Navigating the International Education Path: An Education Agent’s Story of Growth
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When you’re working across borders in international education, you quickly realise something important – what’s considered ethical in one country or culture, may not be in another. As an agent, you’re often walking a fine line between respecting the acceptable norms of your home country and those of the countries or international institutions to which you recruit students.
While navigating these differences calls for a strong understanding of ethical frameworks and standards, the challenge is that they aren’t universal. Cultural differences, societal values, and legal regulations all shape ethical standards, making it hard to establish a one-size-fits-all approach. The key to ensuring that your practices remain ethical in different contexts lies in awareness, transparency, and communication.
Realistically, there are hundreds of global interpretations of what ‘ethical’ means. For example, in some regions in Africa and Asia, agents may highlight their personal connections to educational institutions to reassure students and their families about admission prospects. However, the higher education system in destination countries like the UK may have strict rules against any implication of guaranteed admissions. This scenario highlights that what’s seen as a helpful, reassuring practice in one context, could be viewed as unethical in another.
Let’s look at another example. Suppose you’re assisting a student from a country where privacy and data protection are highly regulated. A student may be understandably cautious about sharing personal information such as their academic history or family background, due to concerns about how their data will be used. On the other hand, the university they’re applying to, if in a destination with less stringent privacy rules, may require comprehensive personal information upfront to process the application.
As an agent, you need to balance both perspectives, ensuring that the student feels secure while also meeting the application requirements. You need to have an honest conversation with both sides – reassure the student that their data will not be misused, and work with the host institution to find alternative solutions if necessary. Here’s how you can manage this balance:
Acknowledge the student’s concerns and take the time to explain why the information is needed. Emphasise how their data will be used and protected. This shows that you value their privacy and are committed to keeping their data safe.
What you can say: “I understand your concerns about data privacy. The information requested is important for your application, but I can assure you that it will be kept confidential and only used for this purpose.”
The host institution may not be aware of the data privacy norms in other countries. You can bring this up and work with them to find a way to meet their requirements, without compromising the application process, the student’s comfort, or local legal obligations.
What you can say: “The student has expressed concerns about sharing personal data due to privacy regulations in their home country. Can we explore alternative ways to provide the necessary information while meeting application requirements and respecting the student’s concerns?”
Transparency is key to building trust. Provide clear explanations and written assurances to both the student and the institution, to ensure that all data handling aligns with ethical and legal standards.
Here are some other ethical problems that you may face:
It is crucial to give students a realistic picture of what to expect. Over-promising about job opportunities, facilities, or even the ease of getting a visa can mislead students and damage trust. Ethical selling means setting clear expectations from the start.
If you earn commissions from certain institutions, make sure it doesn’t cloud your judgement or affect the advice you give students. Be upfront about how you’re paid so students can trust that your recommendations are in their best interests and not driven by financial incentives.
It’s not always the act of selling that requires ethical consideration – ethics also refers to information that you may omit. For instance, some agents may be tempted to guide students towards institutions with whom they have strong business relationships. However, ethical practice means presenting all relevant facts, and helping students to make decisions that align with their goals, not just business connections.
By staying aware of these challenges, you can avoid inadvertently misleading students or violating the ethical standards of the institutions you represent. It’s worth investing time to learn about the ethical norms and legal requirements in both the student’s home country and the destination country, to provide guidance that is not only effective but also respectful. This approach builds trust and ensures a positive experience for the student as well as your institution partner.
There may not be a definitive, single answer to every ethical situation. Creating a knowledge base or framework that works for all agents across all countries, cultures and situations is incredibly challenging and would be difficult to monitor. However, you can start by adopting the following practices:
By being highly aware of and sensitive to ethical differences and ensuring that your behaviours, advice and actions respect both the student’s ethical standards and those of their destination country, you can create lasting relationships built on trust and grow your business sustainably.
To go even further, and build a strong foundation that you can adapt to different markets, you can consider enroling in the Ethical Sales Training for Agents and Counsellors (ESTAC) course. Created in partnership with Edified, it covers a range of ethical topics related to student recruitment and provides practical insights and takeaways to enhance your work with student-focused sales.
