesses and communities. When participating in the course, students engage in “learning by doing,” applying the knowledge they have learned to develop practical communication, public relations, and advertising campaigns.
A significant aspect of this course is that students work on real projects that contribute to the activities of businesses. For example, projects include communication campaigns for AI-based virtual assistant applications, the skincare brand Glass Skin by Nuskin, marketing solutions to increase revenue for Lotteria’s premium burger product, advertising projects for golf fashion, PR podcasts for Global PR Hub, marketing communication plans for projects of VNPR, etc. Additionally, student groups contribute to the sustainable development and internationalization direction of UEH through campaigns such as UEH Green Campus or UEH Global. Under the guidance and advice of domestic and international experts, experienced international advisory teams such as Associate Professor Trịnh Thùy Anh – Head of the School of Communication Design; Dr. Dong Su Yi – Deputy Head of the School of Communication Design; leaders and managers from businesses such as Mr. Lee Weon Suk – CEO of Daehong Communications; Mr. Park Sam Jun – CEO of GPClub; Ms. Lê Thị Mai Anh – Deputy Director of Global PR Hub Company; leaders and experts from UEH’s Marketing and Communication Department: Ms. Lê Thị Hạnh An, Ms. Hà Minh Trang; lecturers from the School of Communication Design, students have the opportunity to practice and work with companies from the early years of university. Specifically, students learn strategic thinking and practical implementation skills, thereby enhancing their skills in planning, designing, and operating systematic and professional communication, public relations, and advertising campaigns.
Students are excited to work on technology and community-oriented projects focused on sustainability
During the presentation, the 9 projects: Green Campus; Global UEH; Skin Care Cosmetic; QSR; Golf fashion; Olli; VNPR Communication; Golden Pen; Global PR Hub were presented by students in a highly professional manner. Subsequently, the students received feedback and evaluations from businesses and experts.
Student Nguyễn Ngọc Khánh Vy participating in the UEH Green Campus community project believes that this course has provided her with the first opportunity to directly engage in a real project. During the process of planning PR for the project, she also learned a lot, specifically about student psychology and in-depth research on environmental issues. Particularly, projects for the community focusing on green and sustainable living made her very interested because it is a topic receiving great attention from society but has not yet had a comprehensive solution. In addition, the student group also felt that they made meaningful contributions to the community and society right from their time at university.
After participating in a real project with a business, student Nguyễn Trần Nguyên Khang shared: “Participating in the project and building a plan with the team for the final project, I gained a broader view of marketing. It’s not just about creativity, but also about data analysis, planning, and weighing many business-related factors. Additionally, I also learned a lot about communication work such as effective communication methods or some interesting stories about the industry and the true value of things I see every day. And especially while working with mentors and peers, I also developed perseverance and the ability to handle certain pressure to be able to complete the project to the best of my ability.”
Joy in seeing the maturity of the students
Accompanying students throughout their courses and projects, Associate Professor Trịnh Thùy Anh – Head of the School of Communication Design shares: “To help students penetrate into the professional world and practical aspects of the industry from their early years at university, the School of Communication Design has implemented a project that connects all the subjects studied throughout the semester. Students will use the knowledge from design courses to assist in producing artistic and aesthetic products, social science courses to propose solutions suitable for the social context, management and communication courses to manage group activities well, set goals, and orient results. As a result, the proposed solutions for business projects are effective, meeting social and market demands.”
MA. Nguyễn Ngọc Đan Thanh – Lecturer teaching theory and in charge of supporting projects, believes: “This course is a valuable and emotional experience. During teaching, I often feel positive interaction from students. Their excitement and curiosity in their eyes when absorbing new knowledge are wonderful. I feel happy seeing students interested and willing to participate in the learning process. This feeling becomes even stronger when I see the progress of the students. When they start applying what they have learned to real projects from businesses and achieve positive results, it creates a truly enjoyable and proud feeling. I feel satisfied seeing students develop skills, become more confident, and ready to face new challenges.”
MA. Trần Lê Quỳnh Anh – Lecturer of the School of Communication Design participating in supporting and advising design aspects for groups, believes that the projects of the students are indeed very professional, well-prepared, aesthetically pleasing, although they have not yet learned design thinking, but they have identified target customers and designed appropriate materials. Additionally, they also know how to combine knowledge and apply other subjects to this course.
Looking back on the study and work period, students from the SMD School have grown significantly. The presentation session is a great start for students of the Communication Design School (SMD) in the K48 class to have the opportunity to engage in projects and solve real-world problems, hone their solid professional skills, proficient soft skills, creative spirit, self-learning ability, flexible problem-solving skills to be able to immerse and adapt quickly to the societal changes in the digital age.
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City – School of Media Design
