In our day-to-day professional work in international education, we all struggle to manage information flow, identify opportunities, synthesize possible solutions, and act appropriately to better ourselves, our audiences, and our world. To help in this often overwhelming task, Social Media & International Education (SMIE) Consulting offers this free weekly e-news brief to share our perspectives and to provide some wisdom along the way. Happy reading!
- Digital marketers in the next year will need to focus more on personalization, enhanced visual content, increased automation, and growth in data-driven insights, among other tactics, according to this Social Media Explorer piece.
- YouTube has rolled out some new features for those leveraging the granddaddy of video platforms including improved metrics and a new creators site for live streamers.
- Facebook ads aren’t easy to get right. This quote from Social Media Explorer shares what’s needed to crack this nut in 2023: “your audience is still on Facebook and Instagram, but you’ll have to be smarter about finding them.”
- TikTok’s future in 2023, at least among US and state employees, does not look promising, as the US House of Representatives has banned the platform from any House devices ahead of an expected US Government-wide ban later this year.
International Education News
- So much to reflect on from 2022, but the PIE News does a respectable job summarizing the impact of war, reopening nations, record international student intakes, challenges with visa delays, and continued effects of geo-politics on intl ed.
- One of the sad consequences (and awful timing) of China’s dramatic reopening and subsequent Covid-19 cases exploding across the country is the closure of US consulate visa services ahead of the spring semester intake. Ugh.
- In a remarkable turnaround from 2020, Chinese students in the US have been scared off going home over the winter break due to various Covid-related situations happening behind the Great Wall.
- In a welcomed move by the US State Department extended through the end of 2023 the in-person visa interview waiver for applicants who have previously received a US non-immigrant visa in the last 5 years. Only wish it had been made permanent.
- Australia - For universities Down Under, there is a China-sized hole in their international student populations, down 53% since the pandemic began. Is there a road back for Chinese students to study in Australia? Not anytime soon.
- Australia - Though these 13,000 incorrect letters of denial were not sent to overseas international students, it’s small comfort for my US peers to know that they aren’t the only ones that make these colossal mistakes with applicants.
- Australia - While I can’t say that international students in the US fair much better, this news out of Australia that most overseas graduates from its universities are underpaid if not unemployed.
- Canada - The huge increases in international students is having significant negative consequences in some areas of Canada: “You’re getting a lot of localized stresses that come from the fact that institutions don’t seem to care where their students live,” said Alex Usher, president of Higher Education Strategy Associates, a consulting firm. “They don’t care about the housing problems faced by the local community. They’re acting like bad neighbours.”
- Canada - Canada is experiencing serious growing pains with its international students with one university (Cape Breton U) telling students not to come unless they have their housing sorted out beforehand. Now that’s a troubling message.
- Canada - Interesting to read this perspective of how one rural college in Canada is motivating its domestic students to study abroad in larger numbers.
- China - We’re entering the twilight zone: China, now experiencing its biggest waves of Covid cases (3 years in), is planning to eliminate the onerous quarantine requirements for incoming travellers on January 8th. Chinese students abroad aren’t rushing to come home.
- Indonesia - The world’s most populous Muslim country is also jumping into Africa with hopes of drawing more international students to its institutions. Watch this space for how Indonesia’s internationalization push accelerates in the coming years.
- New Zealand - International students graduating from Kiwi universities will now be eligible for the country’s 3-year post-study work visa. A significant incentive for those completing level 7 qualifications.
- United Kingdom - Agents in South Asia had a forum to share their opinions on UK universities’ responsiveness and communications during the admissions process for their students. Some very curious requests.
If you’d like a more in-depth analysis of the main news stories each week, check out our Midweek Roundup international education live chat on Wednesday at 1pm ET on the SMIE Consulting Facebook page, YouTube channel, Twitter feed, and LinkedIn. A podcast version is available as well on all major podcast provider platforms.
