Marketing is the name of the game when it comes to attracting potential students and Bermuda College now has an award which proves they know how it is done.

The faculty for higher learning was presented with the award for the best brochure, web site and marketing by the Learning Resource Network (LERN).

LERN, an international association aimed at lifelong learning, chose Bermuda College as the best among more than 100 nominations from four countries.

Wayne Wilson, Dean of Faculty of Adult and Continuing Education, accepted the award for the College at a recent LERN convention in Washington D.C.

"My mouth dropped when I saw the programme,'' Mr. Wilson said. "I thought we were just getting the award for our brochure. But it was absolutely terrific.'' The College had been a member of LERN for years, but this was the first year they had submitted an entry for the marketing awards.

"We had gone through a total revamping (of the brochure) and I thought, why not?'' said Mr. Wilson.

He added that Edwin Smith, an English and Humanities Lecture, was the driving force behind the changed look.

"It's a showcase of all local talent,'' Mr. Wilson said.

The new Adult and Continuing Education course calendar uses testimonials from students and staff as a way of letting people know about the courses.

"We've seen a slight increase in registration since the overhaul of the brochure, but it's certainly a much more popular item,'' Mr. Wilson said.

The winners were chosen based on "the quality of being at the leading edge of the field of lifelong learning'', LERN's vice president of Information Systems, Julie Coates, said.

Originality, innovation, appropriateness as a model for other programmes, replicability and measurable outcomes were also taken into account by the judges.