Week of October 3, 2022

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!

Social Media News

• Are you marketing to students and parents in Spain for your programs? If so, check out this Webcertain guide to digital marketing trends in this top 25 market for international students in the US.
• In the West, we should all be breathing a sigh of relief with the election via the UN of the US choice for the International Telecommunication Union head. The overwhelming vote in favor shows the world wants a free and open internet.
• Apple took its sweet time removing VKontakte from its app store. The tech giant only did so to comply with UK sanctions against companies majority owned by Russian interests.
• Facebook ads are almost a must-have these days as universities try to reach certain markets overseas. How can you find out if your ads will be successful? Check out this Social Media Explorer piece for helpful tips.
• Do you research your target audience on Instagram? Are future students spending their time in key markets on this mega social media platform? This article shares ways to get the insights you need.

International Education News

Big Picture Issues

• One thing that has improved progress on student visa issuance in the last year has been the interview waiver for those who have had US visas recently. The Presidents’ Alliance writes to Consular Affairs Assistant Secretary to make this waiver permanent.
• A recent ICEF Agent Voice survey shows that coming out of the pandemic 75% say that cost of study and living in destination countries is the most significant factor driving decisions (over work opportunities and visa availability).
• Recruiting students from Sub-Saharan Africa has gotten much more competitive in recent years. China, as of 2018, hosted twice as many students from this region as the United States, and is now second only to France.
• In Florida, the governor has set down new rules to prevent China “and other hostile foreign powers in cyberspace, real estate, and academia.” To be honest, some of the tactics used by anti-US governments are quite nefarious.
• Interested to see INTO’s new partnership with UMass Amherst focuses exclusively on 17 master’s programs in business, engineering, and science.
• This FPP student survey day shows prospective int’l students favor online interactions with admissions and prefer social media over college search engines for study abroad info.

Solutions Central

• This ICEF podcast is increasingly rising on my playlist. Check out this episode on US visa options for students, a decent discussion on changing student preferences, and a look at the Kuwait international student market.
• One of the top market for western nations in Africa is Ghana, which between 2010-20 nearly doubled the number of students going abroad. US #1, UK #2, with UUK and UCAS prioritizing Ghana along with Nigeria and Vietnam.
• Useful report from Studyportals on the fields where demand outstrips supply of available seats at universities. Worth a read if you have these in-demand programs to see where these new fields are most highly sought after.
• If you’re wondering about how your institution’s alumni office can support your international student recruitment efforts, check out this Intead (part 2) article on the ways international alumni can be a vital partner in admissions.

Global Roundup

• Australia - In the “shocked, not shocked” news department, educational agents react favorably to the added incentive Western Australia is willing to pay on top of what institutions pay their agents per head.
• Australia - Are these numbers right? “Government data shows there were 956,773 international students enrolled in Australian universities in 2019…. That number dropped to roughly 446,000 this year.” Universities only, or including vocational colleges?
• Brazil - The reign of terror President Bolsonaro has had on Brazilian universities looks to be coming to an end with elections this week. Funding to the sciences has been cut over 50%, leaving many institutions struggling to pay their bills. Ouch.
• Canada - While our neighbors to the north already have some of the most international student-friendly policies for immigration purposes, some Canadian groups suggest that these programs do not go far enough, and should include work permission for family members regardless of their skill sets.
• China - When even the South China Morning Post is critical of Zero-Covid policy’s impact on Chinese universities ability to enroll international students on campus, you know things are pretty bad.
• India - These numbers are staggering: 57% of Indian middle class families are willing to spend to send their children for overseas higher education. Importantly, 42% would consider non-Anglophone destination countries.
• Indonesia - While there will not be another China or India in terms of sheer numbers of outbound students, Indonesia is well worth considering: huge youth population, rising middle class, plus both govt scholarships and desire for quality education.
• Ireland - Finding student accommodations is a growing challenge globally in western nations. In Ireland one university is seeing 30% of its international students deferring, while at Trinity College Dublin, deferrals are up 20% year-on-year.
• Latin America - At a recent QS event in Brazil, Latin American universities decried the lack of Global North students coming to study in their countries. How is your institution approaching this growing market related to university partnerships?
• Malaysia - Looking to regain lost momentum from the pandemic, the Malaysian government is encouraging more international partnerships and students to its shores as a regional destination of choice. Can this country become a powerhouse in Southeast Asia?
• United Kingdom - Non-EU students in the UK are responsible for 17% of all university revenue. Overall, the 600K+ international students make up 22% of all higher ed enrollment at British universities.

SMIE Consulting Midweek Roundup

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.