Chulalongkorn Business School Takes Student Development to a New Level, Launching the HIT PROGRAM, in Partnership with Hakuhodo Thailand

Newswise — Chulalongkorn Business School (CBS), in collaboration with Hakuhodo International (Thailand) Co., Ltd., has developed the “HIT PROGRAM” as a course for CBS 4^th-year students in the academic year 2023 to equip them with professional skills, encourage self-discovery, and inspire them to work in the fields that are suitable for them.

The press conference was held on Friday February 2, 2024, at CBS Lounge Chula, Chulalongkorn Business School.

Prof. Dr. Wilert Puriwat, Dean of Chulalongkorn Business School, said, “The Faculty, through the Department of Marketing, has had a long history of collaborating with acclaimed international organizations, with the goal of transforming students into future leaders in marketing and branding who play an important part in driving society and the nation. Our partnership with Hakuhodo, a global leading company in marketing and communications, has been ongoing for over 10 years. This MOU signing will further strengthen the cooperation between the two organizations.

                                 

Mr. Teruhisa Ito, CEO of Hakuhodo International (Thailand) Co., Ltd., stated that Hakuhodo’s operations focus on two crucial matters. One is being a partner or an ally that sees the value of meaningful engagement, which Hakuhodo considers as part of Thai society. Another is the Sei-katsu-sha, which means a determination to understand “people’s livelihood” more than seeing them as “consumers,” a concept which is suitable for the Department of Marketing. Hence, Hakuhodo Thailand is committed to creating benefits to Thai society and is delighted to be partnering with the region’s prestigious institution like Chulalongkorn University.

                                                     

Ms. Chutima Wiriyamahakul, executive of Hakuhodo International (Thailand) Co., Ltd., said that “Hakuhodo has designed the HIT PROGRAM (Hyperfocus, Integrate, Transform) to suit Chulalongkorn Business School’s 4^th-year students with a goal to promote their potential. The course connects the knowledge they’ve learned in their courses with real-life experiences through knowledge and intensive exercises from people in various industries and various brands. The course aims to enhance students’ skills for the professional world, stimulate self-discovery, and inspire them to work in the field that truly fits their personalities.”

Ms. Yuko Ito, Managing Director, Hakuhodo Institute of Life and Living ASEAN (HILL ASEAN), stated that “Hakuhodo Japan has various partner programs with universities in Japan. For instance, the BRANCO! project with the University of Tokyo, is a brand design competition that involves intensive research over a period of 6 months. The project emphasizes collaborative work through asking questions that “do not necessarily have the correct answer,” which encourages students to be open to ways that can benefit them in other aspects of life. In addition, there is also the Hakuhodo Youth Lab, which conducts joint research with university students on the topic of Sei-katsu-sha. The research not only studies ways to attract the new generation to purchase products, but also focuses on learning about the lives of people in various aspects, including society, business, and organizations, on notable topics like “What kind of life should we create in our own way?” The project is an innovative lab that fosters students’ thoughts and promotes collaborative meetings among young people on new perspectives.”

The press conference also featured a presentation to students in the topic “Marketeers of the Future” by Asst. Prof. Dr. Ake Pattaratanakun, Head of the Marketing Department, CBS. The essence of the presentation is that marketers of the future must have 5Re skills, consisting of Resilience (flexible), Resolution (good at problem solving), Reliance (trustworthy), Revolution (innovative), and Relationship (fostering relationships with society and the environment). The HIT PROGRAM will cover these five points to create marketers of the future for Thai society.

                                                      

In the future, Hakuhodo Thailand plans to adapt successful and innovative projects in Japan to the Thai context and increase its collaboration with Thailand’s education sector more so as to better correspond with the company’s notion of making the new generation a powerhouse of society.