Description
This session presents the findings from the guard.me and Illume Position Paper, which examines the recent changes we are facing and outlines strategies for international educators to succeed in the future.
We are undoubtedly living in uncertain times. Broadly speaking, our lives are being increasingly impacted by world events, climate change, and now AI. More specifically, new, more restrictive government policies have rocked our sector and are affecting international students’ perceptions of study abroad destinations.
It was natural for us to go through a period of shock when the various government announcements came through over the past few months – the cap in Canada, the extreme tightening of the immigration system in Australia, and the termination of most international students’ rights to bring dependants with them in the UK. Hundreds and hundreds of institutions and agents have been affected, and thousands of prospective students are having their visas rejected or rethinking their study plans – or both.
But the shock needs to give way to strategic thinking. It isn’t time to hunker down and wait it out. It’s time to acknowledge that the operating environment has changed—whether we like it or not—and realize that there are opportunities as well as challenges.
This session will cover the following relevant themes:
- Refining your branding and positioning. What do you do best, how is it different and compelling, and how well are you communicating your strengths?
- Strengthening your admissions and recruiting functions and the coordination between all team members and systems. This is a time for efficiency, clear expectations, and effective processes.
- Taking on more responsibility as an institution to boost visa approvals.
- Providing superior support to prospective students and agents in terms of what they need to do to apply, meet deadlines, increase the likelihood of approval, etc.
- Rolling out your welcome mat to prospective students better than ever and supporting your current students in every aspect of their life
