EXAMINING MARKETING STRATEGIES OF THE MAJOR OPEN AND DISTANCE HIGHER EDUCATION PROVIDERS

This study was conducted to examine and compare the marketing strategies of open and distance education providers. In the first phase of this multi-case study, 10 universities from 10 different countries and 4 different regions of the world were selected for examination. Comparisons were also made between the West and the East, and between the public and private sectors. In the second phase, 10 institutions providing open and distance education services in Turkiye were selected for examination. Within this scope, 4 faculties and 6 distance education centers (DEC) were examined. This study was conducted to examine and compare the marketing strategies of open and distance education providers, investigate the differences between the strategies of public and private universities, and develop a series of marketing strategies for distance education services for higher education institutions. A qualitative multiple case study method was used to examine the marketing strategies of open and distance education providers. The researcher collected and analyzed each university’s websites, social media posts, and publications separately. Subsequently, all findings were synthesized to examine the similarities and differences in marketing strategies for these universities’ distance learning programs. While social media marketing has become the primary marketing tool in the Western world, wordof- mouth marketing is still considered an effective marketing tool in the Eastern world. Additionally, the use of graduates in the field of marketing yields better results than other strategies worldwide. Furthermore, the study shows that private higher education institutions naturally spend more money and effort on marketing than public institutions. However, public institutions are also investing more and more in marketing every year. When considering institutions in Turkiye, it becomes apparent that faculties are much more prominent than DECs, and private DECs are seen to place greater emphasis on marketing strategies.