Recruiting Intelligence

International alumni are critically important to good recruitment and fundraising efforts: heck, we researched and co-wrote a whole report on it!

In the fall of 2017, Intead and Academic Assembly, Inc., surveyed over 100 professionals working at U.S. institutions of higher education about their international alumni management practices. When we asked what three factors they considered their biggest hurdles to developing a stronger program, 35% included “we don’t track international alumni” on their list.

Yikes!

Needless to say, your CRM system (you have one, right?) can track your alumni, both international and domestic. But if you are among the 35% whose institution just doesn’t track, we have one suggestion for how you can still connect with your far-flung alums. It’s right at your fingertips: LinkedIn.

If you are at AIEA in DC next week, come learn from us at our two sessions:

• Tues. 2/20 at 7:45 am -- Ben will join MJ Miller, Senior VP North American Higher Ed at Kaplan International, to serve up a dose of international student research and insights poured right into your morning coffee. Breakfast will be served! Now we've got you, right? 
• Wed. 2/21 at 11 am -- Ben will interview Lakshmi Iyer, Executive Director & Head of Education at Sannam S4 and and Jon Stauff, Vice Provost for Global Educationat Monmouth University about creating successful partnerships with Indian Universities.

Read on to learn how Linkedin is your secret (free) weapon as you find and manage your global alumni...

It’s awfully cold up here in Massachusetts these days—but that’s just one of the reasons we’re daydreaming about the AIRC Conference in Florida this past December. As most of you know, the American International Recruitment Council (AIRC) conference is one of the highlights of the year for our professional community.

We have been attending AIRC for 8 years now, and every year we meet insightful industry experts with valuable perspectives to share. This is the learning and networking conference we enjoy most. We send a significant Intead staff contingent every time to get the most of what AIRC has to offer our community. International student expertise from all over the world gathers and shares their firsthand perspective and in-country student experiences. 

This year, we were honored to share our own marketing intelligence with our colleagues from universities and other experts in the field on a wide range of recruitment topics. We saw many of you, our valued blog readers, on the conference floor, jotting notes in AIRC seminars or lounging poolside with a drink (don't worry we won't share any photos)—but if you missed it (or hey, just miss us!) our slides are here for your perusing pleasure. 

Seats are still availble for the Intead/CGACC International Student Recruitment Bootcamp. Sign up while you still can. February 11-13 in San Diego. We can't wait for the warmth! 

Read on for a review of our presentations and a link to the slides for each one...

Read all about it!

Hot off the electronic presses: our newest research on global alumni from Intead and Academic Assembly, Inc. Together we analyzed responses from more than 100 U.S. academic professionals about how their institutions manage global alumni.

Ready to up your alumni game, and strengthen your recruitment, fundraising, and more? Read on and dive into out free white paper!

In the meantime, we hope that we will see you at any one of our many presentations during the AIRC and ICEF conferences over the next 7 days. The Intead team will be sharing lecturns with Monmouth University, UCLA Extension, Temple University, Sandy Spring Friends School, Academic Assembly, Sunrise Education and WholeRen.

The Intead team will be offering up fresh data and ideas to help you recruit international students from community colleges (Ben) and private boarding schools (Kellie). We'll be diving deep into Chinese student personas (Patricia). We'll be looking at the importance of internal alignment (Ben) as it relates to the international student experience on your campus. And we'll be presenting for the first time ever: our inaugural research on global alumni (Kate). Spoiler alert: they aren't being used effectively...but you already knew that, right?

We think we'll raise a few eyebrows (that's our version of having a wild time in Florida ;-)

Read on to get the real download on this great new global alumni analysis...

Student perceptions ARE their reality.

We are all facing growing concern about the flow of Indian students (and other international students) to the US as a study destination. We are hearing their concerns about US visa and H-1B processes. While the new US administration has not made any real policy changes for Indian students, perceptions have changed. Many Indian students are perceiving that a U.S. education is less accessible and the door to US job opportunities is closing.

Are we up to the task of changing these perceptions? Are we able to reassure Indian, and other international students, that the educations US institutions provide continue to represent tremendous value and advanced career opportunities?

Ironically, one of the most powerful assets your institution has is also often one of the most under-utilized. As an institution, you already have a built-in network of loyal advocates who are, more than likely, already doing your promotional work for you. They are willing, eager and well positioned to talk about the value of your institution: your global alumni network.

The question is: have you made effective use of this key advantage?

We’ll be talking about using alumni and other international student recruiting tactics at NAFSA in LA next month. We hope you’ll take a moment to schedule a meeting with us if you are attending, too. Let us share our latest jaw-dropping research with you.

Read on for a set of essential tips and techniques for making effective use of your alumni network to recruit international students, around the country and around the world.

(Pro Tip: share this post with your Alumni Office.)

What motivates a student with a global mindset to enroll at your institution?

This is a question everyone here at Intead asks almost every day. How should we shape that digital campaign? What is the messaging we should put into the subject lines of the nurturing email workflow? How about the website copy? The answer is going to be a bit different for each institution based on what you have to offer.

With the changing political landscape here in the US, in the UK and beyond, the answers you need are more important than ever. The doubts you have can be transformed into valuable action plans. How, you ask?

Come learn with us in San Diego: From January 29 - 31, we’ll be at our First Annual International Student Recruitment Bootcamp (theme: What Works Where), presented in partnership with CGACC.

Outcomes are increasingly important and on students’ minds. You are asking much of them, after all. You want their time and you want their money. What can they get in return? We have some new research that you’ll really want to consider as you ponder that question: The Top 100 U.S. Institutions with Powerful Global Networks.