What Higher Education Can Learn from Great Brands

In this episode of Global Horizons, Rob Malicki sits down with Rick Chapman on the shores of Balmoral Beach in Sydney.Rick’s career started in fast-moving consumer goods, working with iconic brands including Guinness, Arnott’s, Tim Tams, Kit Kat and Milo. He then made the move into education, bringing deep marketing and brand experience into a sector with a very different purpose.Rob and Rick talk about what makes a great brand, why creativity still matters, and what higher education can learn from consumer marketing.They also explore the challenge of telling the story of Australian education. Universities and education providers have so much to say, but often struggle to communicate their value clearly and consistently.In this episode, we cover:✅ Rick’s career in consumer marketing✅ What made Guinness such a powerful brand✅ The move from FMCG into education✅ Why higher education needs stronger brand thinking✅ The challenge of telling Australia’s education story✅ Why relationships still matter in international educationThis is a conversation about marketing, storytelling, relationships and the value of education. It is also a reminder that while the tools of marketing keep changing, the fundamentals still matter: know your audience, tell a clear story, and build trust over time.Global Horizons is a production of The Global Society, Australia’s Learning Abroad support company. Our editor is Len Zamora and our distribution specialist is Gelo Ablao. Rob Malicki is the executive editor and host. The podcast wouldn’t be possible without The Koala News, Australia’s international education news website. This episode is supported by Choosing Your Uni, Australia’s unique, AI-powered platform that helps domestic and international students to find the right institution for them, and that helps Australian institutions to access new markets. Global Horizons is the official podcast of the Australian International Education Conference. Registrations are open now: https://aiec.idp.com