First-year students from MICA, Ahmedabad’s premier institute for strategic marketing and communications, will assist the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) with strategy and digital marketing in order to make a “meaningful impact in the lives of citizens.”
As part of its MI IMPACT (MICA’s Impact Management Projects for All Cities Transformation) immersion course, the institute has collaborated with the AMC on five projects.
Under the project, five groups of four students will conduct a perception study of AMC’s social media presence, develop a marketing plan for SVP Hospital, assess the impact of smart city projects, examine the websites and mobile applications of the world’s top 20 cities, and create a SoP for Ahmedabad’s ward-level volunteer programme.
Launched in 2019, MI IMPACT aims to give experiential learning to the students who get to work on real-world problems and help organisations impact social change, develop launch strategy, branding, and digital marketing.
Professors Rasananda Panda and KV Ramani, co-chairs of the MI IMPACT immersion course at MICA, said, “Working with senior officials and mentors will provide an enriching experience to our students, thereby understanding civic issues in depth.”
The students, who have already started field visits following the formal handing over in July this year, will work on the projects and submit their findings to the jury comprising experts from industry and MICA in March.
“We have to create a marketing plan for SVP hospital and it all starts from understanding the present situation. At present, we are undertaking primary research and field visits,” said Mihir Shah, one of the students.
Speaking about the partnership, Ramya Kumar Bhatt, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, AMC, said, “The scope of AMC’s functioning is huge. Through this partnership, students of MICA will closely work with various departments of the AMC, undertake research and help us create a meaningful impact in the lives of citizens.”
There are no financial aspects involved in the project, AMC authorities added.
“We have to draft a comprehensive engagement policy for a volunteer engagement programme for volunteer recruitment and defining their role. It is a new experience,” said Herat Kumar Talati, a student.
Another first-year student Druvang Wagh, who is working on the project where they have to understand the public’s perception of the AMC, said, “The experience is enriching as this is the first time we are working with an organisation that deals with civic issues. While we are also the users of civic amenities, getting on the other side is fulfilling.”