managing international student recruitment agents

es dedicated to responsibly managing commissioned agency usage in the recruitment of international students by countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia are substantial, and still do not fully mitigate the risk of irresponsibility and student harm. Adams, T., Leventhal, M. and Connelly, S. (2012) International student recruitment in Australia and the United States: approaches and attitudes, in D. K. Deardorff, H. de Wit and J. D. Heyl (eds.) Several of the institutional representatives who spoke with WES stated that institutions that are highly selective and work with well-vetted agents receive numerous benefits from these partnerships. The paper critically evaluates how insights from agency theory can help to mitigate these problems and identifies specific inherent frictions that may make government interventions desirable in overseeing the use of education agents. Gateway understands the financial impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on institutions and organizations around the world and as such, prioritizes efficiency and affordability in our pricing. with industry best practices for international student retention. Will Ukraines brains return? Remember that agents are only one piece of international recruitment. The internationalization and marketization of higher education has resulted in U.K. universities' increasing reliance on recruitment agents to boost international student numbers. Recruitment Agents in Italy: Perspectives of Higher Education Institutions Enrico Sartor Part V: Student Views 13. The number of agents taken on by schools ranges considerably from as few as 10 to 15, to as many as 900; the 900 agents in contract by one institution is a distant outlier, however. The use of commission-based agents to recruit international students has increased dramatically within the past few years. We are committed to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and accountability. If you are able to go and visit those agents and give them training it helps them do their job. Look at agency partnerships as ongoing relationships that need to be nurtured. Developing & Implementing an International Student Recruitment Strategy, B. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for the Study of Higher Education; 1719 November, Philadelphia, United States. On the other hand, reputable recruitment agents provide valuable services to students and institutions alike. Bridge Education Group (2016) Pace of adoption of international student recruitment agencies by U.S. institutions, Denver, CO: Bridge Education Group. (2005) Agency theory, Annual Review of Sociology 31: 263284. - Digital Marketing Outreach; We use the latest marketing automation technologies to engage students and agents at every stage of the enrollment funnel. Circumstances leading to agency partnerships vary by institution. ICEF Academy provides comprehensive specialist training for professionals in international student recruitment. Rosa has been successful in developing new partnerships and programs, as well as helping improve already existing ones. Her Ph.D., from Universidad Complutense included a field study and edition of written balladry Romancero. Theoretical considerations from the perspective of agency theory, Tertiary Education and Management 11(1): 117. Correspondence to NAFSA is an association dedicated to international education and exchange, working to advance policies and practices that ensure a more interconnected, peaceful world today and for generations to come. Boyds expertise lies in strategic international recruitment and market development, including the execution of armchair and in-country recruitment initiatives. Nordic practice, Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers. A. Most third-party partnerships, including recruitment agents, speak the local language, understand the culture, and often have contacts within the local education system. (2015) Managing International Student Recruitment Agents. Former AIRC president, Steven Boyd is an accomplished international recruitment professional who is well regarded as an authority on marketing Strategy, networking, and partnerships. She has also been a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota, University of Portland, and Interamericana de Puerto Rico. Given tight budgets and the need to find the right students, Gateways experts help you use data effectively for content development, website optimization, and new market evaluation. In some cases, agents misunderstand school programs or policies and convey incorrect information to students. Stephen Appiah-Padi is an international educator with several years of teaching and administrative experience in both 4 and 2-year HEIs. High Educ Policy 31, 535557 (2018). Whilst universities were apparently keen to assert their role in managing agents, it was also clear that agents held considerable power as is well evidenced in HEIs' desires to ensure agent loyalty in the longer term. She was trained as a Hispanic Philologist at the Universidad Complutense, in Madrid, and did her M.A. Authorities in Australia and New Zealandcountries which use agents at a higher rate than that of the U.S.have uncovered significant fraud by agents in countries such as India, China, and the Philippines. (1986) Organizational Economics, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Agents have played a major role in international student recruitment for years, but many saw their business models evaporate overnight in March of 2020. From Student to Agent to Faculty: How my Journey has Influenced my Work with Education Agents Shanton Chang 3. We have absolutely detected fraudulent documents from students who have not come from agents, and we have detected fraudulent documents from students who have come from agents.. your institution, https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/recruitment-agents-a-legal-and-regulatory-overview.pdf, http://internationalstudy.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Gedragscode-2014-Engels.pdf. At Wichita State University, approximately 30 percent to 40 percent of the total international student body is enrolled through agencies, and at Southern New Hampshire University, about 65 percent of graduate students are recruited this way. Institutions around the world are finding themselves in an increasingly competitive recruitment environment. ICAC (2004) Report under section14(2) of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 to the Minister for Education and Training, Sydney: Independent Commission Against Corruption. It is important to note that the agents in question were unlicensed and that some schools participated knowingly in the corruption to increase student enrollment. 2. From a country-strategy standpoint, agencies can provide institutions with on-the-ground intelligence of the market by relaying what students and parents are thinking. International recruitment agents are commonly used among HEIs in many countries, including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Oxford Research (2013) Tuition fees for international students. Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. (2013) Using principal-agent theory as a framework for analysis in evaluating the multiple stakeholders involved in the accreditation and quality assurance of international medical branch campuses, Quality in Higher Education 19(2): 173190. A pathway program allows international students who want to study in the U.S. to pursue intensive ESL training while also taking credit-bearing instruction that counts toward their degrees. At the very top, we see the first steps of the journey with the student discovering you and building awareness. All Rights Reserved. emerging market evaluation. Gateway particularly welcomes institutions and organizations located outside of the United States, with whom we can also assist with international admissions and enrollment management systems and structures. Kent State has an Agent Review Committee that meets monthly and reviews agency contracts that are about to expire; it looks at whether agents have sent students, if those students enrolled, and if they are making good progress toward their degree, among other things. operational and lean process mapping, 2.) Institutions look at numerous factors when assessing current agents, including: Institutions manage this process in various ways. Gateway is well positioned to provide consultation and support on next generation international enrollment management. And then Ive met other agents where I felt it was a great match right awayI liked this person, they seemed genuinely concerned about the students, I could see myself working with themand usually those are the relationships weve seen flourish the most.. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. NACAC noted in its deliberations, however, that other countries are better able to use recruitment agencies ethically in part because of those countries more centralized higher education systems and stricter regulations. This kind of information can guide institutional strategy within a region. Shapiro, S.P. This lack of effort can be seen in a failure to respond to emails, lack of productivity, sending unqualified student applications, a failure to absorb trainings, and a seeming lack of knowledge about the institution. They are co-authors with Christine Humfrey of the guide Managing International Student Recruitment Agents and an article Power and control: managing agents for international student recruitment in higher education in 'Studies in Higher Education'. Gateway will assign a team of experienced consultants and other operational staff as needed to fit the goals of your institution. Customer preferences like text size, font type, page color and more. New Developments in the Theory of Networks, Heidelberg: Physica-Verlag HD, pp. Hagedorn, L.S. Petruzzellis, L. and Romanazzi, S. (2010) Educational value: How students choose university: Evidence from an Italian university, International Journal of Educational Management 24(2): 139158. Some of these [agents] are, as the Australian government put it, sole traders with not much more than a catchy title, a string of promises and a mobile phone, eager to clean up essays, falsify records and submit fraudulent documents for economic gain.. His university travels have taken him to 60 countries.Mr. New Zealands Immigration office in Mumbai between 2014 and 2016 identified 265 agents who submitted applications that included fraudulent documentation, including several high-volume agencies, and found that fake bank statements, for instance, were used in student visa applications with significant frequency. This eBook is already in your shopping cart. Working with agencies began as a way to address, in part, these capacity challenges. DIMIA (2004) Options for Regulating Migration Agents Overseas and the Immigration Related Activities of Education Agents, Discussion Paper, Canberra: Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affair, Australian Government. Donaldson, L. (1990) The Ethereal hand: Organizational economics and management theory, The Academy of Management Review 15(3): 369381. We take the time to understand your priorities and concerns so that we can provide the best service possible. Keep a close relationship with a small number of agencies, advises Fai Tai, associate director, International Student Recruitment at WSU. At the Foundation, Rosa directed and, in many cases created, programs for the University of Minnesota, Notre Dame, Princeton, Ohio State, Arcadia, and the University of Chicago. (2013) The Role of Education Agents in Canadas Education Systems, Toronto: Council of Ministers of Education Canada. Collins, F. L. (2012) Organizing student mobility: Education agents and student migration to New Zealand, Pacific Affairs 85(1): 137160. Some providers offer solutions that target a particular stage of the enrollment funnel. There are many governments (U.S. or international), international organizations, public or private companies, and other third-party entities that provide partial or full support to students, including costs associated with tuition, fees, living expenses and other amenities. Agents and Test Preparation: The Quest for High Scores on Standardized Tests Meng Xiao and Linda Serra Hagedorn 8. International Education Agents: Lessons from the History of IDP Denis Blight 9. (1992) Economics, Organization and Management, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". For example, market intelligence can identify which countries or cities have a large population of students interested in a particular program the school offers. You'll join over 16,000 education counsellors . A case study analysis. Dr. Appiah-Padi has a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada in Educational Policy & Administration with a specialization in International/Intercultural Education. Raimo, V., Humfrey, C. and Huang, I.Y. These institutions recognize the academic and cultural value international students bring to their campuses as well as the financial contributions made to their communities. Regulation, Deregulation and Self-regulation: The Evolution of Chinas Policy on Education Agents Siyuan Feng 17. This study explores contractual governance approaches adopted by HE institutions for managing international education agents in the United States, United Kingdom and . In an environment where many providers are saying similar things, having a clear sense of your own capabilities (and limits) is the right place to start. THRIVE Act Veterans Benefits Provision Poses Unexpected Challenge to Use of Incentive-Based Agents for International Student Recruitment. Productivity Commission (2015) International Education Services, Canberra: Commission Research Paper. To learn how to manage your cookie settings, please see our Cookie Policy. If needed, Gateway will seek an introduction and orientation to your institutions current institutional systems, structures, and protocols vis--vis the scope of requested services. (2007) Higher Education Systems: Conceptual Frameworks, Comparative Perspectives, Empirical Findings, Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. AIRC (2015) AIRC Certification Standards, Bethesda, MD: American International Recruitment Council. It requires training, ongoing communication, follow-up, assessing productivity, and paying commissions, among other things. David L. Di Maria has helped develop international education programs at public universities in the USA for nearly fifteen years. He serves as an international education consultant, has been an invited speaker and presenter nationally and internationally on themes related to the analysis of foreign academic credentials, international enrollment management, best practice engaging international recruitment agents, and global partnerships and engagement. A. Contact us today to start the conversation and learn more about ou`r innovative approaches for enhancing the full spectrum of education abroad programming and operations. Rosa is currently completing the final Professional Certification from the Forum on Education Abroad. The sheer volume of accessible data across a multitude of platforms can be challenging to navigate and use effectively. Zhang, L.Y. The relationship and personal connection you have with agents is critical to the success of the partnership. This is a preview of subscription content, access via Working paper, London: Leadership Foundation for Higher Education. and Meckling, W.H. For example, Jennings explained, the concept of a 2+2 transfer program between community colleges and four-year institutions is not well-known in many places overseas. Eastern Institute of Technology, Napier, 4110, New Zealand, University of Tampere, 33014, Tampere, Finland, You can also search for this author in Ryan, R.M. According to a WES survey of HEI representatives, 52 percent of respondents plan to increase agent use in the 20182019 academic year. Building on insights and findings from previous studies related to this topic, our analysis shows that HEIeducation agent relationships are often undermined by goal conflicts and information asymmetries that significantly constrain the possibilities for optimal contractual options to monitor and incentivise agents. Utilizing our knowledge and vast network of providers, Gateway can help your institution with establish meaningful partnerships to create a sustainable pipeline of highly qualified students. They got their visa and got on the plane, too! An experienced global education practitioner-scholar, with a demonstrated history of success in the field. Application Study Guide by Subject. Ross, S.A. (1973) The economic theory of agency: The principals problem, American Economic Review 63(2): 134139. Likewise, international students themselves provide insights into agency quality. This paper applies agency theory to explore the contractual relationship between higher education institutions (HEI) and HEI-contracted for-profit education agents in international student recruitment, bridging a gap in the existing literature by investigating the underlying issues surrounding these relationships. - 208.113.184.219. Enoka, M. (2016b) Why are so many Indian students coming to New Zealand?, The Wireless, 11 July. Aliouche, E.H. and Schlentrich, U. Gateway International Group has made the commitment to allocate 5% of revenue to support traditionally underrepresented student participation in international learning and engagement. (1998) Principal-agent models: An expansion, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 8(2): 173202. Most pathways programs also provide student support services for academic skill development and specialized advising. Power and control: managing agents for international student recruitment in higher education Iona Yuelu Huang , Vincenzo Raimo & Christine Humfrey Pages 1333-1354 | Published online: 23 Oct 2014 Download citation https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2014.968543 Full Article Figures & data References Supplemental Citations Metrics Reprints & Permissions Alumni recruitment can be one of the most effective means to generate interest, applications and create overseas relationships that support enrollment and partnership development and career opportunities. Donaldson, L. and Davis, J.H. Institutions working to recruit international students often have small international marketing and recruitment teams and face budgetary constraints that limit travel. Gateway works with a diverse array of institutions and organizations around the world. Former president of the American International Recruitment Council (AIRC), Dr. George F. Kacenga is the AVP University Partnerships at M. Square Media. These agreements usually take the shape of a formal contract that lists in writing the obligations of both the institution and the agency. Contracts are typically fixed term and based on a one-time, predetermined fee. Tips for Understanding and Working with International Student Recruitment Agents. Nearly three-quarters of international students attending Australian universities used agents in 2016, and more than 92 percent of HEIs in the U.K. used international recruiters in 2014. measuring return on investment, and 3.) To know with whom you should be working, you need a strong sense of what you need help with and where on the funnel youre falling behind. Kivist, J. and Zalyevska, I. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". He also serves on The Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals (TAICEP) committee for Organizational Advancement and on the campaign steering committee for the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA). Some schools, such as Wichita State University, keep their form available online, while others, such as Kent State, prefer to send the application only to agents in a target region. The students lacked the necessary academic prerequisites. Agents who can communicate what the school offers help to educate students and their families about educational options. and Deci, E.L. (2000) Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions, Contemporary Educational Psychology 25(1): 5467. (Also see, International Student and Scholar Services - Gateway International Group). Agency partnerships are likely to take on even greater importance as HEIs look for ways to bolster international student recruitment in the current political environment. Gateway is well positioned to provide customized training and development on most all aspects of international enrollment management. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. These are key takeaways from a webinar about the landscape of international student recruitment. Youre managing multiple complicated business relationships across cultures, Deupree points out. and Donaldson, L. (1997) Toward a stewardship theory of management, Academy of Management Review 22(1): 2047. 132151. When a school takes on too many agents, it does not have the resources or capacity to adequately manage all of them. Agency theory identifies comprehensive monitoring as one way to ensure that agents work in the principal's best interest. Their use in the U.S., however, has historically been a point of contention. (2016a) Hundreds of students at risk of deportation, The Wireless, 20 June. How we recruit international students relies heavily on effective marketing and communications planning. Jensen, M.C. If you would like to replace it with a different purchasing option please remove the current eBook option from your cart. Chapter NACAC (2013) Report of the Commission on International Student Recruitment, Arlington, VA: National Association for College Admission Counseling. An Ethical Approach to Student-Centered Commission-Based Recruitment: The Way Forward Mark A. Ashwill 6. NACACs Report of the Commission on International Student Recruitment stipulates that HEIs that do engage with recruitment agents must ensure (1) institutional accountability, (2) transparency, and (3) integrity. George F. Kacenga, PhD, has been a champion for the value of international education approaching 20 years, investing much of his professional career in international admissions and enrollment management. Global data compiled by We Are Social and Hootsuite shows that for the first time, over half the worlds population now uses social media on at least a monthly basis, 99% of which are doing so via mobile devices. At Gateway, we recognize the complexity of international enrollment management and the intricacies of navigating the nuances of individual campus needs. Good agents are able to provide information on market shifts that schools may otherwise not be aware of. Education Review (2013) The dollar sign above every international student, Education Review, 2 July. If enrolling international students is a part of your strategy to achieve enrollment success, then Gateway is the right partner to help you develop and refine your international student recruitment strategy. One such example took place in 2016 when Western Kentucky University suspended at least 25 out of 60 Indian graduate students recruited at a rate of USD$2,000 per head by an agent based in India. Pimpa, N. (2003) The influence of peers and student recruitment agencies on Thai students choices of international education, Journal of Studies in International Education 7(2): 178192. Who is responsible for building awareness of the institution internally? We have a couple of markets where weve never had activity in the past, and then through a few good key agents, weve been able to start building a funnel and see several students come through, says Kirsten Feddersen, associate vice president of International Programs at Southern New Hampshire University. Rosa is a member of Forum and NAFSA and has presented with higher educationprofessionals on innovative academic and research programming, STEM in study abroad and Nationalism in Europe. your institution. Eisenhardt, K. (1989) Agency theory: An assessment and review, Academy of Management Review 14(1): 5774. Coco, L. (2015) Capturing a global student market for colleges and universities: The use of private third party agents in international student recruitment. EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network of over 430 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries and territories that promotes U.S. higher education to students around the world. To answer these questions, consider the typical student journey: every enrolled student heard of you for the first time, conducted research about your institution to learn more, applied (maybe with assistance), was admitted, and decided to enroll. Proponents note that agents have contextual knowledge, speak local languages, can help make student recruiting less costly and resource intensive, and have the potential to boost international student enrollment. Now you have a basis for engaging an external organization to get some help (whether a product vendor, partner or somewhere in between). Webinar Recording and Resources . WES neither endorses nor discourages agent use. Let Gateway help your institution grow, retain and graduate successful international students. ", Dr Douglas Proctor, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement), Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, "Pii-Tuulia Nikula, Vincenzo Raimo and Eddie West have opened the world of education agents for all to see and what an important world it is! Forged documents and visa fraud can be considerable challenges when working with unethical agents, although the select representatives we interviewed for this article stressed that these were rare occurrences and not unique to agents. If you're seeking a career in management, you're likely a person who does well in a setting . and Zhang, L.Y. Knight, M. (2011) Strategic Review of the Student Visa Program. Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Toward a student-centred value proposition for agents. His latest book is Achieving More with Less: Lean Management in the International Students Office. Kacenga continues to work on projects that elevate the professionalism of the field-at-large. It does not store any personal data. The most positive outcomes stem from agents with whom institutions have strong, personal relationships. (1992) Agency relationships in marketing: A review of the implications and applications of agency and related theories, Journal of Marketing 56(3): 124. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Whether undergraduate, graduate or professional, it is essential that all international students that choose to study at your institution are satisfied with their education and are retained to graduation. The most commonly cited number of partnerships by the HEI representatives that spoke to WES fell between 25 and 50. We will conduct an initial intake and needs assessment to discuss how best Gateway can support your needs. Let Gateway help you develop and grow your team of alumni recruiters and ambassadors. However, we also learned that although many members of the Commission have

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