International Student Recruitment

Transcription

1 The role of digital and mobile channels Key observations of the information-seeking behaviour on international millennials General principles for international student recruitment marketing Considering the requirements for different socio and economic groups The Barn, Cobham Road, Stoke D Abernon, Surrey, KT11 3QG

2 The role of digital & mobile channels in international student recruitment Prospective international students, with different applicant profiles, value information needs differently in the fact-finding stage of choosing a suitable higher education institution (HEI). Universities and colleges can meet the information needs of international students more appropriately by mapping recruitment channels with the information-seeking behaviour of target student segments. We explore the role of digital and mobile channels to reach, inform and entice international students. Our aim is to help you understand the different needs and behaviours of international student segments as a means of refining enrolment strategies. Research findings used in this piece are based on US reports produced by World Education Services (WES) a survey of 4,852 US-bound international students between the ages of 17 and 36 primarily those from China and India, conducted over a six-month period from October 2013 to March Bridging the Digital Divide: Segmenting and Recruiting International Millennial Students 2. Not All International Students Are the Same: Understanding Segments, Mapping Behaviour The reports capture the views and needs of the international students, and as such we suggest that the findings are equally relevant to the UK higher education market. About the survey WES grouped students into four categories based on varying levels of academic preparedness and financial resources. The survey makes three key observations of the information-seeking behaviour of international Millennials - those born approximately between 1980 and 2000: Page 1

3 1. Mobile devices play a significant role in the students prospect-to-application journey, with 56% of respondents indicating that they used a smartphone to search for and apply to a [US] college or university. 2. Admissions officers, faculty, current students, and alumni were found to collectively exert the greatest influence on Millennial students decision-making processes. 3. International Millennials are heavy consumers of online content, and relevant, highquality content is a key in driving engagement with this prospect group. Based on these findings, the WES reports provide some good general principals for international student recruitment marketing. General principals for international student recruitment marketing 1.Establish a comprehensive digital and mobile strategy Mobile devices play a big role in Millennials prospect-to application journey, especially among Highfliers who are the most likely to own a tablet and use mobile devices for communication with international admissions offices. Devise a mobile strategy, for example, revamping websites to be more mobile-friendly for international enrolment management. Social media is valuable as a recruitment channel. It is particularly appropriate for reaching all international student segments, because its popularity does not vary greatly by segment. International recruitment via social media can realise its full potential if institutional social media accounts are updated with current, relevant information and provide ample opportunities for interaction. Reflecting on their experiences with institutional social media, some respondents remarked that these accounts often do little more than re-direct applicants to the institution s main website. Others were critical of scarce information and slow updates. Those having a positive experience frequently mentioned the opportunity to connect and converse with staff, faculty and other students. 2.Engage admissions staff, faculty, and current and former students in the recruitment effort The university network was cited as most influential in their decision as to where to apply 33% bachelor applicants rising to 44% of master s prospects and 49% of doctoral candidates. In descending order of priority next came family, friends and education consultants. The collective university network exerts the biggest influence on Millennials decisionmaking process, followed by family. Institutions need to keep this in mind as they need to not only convey their value proposition to students, but also to those relations who could potentially influence a student s decision on which school to apply for. First, admissions officers, faculty, current students and alumni comprise a cohesive university network; institutions need to form strategic relationships with these stakeholders and use them to interact with prospective students. Second, families should be an integral part of outreach efforts. For example, institutions can invite students families to networking events and deliver e-newsletters to families, in addition to other measures. Page 2

4 Greater use of virtual environments, on-line open days and the like, in order to engage international students directly with faculty and students, is also growing in popularity. 3.Invest in relevant, high-quality content. Despite being active in the digital world, international students are more likely to consume online content than produce it, highlighting the importance of an institution s role in generating relevant, quality content to engage with this audience. For example, blogging about tips on how to look for scholarships and financial aid is very relevant to Strivers, while showcasing campus life and student activities will likely generate interest from bachelor s students and Explorers. In these reports there are nine different information needs which international students consider important and the key information requirements vary for each group. Bachelor s students, for example, are more likely to prioritise information about cost, student services, and safety, whereas master s or doctoral students place more of a premium on faculty expertise and research activity. The nine core information needs are: Program content/course offerings Reputation of school Career prospects after graduation Tuition and cost of living Application requirements Faculty research and expertise Location Financial aid and scholarship opportunities Student services (campus safety, student life etc.) HEIs that recruit globally can cater to the different information needs of their applicants by offering links on their websites to pages with region-specific information. Different students (socio and economic) need different information Obtaining information about tuition and living costs, as well as about financial aid opportunities was very important for respondents from India: 46% selected tuition and living costs and 38% selected financial aid opportunities among their top three information needs. Financial issues are clearly not as important for respondents from China, with only 22% ranking information on tuition fees and availability of financial aid among their top three information needs. Attending a [US] college or university is seen by both Chinese and Indian applicants as an investment for future high-paying jobs. This is reflected in their interest in information about career prospects after graduation about half of Chinese (55%) and Indian (46%) respondents selected career prospects among their top three Page 3

5 information needs. To maximise the effectiveness of their outreach to applicants from China or India, Universities should highlight the aspects of their programs that enhance their graduates career prospects, such as internship opportunities or career counselling. Information on program content and course offerings also ranked highly among the top three information needs of both Chinese and Indian respondents (46% and 45%, respectively). Higher Education Institutions could appeal to applicants from these countries by highlighting unique course offerings and making information on program content more prominent on websites and other promotional material. 27% of respondents from the Middle East ranked information about student services, including information about campus safety, among their top 3 information needs. This interest is far greater than in any other region. Institutions interested in recruiting from the Middle East should put a great emphasis on student services and address safety concerns when reaching out to prospects from this region. Respondents from Africa were much more likely to be interested in information on financial aid opportunities than respondents from other regions. Respondents from Asia & Oceania were the most likely to be interested in information on career prospects after graduation. In summary Any recruitment strategy must have an active presence on multiple platforms to maximise the effectiveness of outreach efforts - particularly when targeting the Chinese market, where potential students are less reliant on US-based social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook. (88% of social media users from India visited US-based social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) on a daily/weekly basis, compared to 22% of Chinese social media users.) The global market for international students is highly competitive with the US, UK, Canada and Australia absorbing the lion s share of the available market, particularly from China and India. Being able to entice students by offering a more targeted and personal experience based on their behaviours and information needs will improve recruitment success. Page 4