This month, we highlight articles on how the coronavirus has impacted Australian and American universities, their students and the online world. We also cover the impacts of digital marketing and consumer habits in luxury brands. Finally, we discuss the impact of social media and how they play a huge role in helping fight the coronavirus.
1. Australia pushes to remove firewall for Chinese Students
Due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, many Chinese international students are unable to return from their holiday to continue their studies. The Australian government said it is impossible for students in China to access crucial educational learning tools due to the firewall.
International students from China pay full fees for tuition and accommodation and are the biggest contributors to the higher sector education market. Several universities have been carrying out measures to ensure the health and safety of the people in the community.
Read more at The Sydney Morning Herald
Learn more about how businesses can navigate the coronavirus crisis
2. Luxury brands mainly using WeChat for digital marketing
Powerful emerging social media platforms are redefining the ways in which Chinese consumers interact within the retail luxury sector. Chinese consumers are increasingly acting like a network with frequent interactions between individuals creating a great impact in the market, a phenomenon the author calls the Chinese Consumer Network. With social media being so popular, companies are allocating 40-70% of their digital marketing budget to WeChat. The change in behaviour is forcing luxury brands to change their way of marketing to a new generation.
Read more at Kr-Asia
Learn more about WeChat’s new content sharing policy, and how they affect brands
3. China recruitment held back in the US
Travel bans have been put in place restricting students travelling to the United States. Because the travel ban was put into place after the semester started, it has not affected a large portion of American institutions this semester. The vast majority of enrolled students from China were already on campus before the travel ban was put into action. Although students were able to continue their studies this semester, more than three quarters of U.S. colleges have stated that outreach and recruitment for the upcoming year from China has been affected. Many institutions also said that they have not made alternate plans for recruitment. This is significant since Chinese most U.S. colleges depend on Chinese international student enrolment to help balance their budget.
Read more at Inside Higher ED
Learn more about the state of Chinese student recruitment in the US
4. China’s museums pivot content for coronavirus
At a time when travel is severely restricted and people are wanting to limit human contact, industries are finding new ways to allow their brand to still be accessible. From Karamay Museum in far western Xinjiang province to Shanghai’s Museum of Revolutionary History, over 100 Chinese institutions have made their exhibits directly available through an online centralized portal. This allows people to visit museums without leaving the comfort of their own home. Government officials have stated that this is a great time to “promote new technology and inheritance of our country’s cultural heritage”. By implementing 3 new strategies, online exhibitions, online games and membership refunds, the government has devised a clear digital strategy to encourage users to continue exploring their exhibits.
Read more at Jing Travel
Learn more about adapting to mobile marketing in China
5. How Chinese companies are responding to coronavirus
With global concerns over the outbreak of coronavirus, China has stepped up immensely to help contribute to the response. The spread of false information in today’s world of technology can be faster than any disease and with that, China is fighting misinformation by providing reliable medical information on popular social platforms and launching free online health consultation services. The outbreak has also turned China into a testing ground for remote work and education. All throughout China, workers are now using tools like “WeChat Work” and “DingTalk” for online work collaboration. The outbreak of coronavirus has caused China to step up in all different sectors to provide adequate help for their people and the world.
Read more on World Economic Forum
Learn more about how businesses are navigating the coronavirus crisis
