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...

2017 was too much to define in a single headline. A departure from the norm, as many have said.

The ramifications of the changes that occurred during the course of 2017 will be felt for years to come. They will play out in ways none of us can predict, for better or worse. While these kinds of statements or platitudes are always true, this is a period of more dramatic change than the US, and the world, have experienced for some time.

At a policy level, Mr. Trump came into office promising radical change. He has delivered on that promise. When change agents enter any situation, and they have some level of support, conflict ensues.

This is a time to gather the wisdom of others and make plans. Certainly not a time to sit tight and wait out the storm. You know those early birds gathering those worms...those are the birds that planned to get out there early and act.

Read on to gain a bit more perspective and be one of those early birds...

As we look forward to wrapping up 2017 and reflect on the year, we are noticing one recurring theme. Throughout 2017, the world of international student recruitment has been hyper-focused on the concerns around a limited recruitment budget.

Many of our colleagues reported that the biggest blow was to their designated funds for travel, and many institutions have endured reductions in staff, limiting their recruitment resources even more. And, as you know, the enrollment expectations from above are as high as ever – if not higher! 

Well, during this holiday season – we’re here to give you some hope (and tips!). 

There are things you can do now, small things, on an even smaller budget, that can make a big impact later. We recommend you consider trying all 10 of our recruitment tips for under $10 and then do them again…and again…and again. Read on to see how you can make a big impact with a little funding...

A quick reminder: we'll be taking a break from the blog next week and you'll see great content here again in January 2018! Odd to write 2018. (There's a joke in there about future sight being 2020, or something like that...). Either way, time flies, doesn't it?

In January, we'll be posting our slides from all of our AIRC and ICEF presentations. Hey, and when you have a moment during the holiday break, check out our International Student Recruitment Bootcamp. Spaces are filling fast -- limted to 100 attendees who will all walk out with a global marketing plan fashioned to their institution with the help of our globally knowledable faculty.

Read on to get your 10 tips all under $10. Happy Holidays from our team to yours. Enjoy the season!

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...

We know that India is weighing heavily on the minds of international recruitment professionals all over the world... especially here in the U.S. How will mobility trends among this growing student population play out? And, where will the U.S. fall in the decision-making process of outbound Indian students? 

While the number of international students and specifically Indian students in the U.S. continue to grow, recent trends indicate that the U.S. is losing ground to Canada and Australia in the competition for Indian students.

Why?  We'll explore that question in this week's blog. And we will explore what you can do about it in greater detail at our International Student Recruitment Bootcamp in San Diego this February. Come learn with us, CGACC and our expert faculty – names from our industry you've known and respected for a very long time. We've limited this hands-on event to 100 attendees, so that the 1.5 days of learning and networking is intense and highly valuable to you.

Read on to see how the U.S. and your institution in particular should be approaching the Indian student market. And we hope to see you at AIRC and then ICEF in Florida starting next week.
Oh! and don't forget to attend our webinar TODAY at 2 p.m. EST on Wielding the Power of Data for International Student Recruitment. 

We’ve had Saudi Arabia on the mind lately—and not just because of the political upheaval that made big headlines this month. Saudi Arabia has long been among the top providers of international students at US universities at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, not to mention language programs. And we’re sure that recent shifts in government scholarship programs have recruitment experts (like you) wondering what future trends may hold.

Over the past two years, we’ve watched the major driver of Saudi students to study abroad, the King’s generous scholarship program take a sharp turn downward. As a result, the number of Saudi students in the US has dropped by 18% in the past year.

How institutions will make up for this loss in anticipated international student growth and revenue is a big question mark. The proactive are already at it. The lethargic are still scratching their heads and losing ground.

It's a big world with many markets. Determining which will resonate with your specific offerings is quite a task.

This week we are exploring the fundamentals of the Saudi scholarship program and its dramatic shift, in order to outline the challenges and opportunities (yes – they are still there for the right institutions) of student recruitment in Saudi Arabia.

Read on to see how and if your institution should be approaching recruitment in Saudi Arabia...

Whether you’re new to the international recruitment game or a veteran traveler, you know that extended international travel can be draining ­– physically and emotionally. This strain is doubled when you are keeping a hectic schedule and meeting many new faces every day. But then again, this process is energizing, too! That’s why you got into the industry, right? To eat all that amazing food...oh, and meet and expand the futures of young people all over the world  ;-)

So, we do encourage you to to take care of yourself as you travel the world and expand the global perspectives of tomorrow's leaders. And as you begin planning your next recruitment trips (as well as a trip to California in January to attend our annual International Student Recruitment Bootcamp!), we hope you will consider implementing some of these tips and tricks that we have compiled from our friends and colleagues over the years. This is an ever-growing list so we hope that you will add your comments and suggestions as well!

Read on to see if your travel acumen includes these five time-tested gems...

Last week, we attended the NAFSA Region X conference in Princeton, NJ, and had the pleasure of meeting many new friends and reconnecting with old acquaintances. 

Perhaps the most memorable conversation for Ben and Patricia was with Dr. John Sexton, president emeritus of NYU and founder of the Catalyst Trust for Universal Education (pictured above). They had a chance to talk following his plenary addressing the value of international education and the importance of the work you do. 

Here at Intead, we often reflect on the value of all of the effort you put into this whole international education thing. This week we wanted to pause and thank each and every one of you for the incredible work you do every day to sustain a volatile industry and encourage students around the world to connect and share experiences across borders. This is, "the life to which you are called," as Dr. Sexton so aptly phrased it. And you do it with such great energy and dedication. We recognize the value of the work you do and hope that you will continue to make leaps forward in the face of today’s challenges, tomorrow’s, and the next.

We are here to say: we see everything that is happening in the world and in global education, and we echo Dr. Sexton's message of staying motivated, encouraging each other and recognizing that, "Your work is so valuable." 

Need some re-energizing? We all do once in a while. Read on to reconnect with your passion and renew your vigor…

As we look forward to our next International Student Recruitment Bootcamp and consider ways to keep you informed about ways to stabilize the effects of today’s environment, we want to bring your attention to the ways that dual and joint degree programs are still picking up steam in the world of international education. For students, these degrees can seem like a bargain and well worth the effort to solidify diverse opportunities in their studies. But, how do they benefit your institution? Why is now the right time to look toward international partnerships? We are exploring these questions (and more) this week!

What are you doing to address today’s volatile global political climate? Is there more you could be doing? Are there ways to stabilize your recruitment channels? Where to turn when navigating the chaos?

In uncertain times, one key factor that can make all the difference for your international recruitment strategy is the strength of a well-informed team. At our second annual International Student Recruitment Bootcamp, we will help you navigate uncertainty in the field and increase the effectiveness of your recruitment strategy.

Our speakers have been selected for the depth and breadth of their expertise in areas including: agent networks, regional analysis, fairs, technology, partnerships and more. Join us and take advantage of their talent and the networking opportunities with your peers. Work through the specific issues facing your institution. This collaborative think-tank opportunity is rare. Many institutions are playing a guessing game – is yours?  Click here to stop guessing and register today.

Please read on for our thoughts on developing university partnerships...

We've been reflecting on all we learned at NACAC 2017 and everyone we met in the Exhibitor Hall. It seems that things keep circling back to a marketing strategy that appeals to us—and one that is still developing and is prompting puzzled looks from some of our clients and connections. "How do we incorporate and manage SMS texting in our student recruiting strategy?"

As an initial primer, below we review some of the challenges and rewards of SMS marketing, and we evaluate just a few of the many partners available to help your institution use emerging and trending SMS tools. Trust us, the SMS space is growing.

But this post is just the beginning. Like so many of the emerging technology tools over the past decade, we can't stop there. We'll be publishing an SMS marketing guide and review of vendors in the SMS marketing platform space. You, as our loyal blog subscribers, will be the first to get it! Bonus, right?

Before we give you some initial SMS perspective so you can start doing a great job with this important marketing option, we invite you to meet us at any of our upcoming conference presentations. We will be presenting global digital marketing insights in Princeton, NJ at NAFSA Region X, October 23-25. We will be in Weston, FL at the 9th Annual AIRC Conference, December 6-9 and in Miami Beach, FL at the ICEF Workshop, December 11-13. Reach out to us for a cup of coffee and a conversation! We always love to connect.

Read on for some help developing your SMS student marketing plan.