In the final week of August, alongside the exchange of experiences in academic research, strengthening professional partnerships within the marketing industry also took centre stage. EMOK’s relationship with IAB goes back several years. As digitalisation continues to expand rapidly across marketing, our ties with IAB are becoming increasingly close.
As part of the August marketing conference, we organised a professional workshop attended by representatives of IAB, as well as marketing educators and researchers from Hungarian higher education institutions. The meeting focused on strengthening knowledge sharing between the business sector and higher education, supporting students in gaining practical experience, and exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on education.
The workshop provided an opportunity for educators working in digital and online marketing, as well as in the application of artificial intelligence, to engage directly with representatives of the IAB professional community. Participants identified several areas in which closer cooperation could be developed in the future between universities and stakeholders in the digital marketing industry.
Bringing Students Closer to Real-World Professional Experience
One of the key topics discussed was the possibility of organising company visits for university students. IAB’s partner organisations, including marketing agencies and media companies, could host more student groups in the future as part of professional programmes.
These visits would give students first-hand insight into the day-to-day operations of digital marketing, introduce them to different roles and career paths, and help them develop a more realistic understanding of the knowledge and competencies employers expect from entry-level candidates. Industry professionals are also open to supporting young people's career orientation and discussing practical questions with them, such as the expectations associated with junior positions, opportunities for professional development, and even the salaries available in different roles.
Theses in the Age of AI
The workshop also addressed the experience gained so far from IAB’s initiative recognising outstanding theses on digital marketing, as well as opportunities to further develop the programme. At this point, the discussion became closely connected with the impact of artificial intelligence on higher education.
The rapid spread of generative AI tools is creating new challenges for universities. It is becoming increasingly difficult to determine clearly the extent to which students use artificial intelligence, and how they use it, when preparing traditional written assignments. At the same time, the appropriate and informed use of AI is itself becoming an increasingly important skill in the labour market.
Participants therefore also discussed the potential of project-based theses. In such assignments, alongside or instead of producing a traditional thesis, students could focus on solving a specific problem, implementing a practical project, and presenting the methods applied, the decisions made, and the results achieved.
However, the issue is also complex at the institutional level. Requirements for theses are not currently uniform across Hungarian higher education: individual institutions establish their own expectations. As a result, practices concerning the use of AI and the adoption of new thesis formats may also vary.
Knowledge Sharing Between Industry and Universities
One of the workshop’s most important takeaways was the willingness on both sides to pursue closer cooperation. For higher education, up-to-date professional knowledge about rapid changes in the digital marketplace, emerging technologies, and employer expectations can be particularly valuable. For IAB and its partner organisations, this relationship offers an opportunity to establish a more direct dialogue with the institutions educating the next generation of marketing professionals.
Company visits, further development of the thesis programme, and regular professional knowledge-sharing emerged as areas in which tangible cooperation could be initiated.
The meeting also highlighted that the rapid transformation of digital marketing, driven above all by the growing prominence of artificial intelligence, makes dialogue between universities and professional organisations more important than ever. The goal is shared: to equip students with up-to-date knowledge and practical competencies that will help them enter the labour market with greater confidence and adapt successfully to the ongoing changes in the marketing profession.