Category: News

Hogeschool Utrecht receives EACA Accreditation in Commercial Communications Education

Posted on by edcom Team

Hogeschool Utrecht in Utrecht, Netherlands, has successfully received the EACA Accreditation in Commercial Communications Education by the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA). The Accreditation for the International Commercial Communications course (ICC course) will be valid for 3 years from October 2017.

The EACA Accreditation in Commercial Communications Education endorses specialist Bachelor and Master programmes that prepare students for a career in commercial communications. The accreditation is restricted to members of the European Institute for Commercial Communications Education (edcom) and is endorsed by EACA, which brings together the advertising, media and sales promotion agencies across Europe, promoting responsible advertising and high professional standards.

Depending on the scope of their curriculum, applicants can be accredited either for the complete framework curriculum in Commercial Communications or for a specific sub-course or discipline. Applicants are assessed by a Board comprising leading international professionals and educators and through a personal inspection visit.

The EACA Accreditation process is based on the fundamental principle that courses should offer students a balanced mix of theoretical and practical subjects in commercial communications. After a rigorous process of self-assessment, a school visit and a review by the Board, the ICC course at the Hogeschool Utrecht was given a positive report and received the EACA Accreditation with an outstanding result. According to Anne Castermans, Board representative and school inspector, the programme offers a valuable combination of applied theory (Marketing/Consumer Behaviour/Social Media) and hands-on assignment (The Ad Venture Student Competition). The course requires all lecturers to possess an excellent level of English and shows great support to students writing their thesis or doing an internship.

ICC is a specialisation for students that are looking for an extra challenge and want to gain deeper insights into the world of Brands, Marketing Communications, Advertising and Media. At the end of this course, students are expected to have acquired their own vision and up-to-date knowledge and skills in Marketing Communications Management in an international context and be able to apply this knowledge on a strategic and tactical level.

Luc Van Dijk, Lecturer of the ICC course, commented: “we are proud and happy with this recognition from EACA. It’s a good foundation to build on to with our international programme and team.”

The EACA Accreditation will also be awarded to students who have passed their final examinations and have earned a diploma or certificate from a nationally accredited edcom member school. The accreditation will thus complement, not replace, their school qualification. The EACA Accreditation in Commercial Communications Education therefore offers benefits for edcom students, academics and schools, who will jointly form the nucleus of experienced forward-looking specialists, helping to advance the standards of commercial communications and marketing proficiency for the ultimate benefit of consumers.

ABOUT EACA

The European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) represents more than 2,500 communications agencies and agency associations from 30 European countries that employ more than 120,000 people. EACA members include advertising, media, digital, branding and PR agencies. EACA promotes honest, effective advertising, high professional standards and awareness of the contribution of advertising in a free market economy. We encourage close co-operation between agencies, advertisers and media in European advertising bodies. EACA works closely with EU institutions to ensure freedom to advertise responsibly and creatively. We are here to share and address international experience and issues on a pan- European basis and provide an important link between agencies, advertisers and the advertising media in Europe and around the world.

ABOUT EDCOM

edcom – the European Institute for Commercial Communications Education – was launched by EACA to promote excellence in commercial communications education and research and to encourage exchanges between the European commercial communications sector and academic partners. Click here for more information.

For more information, please contact:

Pauline De Pelsmacker
Training & Education Manager
Pauline.depelsmacker@eaca.eu
+32 (0) 2 740 07 18

Tamara Daltroff
Director of European Affairs
Tamara.daltroff@eaca.eu
+32 (0) 2 740 07 15

Celebrating ten years of edcom

Posted on by edcom Team

Ten years since its launch, edcom can be proud of a high number of successes and a considerable number of members all around Europe. The network celebrated its tenth anniversary during the members’ meetings in Brussels on 18 October 2017, thanking its past presidents and members for all their hard work and contributions.

The European Institute for Commercial Communications Education (edcom) strives to promote excellence in commercial communications education and research. Its aim is to establish a co-operation between academia and industry professionals, as well as facilitating cross-border education and exchange of students. Since 2007, the institute has changed name and branding, has had 6 presidents and has added a considerable number of members making edcom a European wide network.

Its past presidents are: Micky Denehy (EACA), Barbara Posch (Werbe Akadamie Wien), John Delacruz (Miami Ad School), Frances Illingworth (WPP), Gresi Sanje (Istanbul Bilgi University) and currently Jan Binar (McCann Prague). Each president brought their own perspective and insight to the table and added value to the network. edcom’s current President, Jan Binar, has great plans for the next 2 years of his presidency. His main focus will be on monetising the value of edcom and on creating a long-term strategy that will bring edcom to the next level and will strengthen the relationship with the industry.

We would like to thank all members for their dedication and support to help us make edcom grow into the great institute it is today!

The edcom team

Launch Ad Venture Student Competition 2017 – 2018

Posted on by edcom Team

The European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) and its European Institute for Commercial Communications Education (edcom) have launched a call for entries for its tenth annual advertising student competition, Ad Venture, in collaboration with Amnesty International.

Students in the field of commercial communications are challenged to create a communications campaign to inform the public about the issue of the current refugee crisis. The campaign should also inspire Europeans to feel that they personally have a role to play in actively welcoming refugees.

This year’s client, Amnesty International, is a non-governmental organisation focused on human rights with millions of members and supporters around the world. Active since 1961, Amnesty International works with the objective of conducting research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated.

The campaign should address this issue with a focus on positive change and people power, helping to shift the narrative from crisis to action, appealing to people’s values – such as fairness, hospitality, generosity and tolerance. The final goal is to help Amnesty International inspire a movement of people to welcome refugees in their communities, by driving them to visit and join the iWelcome Community website.

 

The submitted entries will be assessed in three rounds by a broad base of judges, comprised of academics, advertising professionals and client representatives from across Europe. The three finalist teams will have the opportunity to present their campaign during the edcom Member’s Meeting in May 2018. The winning team will be rewarded with travel, accommodation and a ticket to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June 2018.

Students can register their teams until 15 December 2017 and should submit their campaigns by 16 March 2018. Please visit our website for more information.

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For further information, please contact:
Pauline De Pelsmacker, Education & Training Manager
Telephone: +32 2 740 07 18
Email: pauline.depelsmacker@eaca.eu

Note for editors
About Ad Venture
Ad Venture is the first Pan-European competition which gives students the opportunity to experience what it is like to work in advertising by creating their own campaign in response to a brief from a real client. The student agencies work on an advertising campaign from October to March by incorporating everything they’ve learned in class and putting their skills to test. Click here for more information.
About EACA
EACA – the European Association of Communications Agencies – The European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) represents more than 2500 communications agencies and agency associations from 30 European countries that directly employ more than 120 000 people. EACA members include advertising, media, digital, branding and PR agencies.  They create and place adverts and develop brand-building campaigns. Click here for more information.
About edcom
edcom – the European Institute for Commercial Communications Education – was launched by EACA to promote excellence in commercial communications education and research and to encourage exchanges between the European commercial communications sector and academic partners. Click here for more information.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 7 million people who take injustice personally. The NGO is campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all, using research and activism to shine a light on abuses. Amnesty has championed the human rights of refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants for decades. They work to make sure governments honour their responsibility to protect their rights, condemning any policies and practices that undermine them. Click here for more information.