Build a brand people remember.
A strong brand isn’t decoration. It is how the outside world sees the decisions behind your product or service: who your customers are, which market you are in, and why you differ. Getting it right shapes whether investors, partners, and customers understand and remember you. Whether you are interested in learning the skill of developing brands or are building your own venture and brand, this course gives you the concepts and tools to build one that holds up.
You learn brand management concepts and practices through lectures and apply them to a live brand — a start-up’s, specifically selected for this course, or your own.
Who it’s for
This course is open to anyone with an interest in brand management: professionals across any field, founders working on their own venture, and interested individuals alike. A BSc or MSc in business, design, or a related field is a useful background but not a requirement. You’ll work in a group of up to 8 on a real case from a start-up, or you can bring your own company or brand and work on that individually, with the teacher’s approval. If you bring your own brand, you’ll get direct, personal feedback from the lecturer on your work.
What the course covers
• Foundations of brand management
• Brand identity
• Brand elements
• Brand communication
• The consumer–brand relationship
• Brand communities
• Brand alliances & co-branding
• International brand management
• Place branding
• Branding and AI
The course includes current developments in the branding practice. For instance, a dedicated session on branding and AI is delivered as a guest lecture by a practitioner working with it directly, and topics like brand communities and brand communication show you how a brand builds customer loyalty and speaks consistently across channels.
What you will be able to do
By the end you will have an understanding of the key concepts of brand management and be able to explain why it matters for companies. You will also be able to apply concepts and theories, as you build a brand strategy that is founded on a concrete and well-defined brand identity, informing decisions across consumers’ brand touchpoints.
Who teaches it
Coordinated by Dr. Janina M. Schaumann, with guest lectures from practitioners, plus further input from industry and international experts.
Practical information
The course runs at the University of Twente in Enschede over ten weeks: eleven 90-minute sessions plus a one-day feedback session midway, taught in English. You’re welcome to join for the learning alone. The formal requirements — the group assignment (or an individual one on your own brand), and the written exam — apply only if you want the 5 ECTS credit (around 140 hours of study). If you do, your grade is based on half the assignment and half the exam.
Literature
You’ll receive selected chapters and academic papers digitally as the course runs, with extra readings added to match current topics and discussion.
At a glance
Location: University of Twente, Enschede, NL
Duration: Annually, September to November
Costs: € 2067,15
More information: See our online course catalogue Osiris : link to osiris course information.
Registration: Registration form | Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET)
