Q: How does the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s (CIM) offering differ from others in the market?
A: CIM is positioned as the world’s leading professional body for marketing with a mem- bership base comprising studying and pro- fessional members and chartered marketers.
We run more than 100 accredited study centres in 118 countries while our students take around 18,000 assessments annually, underlining the popularity of our qualifica- tion and training services.
CIM has maintained a formal presence in Sri Lanka for over 20 years with our qualifi- cations being taught in the region for much longer. In fact, CIM Sri Lanka was our first international branch, underscoring its signif- icance. This office is led by the Country Head for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Onalie Dissanayake.
The importance of this presence was proved to be right as Sri Lanka is among our fastest growing markets, serving over 2,500 members. Moreover, Nadi Dharmasiri – a Sri Lankan national – sits on CIM’s board of directors.
We offer a range of training courses and qualifications, helping enhance the skills and knowledge of those in the profession. Our globally recognised qualifications offer seamless opportunities for Sri Lankan mem- bers, and are constantly reviewed by a panel of industry leaders, academics, students and corporates.
CIM’s course offering is suited to all levels of marketers, ranging from a Certificate in Professional Digital Marketing at Level 4 to a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Marketing at Level 7.
There has been a notable rise in demand for online training due to COVID-19. Working with our Sri Lankan office, we were able to strengthen our online training portfolio, launching over 75 live virtual courses – this enabled marketing professionals to take the most popular CIM courses online.
The new portfolio has something for all marketers, spanning areas such as brand strategy, digital marketing planning, product management, customer experience and paid social media.
Q: What are the latest trends in higher education?
A: It’s clear that professional development is more important than ever before for Sri Lankan marketers. It is essential that the marketing community can continue learning remotely during this uncertain time so we launched several digital CIM qualifications.
The keys to an engaging learning experi- ence have always been variation, simplicity and utility, which are more crucial when learning is predominantly online. This is par- ticularly true given the accelerated adoption of online learning, which is partly due to COVID-19.
Many universities in Sri Lanka will be identifying what works for students. We understand this and provide a broad portfolio of qualifications, training, webinars, pod- casts and research reports to support our edu- cation partners.
Q: How does CIM provide global support to Sri Lankan marketers?
A: International marketing will grow in importance as countries look to take advantage of new trade legislation with those pursuing new trade deals – such as the UK due to Brexit. All eyes will be on marketers for advice about the best opportunities.
Our international marketing hub will continue to provide Sri Lankan marketers with a single source for the essentials needed to achieve long-term exporting success including resources to create effective export marketing strategies and opportunities to develop professional skills through training.
Q: What are CIM’s plans for the future?
A: Year 2021 looks to be economically and politically critical for Sri Lanka as it aims to rebound from COVID-19.
We will continue introducing training courses on core marketing skills and the latest digital platforms to keep marketers at the cutting-edge.
There has never been a more exciting time to be a marketer. Sri Lankan consumers are more informed than ever, and businesses are sourcing information and insights, leading to further entrepreneurial thinking and commercial growth.
Business ethics, data use, brand perception, trust and sustainability are increasingly vital as marketers seek to match values to a more sophisticated and value driven audience, which means marketing is seen as a strategic discipline.
Our Sri Lankan office and network of accredited study centres can provide marketers with the knowledge and support need- ed to adapt to the changes sweeping the business world.