EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The #onceWUalwaysWU is the key for the Executive Academy to reconnect WU alumni with their alma mater and bring them back to the university for further education. Derived through both primary and secondary research, including interviews, a survey and market dives, this strategy focuses on community feel, early engagement and clear financial support. Addressing the key issues shared by WU graduates, such as financial concerns, a feel of disconnectedness with the university and flexibility doubts, our solution invokes a strong feeling of nostalgia in our target group and motivates them to return. With #onceWUalwaysWU, WU students will be drawn back to the EA grounds to take the new step in their professional and personal journeys.

Goal

The goal of our project was to develop a concrete and WU alumni-specific marketing and communications strategy to reconnect students with their alma mater and the EA Graduate Programs. We aimed to build on top of the existing strategy that the Executive Academy utilizes, adjusting it in accordance with our findings and identified pain points/incentives. Our end goal was to bring back WU Alumni to further education at the EA no matter whether that is within 5, 10 or 20 years after they had graduated.

Methodology

We used primary and secondary research as well as a best practice analysis for our methodologies. For the primary research we conducted nine student (current full-time, exchange, alumni) and expert (EA staff, field experts) interviews to understand motivations, challenges, and decision-making patterns. Additionally, we created a survey (Qualtrics) that was sent out via the team’s personal network and shared on WU’s official Instagram page to identify key trends. The LinkedIn search was conducted to analyze career paths and trends among WU alumni. For the secondary research we focused on the market analysis of executive education, including trends and competitor strategies. Furthermore, before all else, we examined in-depth the current strategy and internet presence of the Executive Academy. For the best practice analysis we looked at the marketing and sales practices of other leading business schools to identify successful alumni engagement tactics. Speaking about numbers, the survey received seventy-six responses (having 28 questions), LinkedIn resulted in thirty representative profiles (out of 828 individual profiles) and two common career paths, while the best practice analysis pointed towards five top rivals. 

Results

Our results can be summarized as the #onceWUalwaysWU strategy with three priorities: early engagement, community feel and financial clarity.. First, we recommend the Academy to leverage its talented, supportive and united community. This can be done through an ambassador program where both current students and alumni can share their insights with WU students, guide them on their education journeys and step in as a role model for those, who are just starting to find their way into the field of business. By showcasing the involvement of younger students and EA mentors, EA can not only take on the competitive edge of community leveraging but also differentiate itself by establishing an ecosystem, where WU students are always part of the university’s special world. 

Secondly, we believe it is crucial to connect with WU students early on. Collaborating with student organizations, being present at major campus events like welcome days, graduations, and even the „Spritzerstand“, can help build awareness of Executive Academy’s programs before students even graduate. This way, the Academy can always stay on top of everyone’s minds, assuring heightened interest in the future.

Lastly, our team found that financial concerns are a major barrier for many alumni considering executive education and that enhancing EA’s communication regarding available scholarships, alumni discounts, and financing options will make both the institution and its programs feel more accessible and attractive. In addition, we recommend implementing a financial aid calculator for an even better user experience. For our recommendations on improving the current strategy, we visualized and made our findings tangible by creating new mock-ups that the Executive Academy can use and implement into their marketing strategy. 

Cooperation Partner

• WU Executive Academy
  Welthandelsplatz 1, Building EA
  1020 Wien

Contact Person

• Irem Zararsiz, B.A. M.A. - irem.zararsiz@wu.ac.at

• Program Manager, Executive MBA Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Executive MBA Strategic Project Management

Student Team

• Draganova Ana-Maria

• Kaldramova Stefani Stefanova

• Krylova Varvara

• Pferschy Markus Theodor

Project Managers

• Melina Mazzucato, M.Sc., M.Sc.

• Caroline Fabian, M.Sc., M.Sc.

• Dr. Andrew Isaak, MBA