The ‘Made in Germany’ Advantage: A Guide for Education Agents
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Despite a range of challenges around the world, the number of internationally mobile students has continued to grow. According to a recent forecast from global data platform HolonIQ, the number of international students enroled in higher education alone could reach 9 million by 2030. Such growth indicates a pressing need for more efficient and targeted recruitment strategies, enabling institutions to effectively manage the influx of prospective students.
A vital component of any internationalisation strategy, education agents can help institutions navigate the increasingly complex landscape of international student recruitment. With their extensive networks, local know-how, and logistical expertise, they are perfectly placed to guide students successfully in their aim of studying abroad.
For students and their families, agents play the role of advisors, supporting students in selecting the most suitable programmes, destinations and educational institutions. For institutions they can act as local representatives and brand advocates, offering a range of services including:
Despite these advantages, some institutions remain unsure as to whether they should work with agents, and express concern over compliance and value alignment. While the rapid growth of the international education sector has inevitably allowed some poor quality agents to flourish, an increasing focus on quality, including through accreditation schemes such as ICEF Agency Status (IAS), means that there are thousands of reputable, experienced education agents in operation, whose support can offer institutions a distinct international recruitment edge. The key, however, is to adopt a strategic approach to selecting the right agent for your institution’s needs.
The following steps will help you to consider whether you are ready to work with an international education agent and, if so, the process you need to follow to ensure quality. However, for a deeper dive into building fruitful agent partnerships and a step-by-step framework to build your agent recruitment strategy, consider enrolling in ICEF Academy’s self-paced, online training programme, the Working with Education Agents Course.
The first question to consider is whether your institution is ready to start working with an agent. Start by evaluating your current international recruitment strategy. Here are some key factors to consider include:
If, when considering the above, you highlight potential gaps, forming partnerships with reliable education agents could help you overcome these issues.
Before you begin finding and selecting reputable agents, ensure that you have a set procedure and criteria for selection. This might include:
When selecting agents, prioritise quality in terms of student outcomes. Reputable agents should be able to provide you with references and testimonials from satisfied clients, demonstrating their adherence to best practices. Focus on agencies that are best suited to your institution’s goals, and with which you have a good rapport, shared values, and a real opportunity to grow over the long term.
After choosing to partner with an agent or agency, it’s important to define the terms and conditions of your partnership early on. This includes setting clear targets, agreeing on a communication flow, establishing commission structures, and drawing up a formal contract. It is imperative that both sides set their expectations clearly and concisely for the partnership to be effective.
Consider putting a performance review mechanism in place to measure factors such as application conversion, completed enrolments, and student retention. If you would like to enhance your knowledge of best practices in engaging an agent, ICEF Academy’s Working with Education Agents Course covers the key elements of establishing a strong and fruitful agent partnership, and it can guide you through the process in more detail.
Once you’ve established a partnership with an agent or agency, continue strengthening the relationship with consistent communication via regular meetings, updates, and feedback sessions. Offer regular training in the form of workshops or webinars to update the agent on your institution’s offerings. ICEF research through surveys such as Agent Voice highlights the fact that agents are increasingly eager to receive training, both online and in person, from partner institutions, as this helps them to fulfil their role more effectively.
Similarly, familiarisation tours are a great way to keep your agents up to date with the opportunities your campus offers. They will also be able to meet your team, existing students and the academics who work with them, and gain insight into the student experience.
Each institution’s needs are unique. However, for those focused on international growth, partnering with education agents can be a truly effective way of expanding student recruitment efforts. By conducting a structured selection process and choosing agents according to your specific goals, you can leverage specialist expertise to supercharge your efforts.
ICEF can support you in your journey. Alongside professional training and certification, ICEF offers educator-agent networking events in 24 locations globally.
