Giovanni Zabban works on Digital Marketing at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence. He recently spent time at LSE as part of the CIVICA short-term visit programme and shares his experience↓
Why did you want to come to LSE and what did you work on during your visit?
We often think that the way we do things every day is the only way to do our work. After many years in the same organisation, we rarely get exposed to new ideas, different perspectives, and alternative working methods. That’s why I saw LSE, and in particular Laura Knowles’ Marketing and Student Recruitment team, as a top destination for my first mobility and job shadowing experience: to step out of the “business as usual” and start thinking outside the box.
I picked LSE because it is a top-tier university in Europe especially in the field of social sciences, and a key CIVICA partner. My visit also coincided with the LSE Festival, a unique occasion to share research output with the wider public and civil society: both a challenge and a mission for universities today.
What did you expect from this visit?
I wanted to further develop both soft and hard skills through this programme, such as digital and social media campaigns, customer relationship management, and strategic storytelling across complex institutional structures.
I also hoped this wouldn’t just be a one-way learning opportunity, but a chance to exchange ideas with colleagues facing similar challenges. That’s why I hope that the people I met were also able to take something from my experience at another international academic institution like the EUI. This experience gave me valuable exposure to new approaches and strategies in the ever-evolving field of digital marketing, which demands continuous learning.
Could you tell us a bit more about how this visit fits with your role?
The EUI is currently redefining its long-term vision and strategy, so seeing how marketing and student recruitment have evolved at LSE helped me reflect on how I can grow in my own role and better support the EUI’s vision and strategy in the long run.
What attracted you to this area or job?
On a practical level, I enjoy making data-driven decisions and building strategies based on evidence. That’s why marketing is a key area of interest for me. At the same time, I want to make a positive impact and contribute to the world of academia, which is increasingly being challenged. In that regard, the LSE Festival panel “Are universities still relevant?” was particularly enlightening.
What insight did you gain from this experience?
I had dedicated meetings with more than 20 professionals working at the departmental and central level. I attended team meetings, joined sessions, events, and even watched films as part of the LSE Festival. It is hard to highlight just one takeaway, but one thing is clear: everything I learnt needs to be adapted to my daily work and to the institutional reality I operate in. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Do you have any advice for people who are thinking about applying but haven’t done so yet?
My advice would be: be prepared to see things from different perspectives and keep an open mind. You know you will learn something new but this is not a course, so you won’t know exactly what you will learn until you are there.
And of course… if you’re considering where to go, choose Florence and the European University Institute.
Interested in other CIVICA activities? Check our dedicated webpages and the details of the next call for short visits here.