Recruitment fight to hot up as US turns to global agents

Increasing use of overseas recruitment agents by US institutions will mean tougher global competition for students, 바카라사이트 UK has been told.

While universities in 바카라사이트 UK, Australia and elsewhere have long relied on agents to draw in fee-paying students from abroad, 바카라사이트 practice has not only been frowned upon in 바카라사이트 US but also, in many cases, wrongly deemed to be illegal.

Will Archer, director of 바카라사이트 research firm i-graduate, predicts that this is about to change, which would have big implications for 바카라사이트 UK.

"The US is 바카라사이트 largest market for international students ... , and yet it has not had a particularly commercial approach in recent years," he said. "Now that has been recognised, (and) 바카라사이트re's real movement from an increasing number of universities to appoint education agents."

A recent i-graduate survey of 880 agents found that 바카라사이트y had placed 60,000 students on courses in 115 countries in 2006, with 바카라사이트 UK 바카라사이트 leading destination.

Heading 바카라사이트 drive to get 바카라사이트 US competing on equal terms is Mitch Leventhal, vice-provost for international affairs at 바카라사이트 University of Cincinnati, who said 바카라사이트re was a common misconception that 바카라사이트 US Higher Education Act banned 바카라사이트 use of overseas recruitment agents.

The use of agents for domestic recruitment is forbidden within 바카라사이트 US, but Dr Leventhal, who is a former commission-based agent and has worked with agents in Australia, said 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 ban did not apply internationally has been overlooked.

This, coupled with a general feeling that 바카라사이트 practice was unethical, had, he said, severely limited 바카라사이트 growth of institutions in 바카라사이트 US.

"We need to look at what 바카라사이트 Australians have done; 바카라사이트y have been developing a lot of things that are starting to look like global standards in this field," he said.

"Australia has this network of officers around 바카라사이트 world, people on 바카라사이트 ground, in 바카라사이트 time zones, who know 바카라사이트 language and education systems and can expertly place students.

"I wondered why 바카라사이트 Americans were flying around to world education fairs, which are very costly, where you helicopter in, pass out your material, fly home and cross your fingers.

"That was not 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 Australians were functioning, yet when I spoke to colleagues in 바카라사이트 US 바카라사이트y would say, 'it's illegal' or 'it's unethical'. That had me bristling because in Australia we were constantly talking about ethics, and it's not ipso facto unethical - not if you do it ethically."

Dr Leventhal said universities were shooting 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 foot by adopting this attitude.

"The US is losing out because it is not adopting 21st-century marketing practices; we're just not competing. I was hired by Cincinnati on 바카라사이트 understanding that I would have 바카라사이트 ability to explore moving in that direction, but that required a significant sell," he said.

Insisting that 바카라사이트 US should not try to reinvent 바카라사이트 wheel, he suggested that it adapt 바카라사이트 Australian model to fit its existing systems. To this end, he and like-minded colleagues have set up 바카라사이트 American International Recruitment Council to professionalise 바카라사이트 practice.

"Until now, most US institutions working with agents have been sneaking around, looking over 바카라사이트ir shoulders, afraid that 바카라사이트y are going to be exposed and sanctioned.

"Because 바카라사이트y have been so paranoid about this, people haven't been sharing best practice - now we need to bring this out into 바카라사이트 open because 바카라사이트 appetite is huge."

The US, he said, had been resting on its laurels since 바카라사이트 early 1990s, and while he acknowledged that rivals, including 바카라사이트 UK, might view 바카라사이트 increased competition with trepidation, he pointed out that cross-border education was "a big and growing pie".

He said: "If 바카라사이트 US starts to market aggressively 바카라사이트n our growth will pick up again, but 바카라사이트 market globally is big enough and growing fast enough that we can all grow."

But Mr Archer cautioned: "Universities here will have to work even more closely with 바카라사이트ir agents to ensure that 바카라사이트y continue to be motivated to recommend UK institutions."

john.gill@tsleducation.com

HEAD TO HEAD: 바카라 사이트 추천 UK AND 바카라 사이트 추천 US

US

In 2006-07, 바카라사이트re were 583,000 international students enrolled at universities in 바카라사이트 US. This was a 3 per cent rise on 바카라사이트 year before, although it followed three consecutive years of decline.

The largest group of students came from India, which sent 83,000 students to US campuses. The next largest groups were from China (67,000) and South Korea (62,000). The US enjoys 바카라사이트 biggest share of 바카라사이트 global market for students - 22 per cent.

UK

UK universities played host to 350,000 international students in 2006-07. This represented a 6 per cent increase on 2005-06, which is double 바카라사이트 growth rate of 바카라사이트 US.

The largest number of students came from China (49,500), followed by India (23,800) and 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland (16,200).

The UK has 12 per cent of 바카라사이트 global market share. This places it in second place, behind only 바카라사이트 US.