RELATIONSHIP MARKETING IN OPEN EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITAS TERBUKA IN STRENGTHENING LIFELONG LEARNING IN THE RIAU ISLANDS

Abstract

Open and distance education is a strategic solution to expand access to higher education, particularly in island regions facing infrastructure and resource limitations. Universitas Terbuka has a regional UT office in Batam as a representation of open higher education in the Riau Islands Province. Universitas Terbuka Batam, as part of the Universitas Terbuka network in Indonesia, makes a significant contribution to expanding access to higher education in the Riau Islands Province.  It not only offers learning flexibility but also builds long-term relationships with students through the implementation of relationship marketing. This approach focuses on creating, maintaining, and strengthening mutually beneficial relationships between institutions and students, thereby fostering lifelong learning. This research aims to describe the role of UT Batam Regional office in strengthening lifelong learning through relationship marketing strategies applied to active students. The method used is quantitative descriptive, with data collected using a structured questionnaire. The research respondents consisted of active students selected through purposive sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to identify levels of satisfaction, loyalty, and perceived benefits of learning. The findings of this research are expected to contribute to the development of relational marketing strategies in open education, while also strengthening the values of intergenerational learning, which is an ancestral legacy for success and contribution to the community.