Prof. Ratan Patra has been working as the Head of Digital Marketing and Communication at Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Gunupur, Orissa. He has done B. Sc. (Hons) in Physics from FM University, MBA in Marketing and IB from University of Mysore, PGPM/PGDBM in Marketing and International Business from KR Mangalam University and PhD from GIET University Gunupur as part of his academics. He has also done ISO 9001 Master - Quality Certification from SkillFront and Real-estate Management from NAREDCO. He has 19+ years of amazing work experience where he started his career as a Sales and Marketing Specialist and later worked as a Marketing Manager, Head of Marketing and Communications. He is also an expert in Market Analysis, Marketing Strategy, Property Management, Business Strategy, Advertising, Sales Management, Business Planning, Real Estate Development and Digital Marketing. As an Assistant professor, he is engaged in mentoring diversified groups of students for the simultaneous well-being of individuals and academic progress. Also, he is responsible for adapting advanced teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students’ varying needs and interests.

GIET University

What is your philosophy of leadership?

I believe in a collaborative way of working and my philosophy of leadership is centered around teamwork. Because I believe that everyone has something valuable to contribute, and that by working together, we can achieve great things. So as a leader, I strive to create an environment where people feel supported and empowered to share their ideas and take ownership of their work. In addition to all this, my leadership style can be described as adaptive and inclusive, as I am willing to learn and adapt to new situations, and I am always open to receive the valuable inputs of people working with me and working for our institution. 

How do you strategize the key programs for the marketing and administration of your institution?

With 17+ years of experience in the marketing and communication domain, I have developed a deep understanding of the latest trends and best practices being used in both the fields. And being a Professor and Head of Digital Marketing and Communication at GIET, I try to use my experience and expertise in the best way possible. In my role as a Professor, I aim to help students develop a deep understanding of key concepts such as content marketing, social media marketing, SEO, and PPC advertising. Apart from this, one of my key responsibilities is to ensure that our institution is leveraging the latest digital marketing tools and technologies to reach and engage with our target audience and to achieve this, I regularly monitor industry trends and identify new opportunities for growth and innovation.

You have worked in both the corporate as well education sector, so what major differences have you observed in both of them?

I have noticed some key differences while working in the corporate and educational sectors. And the very first difference is that the corporate sector tends to be more focused on profits and efficiency, whereas the educational sector is more attentive to providing quality education and creating a positive learning environment for students. Additionally, the hierarchical structure of the corporate sector is less prevalent in the educational sector, where collaboration and teamwork are more valued. Furthermore, I have observed that the educational sector is more community-oriented, with a strong emphasis on building relationships and partnerships with local communities, schools and other educational institutions which is actually essential for creating a sense of belonging and fostering a culture of lifelong learning. Apart from this, there is a greater focus on adapting to the needs and expectations of students, as well as keeping up with the latest trends and best practices in pedagogy and curriculum design. This requires a high degree of flexibility and adaptability, as well as a willingness to experiment with new teaching methods and technologies. And if I talk about the hurdles, one of the biggest challenges that I have faced in the education sector is the transition from traditional offline marketing methods to digital marketing. 

Overall, I believe that the education sector is an incredibly rewarding field to work in, with a strong emphasis on social impact and community building. 

What challenges have you faced while shifting from offline to online marketing?

I have faced numerous challenges while transitioning from offline to online marketing and the biggest hurdle for me in the whole process was to quickly adapt to new technologies and digital platforms, which required learning new skills and tools. Another roadblock for me was developing new and effective marketing strategies in the online environment. Last but not the least, measuring the effectiveness of our online marketing efforts was more difficult than with offline marketing, and required new metrics and analytics tools.

Check GIET University Courses & Fees

How is your college more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

Our college believes that no students should be deprived of education only due to their personal or economic backgrounds, hence we have implemented targeted recruitment efforts by actively seeking out and supporting students from underrepresented groups. In addition to this, we provide financial aid and scholarships to eligible and needy students, organize diversity and inclusion training programs for faculty and staff members and have created a supportive and inclusive campus culture. 

What are your roles and responsibilities for the college and students?

As the Head of Digital Marketing and Communication, I am responsible for developing and implementing effective digital marketing strategies that align with the institution's goals and objectives. This primarily includes identifying and analyzing target audiences, creating engaging content for digital platforms, managing social media accounts, overseeing email marketing campaigns, and optimizing search engine rankings. And in order to ensure the success of our efforts, develop effective marketing campaigns that can address the unique needs and concerns of our target audience, I work closely with admissions, student affairs and academic departments of our institution. 

Apart from this, I am responsible for managing a team of marketing and communication professionals, providing guidance and support as needed to ensure that they have the resources and skills necessary to achieve their goals, ensuring best training and development opportunities for them, conducting performance evaluations and managing workflow and deadlines.And as a Professor, I am accountable for teaching and mentoring my students, conducting research and experiments, staying up-to-date with latest trends and pedagogies and publishing academic papers. Overall, I play a critical role in shaping the future of our institution and ensuring that it remains at the forefront of educational innovation and excellence.

What do you think should be the college’s top priority over the next 10 years?

In my opinion, we should continue enhancing the quality of teaching-learning pedagogies of our college, expanding, diversifying and improving the overall quality of our academic programs, building strong partnerships with external stakeholders to stay updated with their current trends and requirements, and ensuring financial sustainability for our institution in coming years. And we are proud of the world-class education that we provide to our students, and we remain committed to investing in our faculty and promoting research and innovation on campus. Also, as the needs of the job market and society will evolve, we will continue to adapt and diversify our academic programs to ensure that our students are well-prepared to succeed in their chosen fields. Overall, we believe that prioritizing these areas will enable us to uphold our commitment and also contribute to the growth and development of our community and society.

When you first joined GIET, what was your vision for the college and how far have you come in implementing them?

As the Professor and Head of Digital Marketing and Communication at GIET University, Gunupur, my initial vision was to transform GIET into a leading institution of higher education that provides world-class education to students from all over India and beyond. My other aim was to create an environment that fosters innovation, creativity, and critical thinking and can prepare students for the job market of the 21st century. In addition to this, I wanted to make sure that our academic program should be supported by state-of-the-art infrastructure and latest technologies and we should have the best faculty and students from around the world.

However, as time has passed, my vision for the university has evolved based on my understanding of the unique strengths and challenges of our institution. While my original vision remains intact, I have also realized the importance of building strong partnerships with the local community and creating opportunities for students to engage in social and civic activities. As we continue to implement our strategic plan, we are making significant progress towards achieving our vision for GIET.

Click GIET University Placements

What are the future plans of your college for the betterment of students and give them a secure future?

We firmly believe that it is our responsibility to not only provide a world-class education to our students but also make them competent and confident enough so that they can work well in the outside corporate world. Hence to give a best possible start to their careers, we ensure every student gets college placement in their final year itself. And due to our commitment to provide the best quality education to students, we are continuously exploring ways to enhance opportunities we make available for them. 

And as we move forward, we will continue to prioritize our students' needs and aspirations and will work closely with our industry partners to ensure that our academic programs remain relevant and up-to-date with the latest trends, development and requirements of both the educational and industrial sector. Apart from this, we will invest in establishing an ultra modern infrastructure in college and cutting-edge technologies to support our faculty and students to grow personally and professionally.

Any precious message which you would like to give to the aspiring students who want to join GIET?

"Make best use of opportunities we provide to you and actively participate in research activities of college"

My only advice to ambitious students who want to join the GIET University is to pursue your passion and take advantage of the limitless learning opportunities we offer as a University. And as our institute is committed to provide world-class education to students to prepare them for success in their chosen field, hence we offer a diverse range of academic programs, extracurricular activities along with research and innovation opportunities to young minds so that they can explore their interests and develop required skills. In addition to all this, I would encourage students to actively participate in activities and events which can boost their leadership skills, give them appropriate mentorship and enhance their engagement with community people. Because I firmly believe that this way only they would be able to bring a positive impact in the society and world.