How it works
Students develop a marketing pitch for an authentic product or service and form their own businesses (five students per team). Drawing from theoretical principles and concepts, each business designs and produces a product or service to be bought and sold using fake QUTopian currency at two ‘market days’ held at the QUT Gardens Point campus.
After the market days, students analyse and reflect on their performance using tools such as market share calculations, competitor analysis, profitability and customer retention ratios.
Assessment is closely aligned with the three stages of the marketing pitch cycle:
- planning, assessed by a marketing pitch,
- implementation, assessed at the market days,
- evaluation, assessed by case analysis and a reflective video.
Technology is integrated in the simulation through a Facebook site, YouTube, QUTopia TV (a purpose-built video sharing site), virtual mentors (industry and QUT alumni) and QUT Blackboard.
Watch QUTopia: A real-world marketing simulation
Industry connections
Almost 1,200 local and national businesses have directly contributed to the student learning experience of QUTopia since its inception. This engagement with industry - through donation of real products or in the capacity of mentoring - enables students to make strong connections between theory and practice.
Industry mentors provide advice to students in person and online, via feedback posted in response to student videos posted on QUTopia TV, a YouTube clone site designed and purpose-built for QUTopia. Local mentors will often also attend the Market Days to interact with students.
Student relections: QUTopia TV
QUTopia has its own TV channel called QUTopia TV, which offers students a virtual platform to reflect on their roles and responsibilities within their teams, and a forum to receive feedback from industry mentors.
Testimonials
Watch what our students and staff had to say about QUTopia
“ In an environment where market share, professional credibility, graduate employment leverage and internationalisation are key success factors, the QUT Business School has placed increasing emphasis on quality learning and teaching.”
“ I am pleased to endorse QUTopia and encourage students to participate creatively and with great enthusiasm. It provides an excellent opportunity to be entrepreneurial, to undertake a business case analysis for a product or service and to apply your marketing skills in a highly competitive environment. See you at the Market Days.”
Professor Peter Little, Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Corporate Programs and Partnerships), Former Executive Dean, QUT Business School