A recent article on The Chronicle of Higher Education website stressed the challenges for US universities in the booming Indian international education market. Among those challenges was the ability to stand out in a crowded field, attract international students to mid-level institutions whose brand names are unknown, and provide relevant information to the right students. Mark E. Hallet from Colorado State University at Fort Collins summed it up best , stating, "The old Field of Dreams model of international recruiting is out of sync with reality . . . The days of the 'If you build it, they will come' mentality are over."
Indeed, building an international student presence on campus requires more than strong international programs and staff support. To promote universities in the international education market, universities must go beyond marketing materials and colorful websites chalk full of information. However, university admissions staff are already aware of the current challenges. With the debate on agent use heating up in the US, it’s clear that universities must compliment traditional recruiting methods with new tactics to attract talent to their universities in an increasingly competitive market.
While it’s generally understood that international student recruiting is headed in a new direction, what are the solutions to international recruiting issues? One solution offered during the NACAC conference last September came from a group of panelists discussing the challenges of working with agents in the Chinese market. The panelists agreed that the ideal situation for recruiters was “direct communication with students, without intermediaries.”
GlobalCampus offers the solution. We have built the ideal tool for universities to enhance recruitment: GlobalCampus provides universities with a global platform to directly connect with future international students. We provide a place for universities and students to communicate and interact. Students register their educational profile on GlobalCampus with the hope of being scouted by universities worldwide. Universities build a profile on GlobalCampus to contact students who match recruitment goals- a new pipeline of targeted students actively seeking the right fit for their international program.
Imagine a mid-level university interested in attracting Indian students to a top notch fine arts program located in the Midwest. According to the Chronicle article, a university with an unknown name and unfamiliar geographic location may have trouble finding the right student among throngs of future Indian engineers searching for name brand schools. However, a university using GlobalCampus’s online recruiting tool can target art students interested in studying in the US and invite them to learn about the university's programs, ask questions, and apply to select programs. Furthermore, to give a holistic view of international student life on campus, universities can invite current international students to write reviews about their international programs and university location, upload videos of their experiences, and answer questions about life as an international student. This option adds valuable information for a future international student to consider when evaluating a university.
Regardless of a university’s brand recognition or geographic location, universities on GlobalCampus can recruit targeted students in a holistic, cost effective manner using Internet technologies. Any college or university can have a presence on GlobalCampus. Any student worldwide can sign up to be scouted by universities.
Better yet, GlobalCampus doesn’t charge students to sign up and be scouted. We believe in access. Access for international students means dealing directly with university staff, getting answers from current international students, and learning about scholarships to help them achieve their international education goals, free of charge.
As US universities continue to discuss the future of agents, there is already another option: direct, unbiased communication with future international students on GlobalCampus.
GlobalCampus is leveling the playing field for international students and universities alike.
Interested in recruiting students on GlobalCampus? Ask us about our Development Partnership for North American universities. Contact your University Relations team!
