Innovative Marketing as a Tool for Building a Positive Image of an Institution of Higher Education and Increasing the Competitiveness of its Graduates – Analysis of the Functional Use of Projects of the Department of Marketing Communications at the Faculty of Multimedia Communications of TBU in Zlín and their Potential for Integration into the Teaching Process

Abstract

Abstract Authors of this paper focus on mapping the current trends at institutions of higher education in the context of combining theory with practice during the study, thanks to which the future graduates will be able to find a better job on the labour market. Part of this paper is an analysis of the functional connection between the real life and a university study program through projects implemented at a selected academic workplace, within innovative marketing, whose task is to build a positive image of the institution of higher education and its reputation in the public as well as professional environment. Student projects, as a part of an innovative marketing, combine theoretical lessons with engaging students into a real-life working process in the given field and the possibilities of such field to provide them a cooperation with a selected commercial sector, application of the obtained theoretical knowledge in real life, further personal development, teamwork, own portfolio and other competencies that provide them with a strategic advantage when looking for their future job.