The Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing (PGDip M), the most sought-after and recognized professional qualification for marketing in Sri Lanka, was ceremonially inaugurated by Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) recently at the SLIM Business School of Colombo. 

SLIM CEO/Executive Director Sanath Senanayake and Mahesh Fernando, a senior lecturer at SLIM, participated at the event, offering prospective students an overview of the programme, its recognition and value additions. 

The PGDip M is a unique programme that targets a range of individuals, from students who have successfully completed their A Levels, possess a Preliminary Certificate in Marketing (PCM), to junior and middle level marketers. Holders of this diploma enjoy excellent prospects in employment and career growth as it is widely endorsed by top corporates including high-level senior managers, who influence the recruitment and promotion decisions of companies. 

The PGDip M covers a wide range of marketing areas and a competitive qualification, not just in Sri Lanka but in the Asia Pacific region. It offers prospective students and practitioners of marketing an opportunity to learn and apply theoretical concepts to their day-to-day business situations. Therefore, a large number of marketers have achieved rapid career advancement and professional recognition through this course of study. 

SLIM President Ruwan Liyanagamage commented on the contribution made by the diploma to the marketing field in Sri Lanka.

“Over the years, SLIM, as the oldest marketing body and the national body for marketing, has nourished the marketing field by producing 100s of outstanding marketers. Many of them have obtained the PGDip M, which has boosted their chances of success. I am confident that the next batch of students will follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and elevate Sri Lankan marketing.”

SLIM conducts regular reviews on PGDip M and the course has undergone many revisions in order to meet the ever growing challenges of the industry and SLIM CEO/Executive Director Sanath Senanayake spoke about this evolution.

“We carried out a massive relaunch campaign where the relevant syllabuses, text books and course content were revised to suit the current industry requirements. Now the programme is ingeniously crafted with the right blend of assignments and exams as well as classroom presentations. Our aim is to contribute practical marketers with advanced communication skills and the correct attitude/aptitude to the marketing field.”

The part-time course progresses over a period of 24 months and provides students with marketing competencies which are structured across four levels. It starts from the operational level and progresses to the managerial level, where the students are provided with a detailed understanding about the marketer’s tools. The strategic level delves into concepts such as Sustainability and Strategic Marketing Planning. Finally at the synthesis level students are expected to apply subject knowledge and technical skills obtained throughout the entire course of study, to analyse and conduct research on the prevailing business and marketing environment.