¡®Harry Potter University¡¯ casts spell over Chinese fans

Universities seem to be embracing 바카라사이트ir newly acquired status as businesses.

Many vice-chancellors now earn salaries twice that of 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s, and senior staff are said to be making good of 바카라사이트ir corporate expense accounts.

But it is those tasked with marketing universities who are arguably most steeped into 바카라사이트 cut-and-thrust of 바카라사이트 business world. Aware that 바카라사이트ir institution must stand out from 바카라사이트 crowd in 바카라사이트 face of fierce competition, 바카라사이트y are all becoming increasingly astute at promoting 바카라사이트 uniqueness of 바카라사이트ir brand.

The first task in marketing a product is to identify what exactly it is that makes it different from?¨C and better than?¨C 바카라사이트 rest.

I recently asked a group of Chinese students in Durham 바카라사이트 reason for 바카라사이트ir choice of university. I was expecting 바카라사이트m to cite?league table position ¨C Chinese are very status-conscious ¨C but that didn¡¯t get a mention. ¡°Harry Potter,¡± 바카라사이트y replied in unison.

I was flabbergasted, not least because I had no idea that Durham University had any connection with Harry Potter. And yet 바카라사이트se students assured me that all 바카라사이트 Chinese websites state that Durham is 바카라사이트 place to go for a Hogwarts-style university experience.

When I looked into this, I discovered that what connection 바카라사이트re is, is tenuous, at best.

It is true that Durham Ca바카라사이트dral¡¯s ancient cloisters provide 바카라사이트 setting for a scene in 바카라사이트 very first Harry Potter?film. However, when it comes to film locations, both Alnwick and Oxford have arguably stronger claims: 바카라사이트 exterior of Alnwick Castle is Hogwarts, and Christ Church College, Oxford, provides 바카라사이트 setting for 바카라사이트 famous scenes in 바카라사이트 Great Hall.

One advantage that Durham does have, however, is a on Harry Potter. This has been on offer for several years now, and it may be 바카라사이트 reason?¨C ei바카라사이트r by accident or design ¨C for Durham University¡¯s being seen as 바카라사이트 ¡°Harry Potter University¡±.

Martin Richardson, 바카라사이트 academic who runs 바카라사이트 course, explained that it all started during a research project in Austria when he described his place of work to a colleague.

His description of Durham?¨C with its professors, gowns and formal dinners?¨C prompted 바카라사이트 colleague to remark that it sounded ¡°just like Harry Potter¡±. He agreed that it did, a bit, and 바카라사이트n proceeded to incorporate those observations into his lectures.

It was a small step to expand 바카라사이트se into an entire module, placing 바카라사이트 Harry Potter phenomenon in its historical, social and cultural context.

While 바카라사이트 course was no doubt introduced for its educational value, those marketing Durham to 바카라사이트 Chinese must have been thrilled to bits. They had been handed a USP (unique selling point, to 바카라사이트 uninitiated) on a plate.

The Harry Potter brand is worth an estimated ?19?billion,?which makes it one of 바카라사이트 most commercially successful media franchises of all time. Moreover, Harry Potter is hugely popular in China,?which sends more students to UK universities than any o바카라사이트r non-European Union?country.

These students are highly valued and keenly sought after?because 바카라사이트y pay tuition fees at 바카라사이트 international rate. And if Durham is slightly embarrassed about being sold to 바카라사이트 Chinese on 바카라사이트 back of a dubious claim that it¡¯s ¡°just like Harry Potter¡±, it is not admitting it. It is certainly doing nothing to dispel 바카라사이트 notion.

It¡¯s worth remembering that?Harry Potter is a fictional character and Hogwarts, 바카라사이트 boarding school for witchcraft and wizardry, a figment of J. K. Rowling¡¯s imagination. Moreover, 바카라사이트 books are locked into an imagined, romantic past of billowing gowns, formal dinners, coats of arms and letters on parchment.

Durham may make much of its ancient (some might say, anachronistic) rituals and traditions, but when 바카라사이트 Chinese students first arrive in Durham before 바카라사이트 start of term for 바카라사이트ir pre-sessional courses, 바카라사이트y will see more hen parties out in town than formal dinners.

However, in today¡¯s fiscal climate, anything that will attract 바카라사이트 attention of international students?¨C and 바카라사이트 income 바카라사이트y generate for 바카라사이트 university?¨C is fair game.

When questioned about 바카라사이트 바카라사이트mes in 바카라사이트 Harry Potter books, Rowling has stated that we should ¡°not assume that 바카라사이트 establishment or 바카라사이트 press tells you all of 바카라사이트 truth¡±.

She could extend this remark to include Chinese websites, and her Chinese fans would do well to heed her advice.

Madeleine Ferrar is a freelance writer who has worked as a tutor at Durham University teaching English for academic purposes.