As
well as realizing greater marketing efficiencies and
cost-effectiveness, there are many other advantages of
outsourcing student recruitment to education agents:
Standard Practice
Over 30% of Institutions
in the United States, 70% of Canadian and almost all UK
universities use agents- for universities, colleges and schools
around the world using agents has become standard practise.
Documents
Agents provide useful value-added
services to students. For instance, they can
help with student application forms, taking care
of travel arrangements, insurance, accommodation
or exam preparation.
Visa Assistance
The agent
contribution in information transmission and
help with processing is considered especially
important during the visa acquisition. All the
aspects covered above, such as language
proficiency and cultural interpretation, are
involved in assisting students through this
essential phase. There is considerable unanimity
among the institutions as to the benefits the
agents bring to this- There are questions that
an agent can answer- how difficult is it to get
a visa in Nigeria or Mexico? for example.
Visa assistance: If a visa is
needed it is usually easier for the agent to
apply to the respective consul section, as they
will likely have developed a good rapport and
reputation with the relevant visa office. They
can help students fill in application forms and
guide them through the interview process.
Counselling
Agents also give valuable
counselling, saving students ?time and helping
them make their decision by providing useful
information (e.g., about the study location,
local transport, the cost of living, weather,
social etiquette, cultural and social life,
food, etc.).
Leverage
Markets are large,
dynamic, difficult and competitive agents are vital not only for
universities but also smaller colleges and schools who don't
necessarily have to resources to target a large number of
countries.
Income
Those
who manage budgets for international recruitment are conscious
of the size of agent commission and the proportion of the budget
so expended; but they are also conscious of the fee income
produced and its contribution to overall student numbers.
Diversity
Universities colleges and schools use agents both because of
their strategic commitment to international student recruitment
and because of the distinctive roles and functions of agents.
The former relates to the need for increasing numbers as well as
the desire for the diversity international students bring to the
institution.
Wider Constellation of Providers
The
benefits of recruiting students from a wider range of countries,
partly to decrease dependence on one or two major ?Providers?
and so reduce risk, and partly, perhaps as a more enlightened
vision, to ensure a strong mix of cultures and nationalities
within the institution's community.
Global Classroom
The
community of international students is seen as important as the
number recruited.
Diversity within Disciplines
Agents offer diversity of community
as well as discipline and can be used to enhance recruitment to
one discipline over another.
Low
Financial Risk
Agents are usually paid
between 2.5 and 15% usually on a commission only basis- whilst
agreements may be made to support agents with marketing and
other costs there remains little financial risk.
Scalability
There's no limit to the number of agents and countries you can
recruit from- if they a good working relationship is in place
institutions are relieved of the necessity to visit every
country you recruit from.
Availability
Agents
are almost always happy to expand the range of options they can
provide to their students so are keen to make partnerships with
institutions around the world.
Quality Applications
Rather
than inundated with enquiries and applications institutions can
use Agents as a buffer to ensure the best quality applicants-
agents are readily able to identify applicants that will be more
suitable candidates.
Agents are particularly useful in 'lesser known' markets
Agents
help to establish an institution where there was previously
little or no representation. When considering new market entry
the lesser known markets were believed to be more dependent on
agent support.
Institutions become
more confident and competent in establishing themselves in a new
market having benefited previously from agent involvement.
Some institutions
were not totally convinced of the advantage of using agents, or
believed that agents were only useful in some countries, and at
some stages of institutional market development. Examples of the
former were Indonesia where potential students were spread
across a huge land mass in contrast to Singapore which was
considered more manageable. In addition, in this case, UK
universities had long experience of Singapore and its students
and mores, as the British Council had opened one of its first
three specific recruitment offices there in the early 1980?s.
Indonesia, on
Funding
For many institutions it
is easier to get the funding to pay the commission on increased
numbers ? post hoc, rather than to bid for increased staff or
marketing spend, which appeared to have less certain outcomes.
Efficiency
One of the reasons for
engaging agents is to increase the student registrations and
applicant satisfaction, and to release staff time to pursue
other international marketing activities and to make the
marketing budget stretch more effectively.
While agents were always
mentioned in the context of income there was a view that they
could provide access to networks and allowed a spread of effort
without the institution being committed to expending too much
time and energy in less certain markets.
Permanent or even
temporary home based staff together with travel costs and
overseas visit arrangements especially in high expenditure
countries such as Japan and South American countries would need
to be, in the view of many of the respondents, considerably
increased if agents could not cover the regions required. This
was particularly stressed as important in emerging markets where
the institution had a history of small numbers of candidates and
countries where large landmass had to be covered. Of these it
was said, "The cost of going there is so high and the return
on investment is not there".
Local knowledge and
cultural bridges
There was some reliance on
the additional knowledge and competence in the language of the
country that agents could offer, and examples were given of
setting up first language web sites and booking rooms for
interviews and organising local events. Talking to student
families and sponsors was also a consideration. This key contact
with families and the society from which the student came built
on "a wealth of local knowledge, expertise, and cultural
expertise?building links"
was quoted as a significant benefit by several universities.
Local knowledge incorporates basic explanations
of culture and custom and specific information about educational
qualifications, the reputation and ranking of the institutions,
and subject specialities and strengths. This is data that can
often be found on websites but is more effectively conveyed face
to face in country. It helps universities make the right level
of offer. They also have the experience to discuss trends and
past data and changes. So
"building up a kind of picture of the new market
will be of extra value".
There is expectation
that agents will be market aware and conduits of information and
networks.
"They?re kind of
like our eyes in the market and they keep in touch with us in
the development phases."
the national culture
of some of the larger countries like India, Indonesia and China
can be partially understood by the British traveller, the
regional culture and dialects need the presence of a local
agent.
People would like
to talk to people from their own province, work with an agent
who understands the dialect
"There are so many
different sides of China. There are so many second and third
tier cities. People would like to talk to people from their own
province, work with an agent who understands the dialect."
In the same way
India presents an issue and agents are seen to be able to
"?reach parts of
countries that we might not be able to".
"They?ve got a
wealth of local knowledge, expertise, and cultural experience."
It is believed that well-chosen
agents can also
"tap into student markets that we wouldn?t get access to
otherwise". Language needs more interpretation than simple
translation in many countries and the successful agent can
manage the dialogue and the intercultural interaction.
You have to have an agent
to negotiate with that culture
Local connections
Respondents in the
research also identified the importance of connectivity and the
networking that agents were able to provide. They identified
contacts in local schools and universities and they "knew
which kind of universities to target as well". They make
introductions, help to build partnerships with appropriate
institutions and help to search out sponsors "particularly at
postgraduate level". Some of the examples of this provided
by the universities are "contacts with scholarship agencies,
with the Ministry of Education people?and with school
councillors". Others have provided networking opportunities
"with appropriate business people". They will have the
knowledge of the people to meet, and of the influencers,
sponsors and stakeholders. Such networking generally is most
effective in smaller countries or communities where a
well-placed agent can be connected to, and known by, a high
proportion of the community.
Brand Enhancement
Agents when managed
successfully do not simply recruit students to the institution
but also raise the brand image of the institution, and possibly
the UK, make a positive impression on the market, meet a need
that students and parents express and further the reputation and
the contacts of the institution in that area. All of these tasks
might be achieved by UK representatives but as previously
mentioned time, resource and opportunity cost do not allow that
in a number of institutions and importantly the good agent
brings additional value to the transaction.
Trust
Education is more than a
commodity to be sold for a price, it is a contract between
parties of an especially sensitive and precious nature. Parents
are particularly aware of this. Certain students might, in some
countries not yet exposed to westernized culture, be more
needful of help and support in making an application. The role
of the agent is especially valued by parents-
They can
see in person, speak to a real person and that can be a bit more
reassuring- it could be their first time sending children away
from home- it?s a big for them.
Tradition
In the culture of some
countries working with agency services is seen as the proper way
of undertaking transactions and, therefore, more acceptable and
more reliable. In certain countries students will only want to
be advised by agents
Go Between
The role of go between or
conduit is much appreciated by the parents who often feel that
the agent offers a reassurance and is someone who can be in
touch with the institution, if anything goes wrong. The constant
presence which an agent could provide is well recognised by most
institutions. "It?s about that continuity, having some presence
there when children have left the country- an agent can provide
a continuous service all the way through.
Introducing Lesser Known Institutions
They
are thought to add particular value to the lesser-known
institutions in this way as, by helping to recruit the first of
the students they assist the work of word of mouth and become a
conduit for stories of satisfaction from the students recruited
through them.
Encourage Appropriate
Applications
Agents can ensure that students of
the right quality in terms of screening students. This
?sifting? is time saving for the institutions.
Fraud
In-country agents could identify fraud, identification of
fraudulent documents and applications.
Financial Assistance
Collection of deposits can also be managed by the agents in
country provided they understand the regulations and code of
conduct for doing so.
Local Knowledge
If staff are visiting a country
Agents can offer help with travel, local knowledge for making
arrangements, assistance in a crisis like "loss of wallet and
passport", reassurance in countries where there are real
safety issues and genuine friendly support.
Networking
Agents can also provide
services which the less well-resourced institutions find
especially helpful in their ability and willingness to set up
meetings and assist with alumni activity. Agents can help
organise alumni gatherings and relationships, arranging meetings
with universities, sponsors and schools well in advance of the
institutional visit
Feedback
Institutions are helped by the
free-flow of information from agents and can get a better
awareness of what others in the market are offering or what
applicants find desirable.
Overcoming Problems
Agents are more familiar
with the systems that institutions set up and the problems that
can occur. While students may not feel they are in a position to
make requests to the universities, colleges or schools directly,
agents certainly do and can sort out issues such as
letters or documents that are missing and help speed up the
process.
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