INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE OUTCOMES

THE BENCHMARK OF SUCCESS 

Research from Asia Careers Group, Decision Lab/International Alumni Job Network, INTO, QS and Studiosity confirm that graduate outcomes and employability are increasingly important when it comes to International student’s choice of study destination and institution. It’s a key issue for institutions in the main recruiting countries (Australia, Canada, UK and USA) at a point when emerging HE destinations (e.g. China, Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore) have improving quality that enhances their value proposition. Study in the ‘big four’ is expensive, which is one reason more UK universities are seeking improved graduate outcomes data to demonstrate their global competitiveness and reassure potential student recruits.

The lack of compelling, longitudinal data on international graduate outcomes has historically been a gaping hole in the marketing and reputational armory of universities. It’s akin to a leading FMCG firm spending a fortune on producing and launching a new brand of coffee then not investing in research or customer feedback to understand who is buying the coffee or whether the competition is responding. Institutions have become attuned to researching motivations for joining and whether students on are satisfied but are in limbo when it comes to understanding how their graduate ‘product’ is doing in the market.

It’s an issue that is important for some forms of accreditation e.g. AMBA and increasingly for league table positioning. In a number of rankings, employers are asked about their perceptions of institutions and this forms part of the Rankings Methodology. Asia Careers Group was established because the era of ‘student satisfaction’ as a primary measure of quality is coming to an end, with graduate outcomes and international employer engagement becoming the key to improving an Institution’s reputation and ranking.

Graduates are Already Smelling the Coffee

Unemployed graduates pose a significant threat to an Institution’s reputation. Even in 2015, I was having a conversation with a Grab driver (the ASEAN equivalent of UBER) who was complaining that the thousand of pounds spent on a “Russell Group” degree had been wasted. Unable to find a job in Kuala Lumpur she was driving for a living, for me and every other passenger, she was an advert for disaffection with her alma mater and UK higher education. 

Unemployment among graduates, particularly in China is becoming a serious issue for all institutions with significant Chinese student populations. Asia Careers Group has looked closely at skills shortages in China and, compared to the rest of Asia, the picture is bleak.  The only sectors experiencing a shortage of talent are Health and Social Care (See above), due to an aging population and the previous “one child” policy.

Asia Careers Group data, HESA DLHE data on China and the recent UUKi International Graduate Outcomes Report are relatively consistent in pointing to only 60% of Chinese students being employed 6 months post- graduation. A generous estimate of 20% going on to further study still leaves 20% not in employment or further study. One of the frustrations of the DLHE and UUKi data is that they do not provide sufficient granularity or a platform for action at a country or employer level.

Brewing A New Perspective 

Most institutions are keen to know how their international students are doing but finding a cost-effective way of securing credible data and sufficient sample sizes has been difficult. With the changing DLHE, lower samples and lack of data until Spring 2020 at the earliest, institutions could be “in the dark” for the foreseeable future. It’s the reason that Asia Careers Group came into existence and established a graduate student database that provides targeted data, employer connections and alumni engagement. 

While some students in China may find their investment is not paying off immediately longitudinal tracking provides an important perspective and an opportunity for universities to take relevant action. Asia Careers Group has collected graduate outcomes data - including destinations, average salaries and job titles - for over 42,000 graduates returning to Asia for the last three years. The results are overwhelmingly positive:

-         the majority of UK graduates are employed within 15 months when they return home

-         they command higher graduate starting salaries than the national average

-         a significant number work in world leading MNC employers (ACG Top 20)

-         increasing numbers of are working in the big tech firms and tech start-ups

-         the destinations of each institution’s graduates reflect the “mission” of the institution they attend.

Institutions are increasingly reflecting on the final point and seeking data that enables them to target and link Asian employers with their graduates. It’s a demonstration of the uniqueness of each institution, the courses it offers and the types of student it attracts. For universities intent on differentiation and developing a competitive edge for their graduates this process also sharpens their messaging, in the next international student recruitment round.  

Refocusing campaigns on graduate outcomes will be a key differentiator moving forward. Asia Careers Group data supports examples where institutions:

-         with an evident entrepreneurial culture deliver graduates who go on to start businesses

-         with a strong portfolio of art and creative courses have graduates who excel in the creative Industries

-         with a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility and the voluntary sector have more of their graduates working for NGOs and in related fields.

While these outcomes seem intuitive it is the power of the data that is enabling institutions to make claims with real confidence and connect persuasively with relevant employers. Individual Institutions can use this data to significantly differentiate their offer in what is a crowded marketplace. As global competition increases their early embrace of international graduate outcomes, supported by facts will give them a powerful foundation for international marketing and student recruitment strategies with resonance and impact.

Louise Nicol

Louise Nicol is the Founder and Managing Director of Asia Careers Group. Following senior roles at both Hobsons, i-graduate and a successful Consulting Business nicol&nicol SDN BHD based in Malaysia, working with among others: Hobsons; ICEF; International House; i-graduate; Study Group and various Higher Education Institutions. She worked in graduate recruitment in New Delhi, India for two years and on her return to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Founded the Asia Careers Group in 2016. Asia Careers Group has grown quickly, now working with over 20 UK HEIs and various Government departments in both the UK and Malaysia. To find out more contact: [email protected]