ICEF Podcast: The big shift and the future of international student recruitment

International education, and international student recruitment in particular, is experiencing profound change across at least three dimensions: we now work in a much more competitive global market; our students have different decision drivers that determine where and how they study abroad; and our sector – whether by virtue of government regulation or otherwise – is clearly moving into an era of strengthened quality assurance, oversight, and professional standards. 

What does all this mean for the future of international student recruitment, and how should our strategies and practices continue to evolve to keep pace with a rapidly changing marketplace? That overarching question was the focus of the 2026 ICEF Monitor Global Summit, held in London on 14 September. 

We’re very pleased to bring you some highlights from the Summit in this special episode of the ICEF podcast with contributions from:

• Rachel MacSween, Director of Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, IDP Education UK
• Euan McMillan, Head of International Student Recruitment, Murdoch University
• Kasper Baars, Global Director of University Partnerships, Uni-Life
• Sanam Arora, Founder and Chairperson, National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU)

You can listen right now in the player below, and we encourage you to subscribe via your favourite podcast app in order to receive future episodes automatically.

For additional background, please see:

• "What students want: The top decision factors for study abroad"
• "ICEF Podcast: Beyond the brochure: What employability really looks like for students"