Integrated Marketing Communication as a Communication Strategy of the International Office of Universitas Islam Indonesia in Attracting International Students

Abstract

Internationalization is crucial to the success of universities competing on a global scale. A key internationalization strategy is attracting international students to enroll in the university's international programs. As a pioneer of international classes in Indonesia, Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII) has successfully attracted international students through its International Office to enhance internationalization. This study examines the integrated marketing communication (IMC) strategies that the International Office of UII employs to attract international students. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, this research explores the communication and marketing efforts undertaken by the International Office of UII to increase the interest of international students. This research examines the IMC strategies that UII's International Office has implemented to attract international students. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, this study explores the communication and marketing efforts undertaken by UII's International Office to increase the interest of international students. The research results show that the International Office of UII prioritizes the Future Global Leaders Scholarship (FGLS) as a flagship product. The International Office of UII implements two types of promotions to attract international students. The first type involves personal selling, which includes direct interaction with prospective international students and is supported by word-of-mouth marketing. Second, digital marketing strategies, including informative content on social media and admissions websites, play a crucial role. The AISAS model is used to evaluate the target market for international students. The evaluation results show that the "Share" section has significant influence, particularly among students from the Middle East. This influence is attributed to Arabic language information disseminated through websites and online media, which effectively reaches a broader audience of prospective international students. Overall, the Integrated Marketing Communication strategy implemented by the International Office of UII emphasizes the importance of careful planning and strengthening digital marketing strategies. While IMC and other marketing tools are important, the critical factor in international student recruitment is word-of-mouth marketing in different languages, supported by competitive pricing and strategic locations to attract quality international students in today's globalized era.