• 56% of US respondents are considering studying overseas, compared to only 20% of UK respondents;
• US students who want to study abroad appear to be more interested in doing so in order to travel and explore other cultures, whereas UK students see study abroad as a conduit to working for international companies and living overseas;
• Only 24% of UK students and 22% of US students felt they had enough resources to make an informed decision about overseas study.

These top findings are among the results of over 10,800 responses from both countries that appear in “Broadening Horizons: Breaking through the barriers to overseas study“, the latest research report produced by Education Intelligence, the British Council’s global research arm.

The enthusiasm to study abroad shown by the American students is surely a welcome sign, given that only a small proportion of US students pursue degrees overseas compared to other nations. As the 2012 Open Doors Report showed, about 14% of American students receiving Bachelor’s degrees this past year have studied abroad at some point during their undergraduate programmes, while only 1% of US students are studying abroad during a single academic year (273,996 out of the more than 20 million students enroled in US higher education).

It appears the challenge lies in making sure students are aware of the opportunities before them and ensuring information on study abroad options is available, accurate, and easily accessible. The report highlights:

“Access to information resources for students seeking an overseas study experience is crucial at every stage of the decision-making process, whether the information is to do with funding, course choice, programme length or destination.”

The main resources students in both countries relied on included internet research, teachers and lecturers, and international or study abroad offices. Student recruitment agents, more commonly used in traditional sending markets, were noticeably left off the list.

This “info gap” echos findings from two reports ICEF Monitor reviewed last autumn based on survey responses from 4,000 freshmen at US-based institutions. Results showed that campus services were unable to meet student demand in the areas of career planning, study skills and financial guidance. In addition, difficulty accessing information was cited as a challenge for UK students interested in post-overseas-study work rights, according to another ICEF Monitor report from last year. It remains to be seen who will step in and give US and UK student services the boost it may well need.

Motivations to study abroad

The British Council report indicates both academic and non-academic drivers for study abroad.

The main academic motivations identified by students wanting to study overseas from both the US and the UK were similar: gaining credit for a current study programme and improving language skills. To a slightly greater extent than in the US, UK students indicated that they felt there were limited degree options at home and that study abroad was a way of widening their academic opportunities.

But when looking at the non-academic factors identified by UK and US students, it starts to get interesting. Both groups shared the desire to have a unique adventure and travel overseas; however, UK students tended to place greater emphasis on their potential overseas study experience as the beginning of an international career and as something that would improve their employment prospects.The report went on to explain:

“In focus group discussions, US students expressed concern about pursuing academic opportunities in other countries owing to the high standard of domestic provision, which they also felt was something recognised by future employers. Instead, they pursued study abroad to develop soft skills and add non-academic weight to their resumes.”

When asked to clarify their main non-academic drivers, the respondents considering overseas study indicated the main purposes of the experience were to…

• have a unique adventure: 84% US vs. 58% UK
• travel overseas: 66% US vs. 46% UK
• improve employment prospects: 19% US vs. 48% UK
• start an international career:  30% US vs. 47% UK
• become self-sufficient: 36% US vs. 22% UK
• build self confidence: 30% US vs. 36% UK

Among US students, the report notes that there was a considerable difference in opinion between those contemplating studying abroad and those who were not or were undecided.

Of those considering overseas study, 88% said they believed it would give them the edge they needed when applying for a job, compared to only 59% of those not considering or undecided.

“Most notably, 27% of those not considering or undecided about overseas study said that they did not know whether studying abroad would give them the additional skills they felt they required. This indicates that there is a lack of knowledge about and understanding of the wider benefits of international study among US students.”

The attitudes US students are showing towards the reasons for study abroad appear to be in line with the US Department of Education’s (DOE) recently announced international strategy: “Succeeding Globally through International Education and Engagement”.

According to the strategy, which aims to prepare American students to succeed in a globalised world, graduates face a unique set of challenges such as a highly competitive job market where students are competing with peers from around the world as well as needing to communicate and collaborate with people from other countries.

Patti Peterson, American Council of Education (ACE) presidential advisor on internationalisation and global engagement, said the job market had changed, and that most big-name companies were looking for employees with a more global mindset.

“They talk about wanting employees who are comfortable in multicultural teams, and working and interacting with staff in other countries,” she said.

In order to achieve these results, the DOE aspires to equip US students with the skills to succeed in a multicultural environment by enhancing their understanding of other cultures, languages, and religions through travel and study abroad opportunities.

Destinations and programmes of study

The British Council report outlines four general categories for students pursuing overseas study:

• those looking to develop their language skills,
• those pursuing academic excellence in one subject in a world-class institution,
• those who are after international career opportunities,
• those who are seeking a unique travelling experience.

Which category people fall into often determines their study destination.

Trends in destination choices for UK and US students were consistent, with two minor variations: the US top ten included South Korea and Ireland, whereas the UK top ten included Canada and the Netherlands. While 29% of UK respondents selected the US as their first-choice study destination, 22% of US respondents listed the UK as their first choice.

Business, STEM subjects and foreign languages were popular fields of study for students from both nations. US demand is centred around the undergraduate level. UK students wanting to study abroad at the postgraduate level were mainly interested in an MBA and liberal arts, life science and social studies. Meanwhile US students at this level were more interested in law, computer and information technology, architecture, building and planning, agriculture and veterinary medicine.

Cost topping the list of concerns

Financial concerns and a lack of information were the biggest barriers to studying overseas for all respondents, regardless of whether or not they had decided they wanted to study abroad. Other hesitations included language ability, difficulty leaving friends/family, safety abroad, cultural fit, ease of obtaining a visa, degree recognition and health care costs.

For students who were not considering study abroad or were undecided, not surprisingly, help with funding was cited as a major factor which could potentially lead them to pursue a period of overseas study. Foreign language training and inspiring info sessions from study abroad alumni or instructors would also help to sway their opinions.

The report concludes, “When students were asked whether they had considered studying a full degree overseas in a destination where the fees were considerably less than at home, there was a real lack of awareness about the study alternatives available to them and the actual costs involved. As traditional host destinations, the UK and the US have not been the focus of institutional and national education marketing campaigns that could attract students to consider full degree study overseas. It may only be a matter of time before the UK and the US are targeted more strategically by marketers and this trend begins to develop.”

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15 universities will be selected by the end of the first quarter of 2013 to receive special state grants worth RUB 9 billion (US $270 million) in the initial phase of their disbursal.

The 15 universities will be chosen as a result of an independent audit of Russian universities to see how well they comply with the criteria of the top global rankings.

This audit will also allow the government to come up with requirements to which the 15 universities must adhere in order to receive the new funding. Here is University World News’ summary of the broad strokes of what the institutions will need to do:

“The 15 universities that will receive the special grants will have to upgrade their management teams and create conditions conducive to attracting top academics from leading Russian and foreign universities, as well as talented young professors, heads of scientific laboratories and famous scientists.

In addition, they will be required to implement joint educational programmes with Russian and foreign universities, as well as take part in research and development projects in cooperation with local and international high-tech companies.”

It remains to be seen whether the “conditions conducive to attracting top academics” will involve paying professors and lecturers more; Russia’s professors are notoriously underpaid compared to their peers in other countries. For example, a recent study found that in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), the average Indian professor’s entry-level salary is US $3,954 compared to US $433 for an academic just starting as a professor in Russia.

Leaders in Russia’s academic and scientific communities believe increasing salaries is crucial to the success of any revamping of the higher education system. Vladimir Belyaev, a political scientist and professor at Kazan State Technical University said of the current system,

“Universities do not have a fresh approach, due to extremely low salaries of their staff, which do not exceed RUB 12,000 (US $400) per month. Young scientists do not want to work for such money, which has resulted in a lack of progress in the Russian scientific community.”

It’s not just rankings that are at stake

Russia’s plans to improve the reputation of its university system are commonly understood to be a reaction to its exclusion on top-100 university rankings, but they are likely motivated as well by a broader requirement: to sit as an equal among the closely watched BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) as a knowledge economy and investment centre.

The BRIC countries are “distinguished from a host of other promising emerging markets by their demographic and economic potential to rank among the world’s largest and most influential economies in the 21st century,” but among them, various other factors differentiate their “performance” to date. For example:

• China accounted for more than half of the BRIC countries’ share of world economic output between 2000 and 2008.
• According to the 2011 World Competitiveness Yearbook, China now outranks the UK, Japan, France, and Italy for overall economic competitiveness, and India outranks Italy. China is also ranked second behind the US in terms of the size of its economy.
• The share of global Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) destined to India more than doubled between 2005–7 and 2008–10, with India receiving a higher value of global FDI in 2008–10 than either Germany or Japan.
• Russia rose from 11th position in The World Economic League Table in 2010 to 9th in 2011. In 2013, it is expected to start overtaking large Western European economies and is predicted to reach the 7th position by 2022. After a short volley, Brazil has fallen back behind the UK and is not expected to overtake the nation again until 2014.
• China more than quadrupled its annual numbers of new university and college graduates between 1999 and 2009, while Brazil’s numbers of new graduates more than tripled over the same 10-year period.

As Eurostat, the European Union’s statistical office, notes in a 2012 publication, “The European Union and the BRIC Countries”:

“In the BRIC economies, the availability of a higher educated labour force appears to be crucial for further economic development. Although the BRICs have other strengths (relatively cheap labour, large internal markets, high levels of industrialisation, and, in the case of Russia, large reserves of natural resources), sustained growth in the medium and long term will, to a certain extent, depend on whether the countries can develop and use their human capital for the organisation and innovation required in modern societies.”

While China, Brazil, and India are all rushing to improve their knowledge economies, often via huge investments, in some ways they have more work cut out for them than Russia does.

“Russia… has a higher proportion of university and college graduates in its working age population than any other country studied – higher than Canada, Japan, or the United States …. [and] a greater proportion of researchers in its workforce than the Netherlands or Italy.”

Where Russia has fallen down in recent years is in allowing its scientific and research strengths to atrophy, according to a recent report called “Building Bricks: Exploring the Global Research and Innovation Impact of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Korea” by Thomson Reuters.

In addition to the new plan to invest heavily in the top Russian universities and whittle down the rest, the Russian government is also looking at specific, individual ventures to bolster the country’s reputation as a scientific research hub.

For instance, there is the Skolkovo Innovation Centre Project, a “modern science park” being built just outside of Moscow, devoted to developing “new space and telecom products, innovative medical equipment, biotech, clean energy and energy efficiency such as new LED lightbulbs, nuclear technologies and, of course, information technology.” The Skolkovo project has already drawn investment and/or partnerships from the likes of Microsoft, GE, and MIT, and is being billed as the next Silicon Valley.

While Russia is commonly touted as the giant among BRIC nations in terms of its wealth of raw materials (especially natural gas), it seems the country is also committed to reversing a decade at least of the neglect of its scientific and research reputation and assets. The announcement that 15 universities will receive special funding is just the start; the rest of 2013 will likely bring further news on Russia’s drive to build and strengthen its knowledge economy.

The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology

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International school enrolment by the numbers

Researchers Mary Hayden and Jeff Thompson noted in their authoritative 2008 paper “International Schools: Growth and Influence” that it is difficult to know how many international schools exist at any given time. There was even disagreement on what constituted one. But in the broadest sense, an international school follows a curriculum different from that of the country in which it resides.

Nicholas Brummitt, founder and managing director of International School Consultancy (ISC) Research Ltd., unveiled research pegging the total number of English-medium international schools at 6,533.

Not only are new schools continually opening, but their ranks also grow whenever existing schools convert to an international curriculum, begin instruction using a foreign language (usually English), or open a satellite campus in another country. The rate of growth for 2011-2012 was 6.7%, and the twelve-year expansion rate has been an astounding 153%.

Such massive growth defies current economic trends but seems set to continue. Brummit predicted at the most recent International Schools and Private Education Forum:

“Based upon the continuing market demand, within 10 years (by 2022), the number of international schools will expand to 11,331, the number of students will increase to 6.2 million, the number of staff to 529,000, and the annual fee income will reach almost US $60 billion.”

Right now, there are 20 countries that contain 100 or more international schools. United Arab Emirates contains 391 by itself (at the time of writing). Of the global total, 54% of international schools are operating in Asia. Below is a partial global tally of the number of schools in some of the top nations around the world:

Asia and Middle East
• 391 international schools in United Arab Emirates
• 346 international schools in Pakistan
• 342 international schools in China
• 320 international schools in India
• 221 international schools in Japan
• 181 international schools in Saudi Arabia
• 174 international schools in Indonesia
• 168 international schools in Hong Kong SAR
• 164 international schools in Thailand
• 119 international schools in Qatar
• 112 international schools in Malaysia

Europe
• 190 international schools in Spain
• 174 international schools in Germany
• 148 international schools in Netherlands
• 103 international schools in France
• 100 international schools in Switzerland
• 98 international schools in Sweden
• 43 international schools in United Kingdom

Africa
• 159 international schools in Egypt
• 105 international schools in Nigeria

Americas
• 146 international schools in Argentina
• 113 international schools in Mexico
• 75 international schools in Brazil
• 55 international schools in the United States
• 46 international schools in Colombia

Oceania
• 71 international schools in Australia
• 42 international schools in New Zealand

Of course, international schools tend to thrive in countries where English is not the native language, particularly due to demand from expatriate families, however enrolment is still robust at such schools in the US and the UK. Michael Graham, a researcher at ISC, shared their figures with ICEF Monitor as follows:

“According to our records, there are 18,700 students studying at international schools in the UK and 27,300 in the USA. However a substantial number of those students at UK schools are UK citizens and a substantial number of those students at US schools are US citizens; they just happen to be studying at schools which are classified as international schools. Furthermore, there are a lot of international students in the UK who aren’t studying at international schools.”

While English-language instruction predominates at international schools, it’s worth noting that other countries have a presence in the market as well. France is one example. Entirely French instruction is offered at institutions like École Française Internationale in Canton, China, École internationale de Carthage in Tunisia, and Lycée Marguerite Duras in Vietnam. There are also French international schools that teach bilingually in English and French in the UK and US.

Over the past four years the international school market has seen not just explosive growth, but rapid evolution, as a larger number of institutions are run for profit, corporate involvement has increased, and there has been an increased consumer demand for digital delivery.

Demographic growth drivers

International schools arose as a method for educating the children of internationally mobile families, and as recently as 30 years ago places at such institutions were still filled by a high percentage of expatriates. That trend has totally reversed. Today, locally born residents fill about 80% of spaces in international schools and drive about two thirds of the market expansion.

But in some places, expatriates are making their presence felt. With more than 15,000 British and almost 30,000 American expats living in Hong Kong after a recent influx, international schools there have struggled to find enough places for students, this despite the presence of 168 schools on the island.

Brummitt cited both local and expat influence on growth in a November interview with Re:locate Magazine:

“The next ten years will, without doubt, see dramatic growth in the international schools market, and this demand continues to come from the expanding expatriate market and the increasing number of wealthy local families who are recognising the benefits of an English-medium education for their children.”

The growth Brummitt mentioned is easy to track. Consider the 342 international schools in China, as noted above. Now for a fuller picture, consider the fact that 12 years ago there were only 22.

In Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and elsewhere, government funded efforts have resulted in the development of entire international education hubs.

Malaysia provides an example of coordinated governmental effort on this front. The Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education hopes to attract at least 200,000 international students to the country’s English-language EduCity hub by the year 2020. To that end, the government formulated an Economic Transformation Programme, which consists of regulatory changes and a package of tax incentives. Companies that establish new international schools, or existing international schools that undertake expansion, are eligible to apply for an investment tax allowance of 100% on the qualifying capital expenditure incurred within a period of five years.

Other types of growth drivers

Demographics is one driver, and tightly linked to that is profit. China’s Oxford International College, to raise one example, charges as much as 260,000 Renminbi – about US $42,000 – for one year of prep-style classes. Profit potential in Asia helped draw a number of Western preparatory schools and universities east. Globally, there are now more than 200 international branch universities granting degrees.

The entire international school market is thought to be worth just north of US $30 billion. As noted above, Brummitt predicts that, if the current trend holds, annual fee income could hit US $37 billion by 2015, and US $60 billion by the year 2022.

Yet a third driver for international school growth is their perceived role in feeding talent into the host nation’s economy. While primary and secondary level international schooling is often seen by families in developing nations as a precursor to university overseas, governments are promoting international schooling as a way to fight brain drain by keeping bright students in country.

Prices are up and spaces are down

ISC Research points out that international schools cater to the richest 5% of the non-English speaking world. That will remain true for a while, since fees have been rising across the board due to insufficient places at international primary and secondary schools. The crunch has hit both locals and expats. In Malaysia waiting lists are common, and in Hong Kong some expatriate families have left due to lack of places, according to the Telegraph.

Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha also are all currently facing pressure for school places. According to a more recent article, the problem is so bad that some expatriate families are demanding security of school places before accepting new job placements.

Places are so coveted that parents have even resorted to fraud. In November 2012 in South Korea, 47 parents were charged with admission fraud at international schools. Because South Korean students can only be enrolled at international schools if one of their parents is a foreign national, parents had obtained fake documentation from as far away as Latin America and Africa.

In a compliance-related move, the South Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology announced in October that it would audit all existing international schools to determine if students were taught who failed to meet enrolment requirements.

Quality fueling the growing trend

In any exploding market questions of quality can arise, but so far incidents have been rare.

Brummitt points out that, “The growing trend to send local children to international schools is based on the quality of teaching and learning that many of these schools provide, coupled with an understanding by local wealthier families of the value of an English-medium education.”

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Smaller schools in particular can face the challenges of smaller budgets and less brand recognition, so for them, personal connections are even more valuable. Another way smaller schools can stand out is by forming partnerships with larger agencies who can help them make a mark in a new region. Due to the reach and influence larger agencies have, if they begin to market a school or a product in a particular region, chances are that many other agencies in the region will want to work with that school as well. In this way, larger agencies often drive market trends and demand.

Another benefit of working with leading agencies is their connections with smaller local agencies who work with them as sub-agents, giving schools access to a huge network of consultants without the burden of managing all of them directly. It can be very labour intensive to manage a high volume of smaller agencies who might only send a few students per year. Therefore, institutions may need to ask themselves if the benefits of having many smaller agencies outweigh the time and administration needed to keep those networks going.

This issue is particularly evident in Southeast Asia, where several large agencies dominate the landscape. Institutions can often find that “80/20 Rule” applies to key source markets, meaning that 80% of the student market comes from 20% of the agencies.

One such kingpin agency is iae GLOBAL, an international education recruitment organisation that oversees a growing network of partners in major markets around the world.

In our latest video interview, Mr Mark Lucas, Director of iae, offers fascinating insights into the sub-agent networks commonly found in China, India, South Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

In addition, Mark also highlights the rise of pathway products in recent years and indicates “it’s where the market is going.”

Watch our interview to learn more about how this influential agency operates and the benefits they bring to both institutions and agencies alike.

As Mark indicates, the main advantages of the sub-agent model for institutions include:

• larger agencies have the resources to invest in admissions systems to manage student applications;
• they act as a quality control filter, choosing to work with only the most reputable smaller agencies;
• they provide marketing information to sub-agents so they can promote the schools effectively;
• they provide training to the sub-agents, so school only need to train the main agency once, and they subsequently train the other partners;
• large agencies drive markets and are at the forefront of industry trends;
• the sub-agent model creates time, resource, and cost efficiencies in planning and execution.

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ICEF Monitor takes a closer look at the figures, and offers a robust overview of the government’s progress towards its ambitious 2025 goals.

Factors affecting New Zealand’s international education market

In November 2012 New Zealand’s Ministry of Education released a report showing that, for the first time, more New Zealanders possess a tertiary qualification than do not. The change was revealed in surveys collected during 2011, and brought the percentage to 52%, up from exactly 50% the year before.

Of the 456,000 students enrolled in formal tertiary education in 2011, 48,100 were international students. The latest data from Education New Zealand (ENZ), published in late 2012, put New Zealand’s global share of international students at 1.7% (see graph below) – mainly from China (including Hong Kong), India, Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.

However, the report describes the 2011-2012 international education market as “challenging.” It notes:

“A proliferation of new Asian and European education institutions, course options, and regional hubs in or close to some of New Zealand’s traditional markets for international students has meant there is less impetus for students to search further abroad for education solutions.”

In all, international fee paying student numbers were down 1% the first four months of 2012 compared to the same period the previous year. There were decreases of 2% in schools and 3% in private training establishments, but university and polytechnic enrolments each rose by 1%.

The ENZ report cites lingering aftereffects from the 2010-2011 earthquakes in Christchurch, which led to a dramatic falloff in enrolments throughout the economically crucial Canterbury region. School closures have taken place, and of the 31 schools originally announced to close or merge, 7 schools were closed, 12 are to merge and 12 will remain open.

Local officials have cited other factors contributing to the decline, including a strong New Zealand dollar and the global financial crisis. Derek McCormack, chairman of the International Policy Committee for Universities New Zealand, has mentioned global competition as a problem and voiced his concerns that other major participants like the United States are ramping up their marketing efforts.

Visa system shuffle

Efforts to reinvigorate New Zealand’s education sector have included new funding and a change in work rights for international students in the Canterbury region. Visa processing changes are also in the offing, affecting applicants from South America and Europe and, according to government spokespeople, streamlining the system.

But the visa system was embroiled in controversy earlier this month when 14 Chinese students were denied re-entry into New Zealand. Visa officials said there was doubt as to whether the students were fulfilling visa requirements, but bad word of mouth about the incident has spread rapidly on Chinese online forums, according to New Zealand Institute of Studies operations director Peter Chou.

This is the second incident in recent months where Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has ruffled a few feathers. In late 2012, four private tertiary education providers had their intake of foreign students suspended after they were found to be in breach of their obligations to international students. However, one month later, INZ resumed the processing of student visa applications for all four establishments.

There have also been rumbles on the local front, placing the country’s education system under fire. The Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA) recently complained about new pressures being put on 2013 postgraduate enrolees and what it described as policy changes unfairly targeting those students. At issue is student allowance eligibility and a tighter cap on access to student support beyond 200 weeks.

The changes reportedly impact on 5,000 students, 40% of whom when surveyed on the situation said they were considering quitting their studies or looking for better supported opportunities overseas.

Vocational sector holding firm

In the vocational sector, government involvement has had some welcome results.

Prime Minister John Key announced in January that his government plans to boost the number of people in apprenticeships by combining all the programmes into a nationwide scheme and providing fresh financial incentives for employers and workers to take on more apprentices.

Minister Joyce commented, “There is a big opportunity over the next few years, particularly with the rebuilding of Christchurch, to train more New Zealanders in vocational careers that will set them up well for their working lives.”

Bolstering the tertiary sector

The New Zealand government has been vocal about an ambitious goal to double the economic contribution the international education industry makes to the country to NZ $5 billion by 2025.

In terms of specifics, periodic Statements of Intent list goals for certain time frames. The latest ENZ report takes a look at the 2011-2014 Statement of Intent and assesses the progress. Some of the goals listed as achieved or surpassed include:

• Link directly with a range of educational providers at ten New Zealand specific promotional events (such as student fairs) across Asia, South America, and Europe.
• Arrange inbound agent familiarisation visits from high value markets (agent visits from nine countries have been held).
• Increase the numbers of students from target countries who register with ENZ for direct marketing.
• Negotiate cooperation agreements in key markets (agreements were inked with Vietnam and Oman, and since publication ties have been strengthened with Malaysia).
• Strengthen industry collaboration to help grow international education in key markets in line with New Zealand’s economic agenda, supported by the Export Education Innovation Programme (EEIP).
• Award new scholarships and fund existing scholarships.

Some goals listed in the 2011-2014 Statement of Intent as partially complete are:

• Develop a programme designed to increase the capability of different industry providers to target suitable markets, undertake marketing activity, and develop the capability to operate offshore.
• Develop and maintain web-based “one-stop-shop” student support site to provide information for students who wish to study and work in New Zealand (note: this project has now gone live).
• Develop and maintain web-based register of international government-funded scholarships and New Zealand scholarships for study internationally.
• Review the parameters of the New Zealand Special Agent Programme (NZSA) originally launched in 2009 to help increase student enrolments from key markets.

A note on the final goal: nearly 25% of international students arrive in New Zealand via the agent channel. ENZ has stated:

“Agents are key players in [their] student recruitment strategy, and some New Zealand institutions want to grow their agent channels even further.”

International partnerships playing key role

And New Zealand continues to be active in building partnerships with key nations both near and far.

Just last week, Minister Joyce visited Malaysia for four days to showcase New Zealand’s education and trade opportunities as part of “New Zealand Week” in that country. An agreement was signed on the trip with the aim to increase New Zealand’s share of 50,000 Malaysian students who study overseas each year.

Another attractive neighbouring nation is China, the largest source market for the country and one in which ENZ has a “China Plan 2012-2015“.

And as part of the drive to build these ties within the region, many are calling for an increased focus on languages. Asia New Zealand Foundation executive director John McKinnon has said that it is vital for New Zealand’s economic, cultural and political interests that Asian languages are more widely taught in New Zealand:

“Countries across the world are now investing in Asian languages. This is a wake-up call for New Zealand.”

Looking further afield, Latin American relations continue to be hot hot hot.

Minister Key is currently there on a trade mission and news was just annnounced that the Chilean government will extend its “Penguins Without Borders” scheme, which sees high-achieving Chilean students travelling to New Zealand for six-month study visits. The pilot scheme brought 40 Chilean students to New Zealand in January, and will be widened to 100 for terms three and four of this year. In total, approximately 700 Chilean students studied in New Zealand in 2012.

Minister Key also visited Colombia and Mexico to strengthen ties with those countries as well.

Tourism sector hand in hand with education sector

The tourism industry, considered vital in raising a nation’s profile, looks set for strong growth.

The World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013 places New Zealand 12th in terms of travel and tourism competitiveness, 13th in human resources, and 9th in safety and security.

New Zealand was also recently awarded the title of “World’s Best Luxury Destination 2013” in the Shanghai Travelers’ Club 2013 Luxury Travel Awards, and given the Chinese’s propensity for elite brands, this could give the country a nice boost in this market.

In fact, after a decrease in incoming Chinese students in recent years, numbers have been up slightly since 2010 and ENZ expects them to rise by about 6% a year going forward (though it’s too soon to say what fallout might result from the visa cancellations of earlier this month).

The road ahead

To meet its target of NZ $5 billion in profit from international education by 2025, the government will need things to go well on multiple fronts. But there’s little doubt it is aware of the challenges ahead.

The contribution of each sector to the total value in 2011-12 is shown in the figure below. The largest percentage growth is expected in offshore services, which is expected to grow to NZ $500 million or 10% of the total target by 2025.

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This record-setting number counts those students engaged in long-term studies of six months or more and holding a student visa for Canada (known as a “study permit” in the Canadian system). As such, it does not fully reflect the total population of international students in the country as many more students would have come to Canada in 2012 on tourist visas for programmes of less than six months (such as short-term exchanges or language studies). Many more still are continuing students that arrived previous to 2012, and in fact the total number of international students enrolled at Canadian institutions for six months or more now surpasses 260,000.

Government estimates place the economic impact of the international education sector in Canada at more than CDN $8 billion per year.

Global sources of international students in Canada. See UNESCO’s interactive map for additional details

Canada competing on global scale

News of Canada’s record year comes on the heels of a number of important developments, including ample indication of the country’s growing appeal as an international study destination and proposed changes to the Canadian student visa system scheduled for implementation in 2014.

“Canada competes globally for the best and brightest minds, so we are continually working to make studying in Canada an attractive choice,” said Canadian Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

“Through our proposed improvements to the [student visa system], we will further improve Canada’s already strong reputation.”

It is certainly an interesting time to observe government policy-making in Canada as it pertains to international education. Beginning with the release of its first-ever national strategy on international education in August 2012, the Canadian government continues to send strong signals that it sees education as a central aspect of international relations.

Writing on the Canadian Bureau for International Education blog, Canadian Senator, and Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Raynell Andreychuk notes:

“Where international education was formerly appreciated for promoting cultural awareness, knowledge of transnational issues and language skills among youth, today it is also seen as a vehicle for establishing durable social, political and trade relationships between countries.”

“Once a predominantly provincial and domestically oriented policy sphere, education has become a centrepiece of Canada’s approach to international trade and foreign affairs.”

Senator Andreychuk continues:

“Our world-class universities and technical colleges are at the forefront of this shift. With an increasing focus on international partnerships and collaboration, they are impacting Canadian society well beyond the campus setting.”

“Take, for example, the international business student from China who, following her studies in Toronto, stays on to help her Canadian employer expand its operations in Asia; or the undergrad from Regina, who took language classes while on exchange in Spain and now works in sales targeting Latin America; or the Ukrainian public policy student who, after interning with an MP in Ottawa, returns to his country to press for democratic reforms and minority rights.”

“Examples like these are abundant across Canada. They illustrate the ways in which international education can help bolster bilateral goodwill, open trade avenues, and share Canadian values.”

Education serves to close labour gaps

As part of its greater emphasis on the sector, it also appears that the Canadian government sees education as a way to help close projected labour market gaps in the Canadian economy.

Projected skills shortages are a major concern for Canadian educators as well. A January 2013 report from the Research Universities’ Council of British Columbia found that almost 18,800 jobs would go unfilled in Canada’s westernmost province alone in 2020 because of a lack of graduates with adequate post-secondary education or training.

Educators and policy-makers alike are understandably concerned about the potential drag on the Canadian economy of any such skills gaps and this is likely to keep strategy and policy for international education front and centre in Canada for years to come.

“Attracting and retaining the best and brightest immigrants from around the world is part of the government’s commitment to grow Canada’s economy and ensure long-term prosperity,” concluded Immigration Minister Kenney.

The post Canada breaks 100,000-student ceiling for first time appeared first on ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Along with the preparatory English language training that is so key to the success of international students pursuing a university degree, US community colleges offer two broad types of programmes: (1) one- and two-year vocational and technical certificates or diplomas and (2) two-year associate degrees in a range of academic subjects.

For students pursuing an academic degree, the community college model represents a type of “2+2″ option within US higher education. After completing the first two years of degree study at a community college, students may transfer to a university to complete the balance of their degree requirements. In such cases, the student earns both an associate degree from the community college and a bachelor’s degree from the university. The top five associate degrees earned by international students at US community colleges are Liberal Arts, Health Sciences, Business, Engineering Sciences, and Protective Services.

The college-to-university transfer process is facilitated by a variety of structured pathways between institutions in the US, including the following:

• Dual admission: the student is admitted to both the community college and the transfer university before commencing their studies
• Articulation agreements: guaranteed transfer credits between institutions
• Guaranteed admission: students have an admission to the transfer university provided they complete the associate degree requirements to a specified academic standard

According to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), there are 1,132 community colleges across the US with a combined enrolment of 8 million students.

Of those, roughly 88,000 – or a little more than 1% – are international students.

The total international enrolment in two-year colleges in the US has fallen slightly over the past few years. However, given the increasing interest among US educators in expanding international enrolment at the undergraduate level, it seems clear that community colleges have an important role to play and that they are taking steps to build their capacity to attract international students.

Advantages of US community colleges

To begin, US community colleges have a substantial cost advantage. Average annual tuition is US $6,500 – roughly half that of a four-year public university in America.

Community colleges are also characterised by a more student-focused environment with small class sizes and a strong commitment to teaching and learning. That lends itself to a more supportive campus community for international students, especially younger students that are either making a first trip away from their home countries or building their English skills in preparation for degree studies in the US. On that note, community colleges frequently offer more flexible English proficiency requirements than traditional 4-year institutions, making these schools a smooth pathway for foreign students.

In addition, a period of OPT (optional practical training) can often be part of the curriculum in a student’s second year, giving them a chance to work abroad and gain practical work experience in their field of study.

More recently, there are indications that US community colleges are also expanding their support services for international students. Two-year colleges in the US have not always featured on-campus dormitories, but now more than a quarter of American colleges offer dormitory housing options in addition to a mix of homestay programmes and near-campus apartment housing.

Ross Jennings, associate vice president of international programmes for Washington State’s Green River Community College was recently quoted in a US News report:

“Community colleges are starting to identify on-campus or close-by housing as an important marketing advantage for recruiting international students.”

Jennings also noted, “Many more rural community colleges have had housing for many years, either on-campus provided by the colleges themselves, or nearby, provided by private owners.”

Another recent item in Community College Week picks up the theme:

“The pulse of community college life is undergoing significant change as more campuses build and open residence halls, transforming commuter colleges into 24-7 operations, with students living on campus.

The trend is particularly apparent in New York, where half of the state’s community colleges feature residence halls. Several other State University of New York community colleges are considering dorms as competition for students intensifies.”

Speaking to Community College Week, Florida Keys Community College President Jonathan Gueverra adds:

“From a general perspective, I think that community colleges should have residence halls. If you look at the top liberal arts colleges, they all have their students 24-7. There are so many things that you can do to get them to that place where you want them to go, which is graduation. The dorm is part of academic life.”

In fact, it increasingly looks like community colleges figure to be ever more a part of academic life in America, for domestic and international students alike.

The atrium in the newly completed Conklin Hall, a 465-bed dormitory on the campus of Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, New York, USA

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If you were an international student recruiter, what if you could know which alumni from various countries were the most likely to act as brand advocates for prospective students?

Of course these are rhetorical questions – the answer is that knowing these things would be extremely helpful to your job, and to your institution. Moreover, for a growing number of institutions, such answers are within reach because the institutions are hiring specialised staff to perform data mining.

Data mining in the education industry

Already common within the private sector, data mining is defined by research firm Gartner Inc. as:

“…the process of discovering meaningful new correlations, patterns, and trends by sifting through large amounts of data stored in repositories, and by using pattern recognition technologies, as well as statistical and mathematical techniques.”

Fundamentally for universities and colleges, data mining allows institutions to use data (which they often already have access to) in order to identify patterns that enable them to direct resources and staff more effectively, and understand their students more clearly.

The following table, from a whitepaper by Jing Luan, Chief Planning and Research Officer, Cabrillo College entitled “Data mining applications in higher education,” shows how typical data mining questions in the private sector might translate to the higher education institution:

Data mining is already being employed at the University of East London, UK, where Times Higher Education reports that information improvement manager Gary Tindell is using it to “see how his institution compares with others in terms of performance, staff salaries, recruitment and retention rates …. [as well as] to assess the potential market for courses it is considering developing.” Tyndall says:

“We’ve built a student life cycle application, which takes all the student data off our student record system and monitors how admissions are going and how enrolments are going. We’ve also built a benchmarking application, and what we’ve done is taken a lot of the large data sets from Hesa and we compare ourselves on a whole range of stuff – whether that be awards, student numbers, staff-student ratios. We can compare ourselves with other institutions… and use that data to position ourselves.”

Some think data mining is a transformative application

The blog TeachThought lists ten ways it thinks data mining will transform higher education; here are five of them with excerpts:

• “It will create a more customised student experience: Data mining can be used to provide better advising, help choosing courses, and even homework help from professors, not to mention the applications it can have in helping students finance their education and plan for a future career.
• Students will get better advising: New software can help schools to determine how well students will do in a given course before they even set foot in the classroom, recommending courses and majors based on students’ academic records and previous performance. Students who haven’t fared well in certain courses for their major may be steered toward other careers that are a better fit for their abilities and goals, though some believe this may discourage students from challenging themselves to excel.
• It may play a role in how students choose colleges: ConnectEDU’s CEO Craig Powell imagines that in the future, students won’t even have to apply to college ‘because an algorithm will have already told them and the schools where they would fit best.’
• It will change college marketing: Data mining won’t just be important for helping students to choose a college; it’ll also help colleges choose which students to market their programmes to.
• It could help some students stay in school: Rio Salado College in Arizona, USA uses data on student performance in online courses to determine who is at risk of underperforming or dropping out. During the first week of class, the programme can predict with 70% accuracy the grade a student will get in a course by using an algorithm to monitor and assess online behaviour.”

How to start

Deciding to invest in data mining requires consideration, as it requires cooperation across the institution to decide on which data sets – and questions – need to be addressed, and then hiring qualified people to perform the analysis.

The UK’S University of Derby is one example of how an institution got going on data mining. Student experience project manager Jean Mutton realised the institution wasn’t using the information it already had (such as National Student Survey data) to best effect. She commented to Times Higher Education:

“We asked ourselves, ‘Can we capture this information, do we capture it already, would it be easy to start capturing it, or is it not capturable at all?’ Then we talked to our lecturers and asked what would help them in their pastoral, personal tutor role. They came up with a range of factors they would like to know that would help them to enrich the dialogue they have when meeting students one on one.”

Data mining also enables schools to measure and evaluate both agency and student performance, as we explore in a recent ICEF Monitor article, which notes various ways in which both institutions and recruitment agencies can rate student performance, as well as essential steps for measuring results and continually improving.

As higher education institutions across the world are having to think much more like private sector businesses than they did even ten years ago, it seems inevitable that a growing number of the most ambitious will be considering some degree of data mining to refine their operations, improve the student experience, and compete more aggressively.

In closing, we’ll sign off with this attractive infographic on “big data” from OnlineDegrees.org:

The post Could you improve your recruitment results and student services through data mining? appeared first on ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

New report released

A new report commissioned by the Australian government on strategies for the Australian international education sector has just been released: “Australia – Educating Globally: Advice from the International Education Advisory Council.” The report is meant to signal the government’s commitment to the sector’s health and growth, and its recommendations will inform the development of a national five-year strategy for Australian international education.

Many of the recommendations focus on coordination among all industry stakeholders, making it easier for genuine students to study and work in Australia via visa streamlining, and improving the quality of international students’ experience in Australia.

The report was prepared by the International Education Advisory Council – chaired by prominent Australian businessman Dr Michael Chaney – and included international education experts and representatives of the Australian university sector, government, science bodies, tourism, business and industry.

The first priority outlined is the creation of a Ministerial Coordinating Council on International Education (MCCIE) to be chaired by the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science, and Research and to include stakeholders from across the sector and relevant industries.

Lack of national coordination has been blamed as a key problem in Australia’s international enrolment declines over the past few years, so this particular recommendation was met with enthusiasm across the sector.

National coordination and improved student experience emphasised

The report outlined seven main areas specifically requiring attention in order to allow Australia to realise its potential as an international education destination and to meet the International Education Advisory Council’s target of 520,000 international students studying across all education sectors and contributing around AUS $19.1 billion to the local economy by 2020. The areas identified – into which over 30 specific recommendations fall – are:

• “Coordination: Ensure improved coordination of government policy and programmes for international education and better consultative mechanisms for stakeholders, in order to optimise government support for the international education sector.
• Quality: Position Australia as a provider of the highest quality education, while reducing over-regulation, duplication, and overlap.
• Positive student experience: Maintain and build on Australia’s reputation as an open and friendly learning environment where international students are valued members of the community and are supported to achieve their goals.
• Partnerships: Encourage Australian institutions and governments to develop strong and diverse international and multinational partnerships that encourage exchange, capacity-building, and collaboration.
• Ensuring integrity in Australia’s student visa programme: Ensure that Australia’s student visa settings continue to be competitive and attractive in all education sectors while preserving their integrity and helping to meet national skills needs.
• Data analysis and research in international education: Inform Australia’s international education policy through accurate and timely data analysis and research as well as supporting increased collaboration between researchers.
• Competition, promotion, and marketing: Market Australia as a supplier of high quality education and continue to build its core markets while pursuing diversification through engagement with emerging markets and increase offshore delivery.”

Reaction is positive

The report – which is really a strategy for supporting the Council’s prediction of a 30% rise in international students over the next seven years and bolstering Australia’s reputation for international education – elicited positive reactions from stakeholders in the industry.

Said Universities Australia chief executive Belinda Robinson, “This excellent report outlines a real and achievable five-year strategy to strengthen international education and we strongly commend it to the government.” The University of Western Australia’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Johnson said he was “pleased with the breadth of the report,” saying it highlighted the importance of the sector to Australia’s economy and future.

VET must be prioritised

While specific recommendations about the Vocational Education and Training sector were not addressed in the report, the report singled out the VET sector as a “matter of priority” for the proposed new MCCIE. The industry association TAFE Directors Australia responded by saying it “welcomed” the report, especially the following recommendations within it:

• “The establishment of a Ministerial Coordinating Council on International Education and the development of a five-year work plan;
• Identification of industry champions and support for new links with education providers;
• The consolidation of regulatory requirements for providers serving more than one sector;
• Appropriate levels of support for international students, including equitable transport concessions, access to hospital treatment, and improved accommodation services;
• The extension of streamlined visa processing for low immigration risk providers and a review of the Genuine Temporary Entrant Criteria;
• The provision of incentives for offshore partnerships;
• Increasing the bonus programme for an Australian qualification as part of the skilled migration programme.”

Also popular among those responding to the document was the report’s stated warning that Australia cannot afford to be complacent about its international sector:

“National leadership at a time of global challenge is imperative. We cannot presume the sustainability of the sector is assured. The sector represents Australia’s fourth largest export industry, and its future development will require the attention of all stakeholders.”

More good news: AUS $4 million global youth campaign announced

Despite the country’s strong dollar, Australia’s tourism sector has been doing very well of late, as evidenced by the following statistics supplied by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship:

• There was a 6.4% increase in tourism visitor visa applications when comparing the 6 month period of 1 July to 31 December 2012 (1,813,620) to the same period in 2011 (1,704,430), mainly driven by growth from China (up 16.5%), Malaysia (up 18.5%) and Singapore (up 28.7%);
• In the six months leading to 31 December 2012, a total of 136,155 Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visas were granted, a 23.2% increase compared to the corresponding period in 2011–12.

And on the heels of the Chaney report, Tourism Australia has announced a new AUS $4 million campaign aimed to attract youth outside the country to go to Australia on “working holidays” – specifically, to increase the number of those on working holiday visas in the country by 20%.

The slogan of the campaign is “There’s nothing like Australia,” and it piggybacks on Australia’s very successful “Best Job in the World” campaign – see here for the explanatory video, which highlights six incredible jobs across the country with six-month salary packages worth AUS $100,000 including living costs:

• Chief Funster (New South Wales)
• Outback Adventurer (Northern Territory)
• Park Ranger (Queensland)
• Wildlife Caretaker (South Australia)
• Lifestyle Photographer (Melbourne, Victoria)
• Taste Master (Western Australia)

English Australia, the national peak body for Australia’s English-language sector, was quick to point out that the campaign will positively affect more than one sector. Sue Blundell, the executive director of English Australia, noted in a media release:

“The working holiday visa is a highly popular way for young people from around the world to explore what Australia has to offer. The visa allows for up to 17 weeks of study to enhance the cultural exchange and work opportunities that are available to young people visiting Australia. Many visitors choose to undertake an English language course at the beginning of their stay to help them maximise both the social and work aspects of their visit.”

The campaign will target those between 18 and 30 years with particular focus on international markets eligible for Australian working holiday visas, including the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

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WES finds that on a global scale, “international student enrolment growth is driven by students at the undergraduate level; in other words, they are increasingly studying abroad at a younger age.” In the US specifically, undergraduate enrolments have increased by 37% between 2004 and 2012 as compared to 10% at the graduate level at the same time.

While this is impressive, the growth has amounted to US enrolments of undergraduate international students much lower – as a proportion of the total undergraduate population – than those found in other leading destination countries. For example, in the UK, 13% of the undergraduate population was international in 2012, and in Australia, it was 24%. Contrast that to the US where just 2% of the undergraduate population was international in 2012.

This suggests a tremendous capacity for growth in the US for international undergraduate enrolment. The source countries with the most potential to send undergraduate students abroad, according to the US, are:

• China (which sent fully 74,500 undergraduate students to the US in 2012, vs. merely 8,000 in 2004);
• Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia (more than 70% of international students from these countries studying in the US are enrolled in associate’s and bachelor’s programmes).

Meanwhile, WES’s data analysis finds that markets such as Iran, Taiwan, and India are responsible for a greater proportion of graduate students.

Business degrees in demand

The WES report concludes that business degrees are the most popular single field for international students – especially at the undergraduate level (science and engineering degrees are more popular at the graduate level):

“International undergraduate students in business studies grew by approximately 60% in the US between 2003 and 2011, with nearly three out of ten international undergraduates enrolled in business fields.”

Intensive English programmes are also popular

Especially given the younger age at which many international students are studying abroad, the need for language preparation to enable students to succeed academically at the university/college level is high.

Correspondingly, the IEP sector (Intensive English Preparation) has been growing faster than any other field of study in the US in the last few years.

WES reports that “a total of 38,900 international students in the US were enrolled in this type of programme in 2011/12, which is more than 2.5 times as many as in 2003/04.” WES goes on to say that the top four senders of IEP students in 2011/12 were Saudi Arabia, China, South Korea, and Japan.

In recruiting undergraduate students, technological strategies are crucial

A previous WES report found that university websites are “the top information source” for US-bound international students, and the 35 admissions officers interviewed for the current WES report noted such technological enhancements as:

• Virtual college fairs
• Web-based presentations
• Webinars
• Videos
• Webchats
• Videos
• Skype

Such enhancements can move students from simply finding out about a school to becoming engaged and ideally, converted to request more information or apply.

And the list is growing longer, including reaching out to students via both major and niche social networks and using sophisticated techniques like experiential marketing. WES notes that technology “allows universities to reduce conversion time and personalise communication – an important aspect of satisfying younger students who expect fast turnaround service.”

Research and brand work is the foundation

Knowing (a) who target markets are and (b) what their preferences and needs are regarding study programmes and preparatory pathways is key, especially given prospective international students’ remote locations, their regional/language idiosyncrasies, and the unique marketplaces that to a certain extent shape their study aspirations.

Tailoring your marketing and branding once this research is done is crucial. The WES report notes: “Generic promotions and advertisements … do not address the unique characteristics of prospective international students,” and quotes one interviewee as saying, “these kinds of ‘cattle calls’ yield very little [Return on Investment] because the recruitment channel likely ‘addresses candidates who are not suitable.’”

Being where international students are – which is increasingly online and on social networks, especially among the young students the WES report says are composing more and more of the US enrolment population – is crucial to the recruitment efforts of any institution courting international students.

We have recently devoted a number of articles to social networks, including:

• “Students love Tumblr”,
• “Beyond Facebook: Engaging with regional and local social networks”,
• “The next wave of social media marketing: explosive growth in photo sharing”.

We have also written on the importance of branding, via articles such as:

• “Don’t forget the basics”,
• “Intense competition places new emphasis on branding”.

Given the huge potential for international undergraduate admissions in the US, there is a final point: branding programmes targeting international students will increasingly have to consider the secondary school markets in priority countries.

Secondary school students – and their families – will have preconceived notions about study abroad, and either reinforcing them (in the case your institution is already being considered) or changing them (e.g., adding your institution to the consideration set) will be important.

So too will be the support services afforded to international undergraduate students at an institution – families of young students in particular will be very concerned with issues of safety and social supports, as well as robust resources to help students succeed academically (e.g., pathway programmes, academic advising, etc).

Having alumni and current students attest to positive experiences at an institution makes a good deal of sense too, as word-of-mouth remains one of the top influencers – at any level – of where students choose to study.

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