Partnerships with Education Agents Worldwide

Are you keen to recruit international students? Have you considered using education agents to help you with student recruitment? Would you like to expand your network of agents?

The use of education agents to recruit international students is becoming increasingly common around the world, to the point where agents are driving significant proportion of international enrolments to universities, colleges and schools worldwide.

Education agents operate extensively in all the key international student recruitment markets. They vary from very large global companies to small one or two person operations. They play a major role in recruiting students to universities, colleges and independent schools and are primary intermediaries for institutions and influencers of students’ decisions.

Why Use Education Agents?

As well as realizing greater marketing efficiencies and cost-effectiveness, there are many other advantages of outsourcing student recruitment to education agents:

Standard Practise

Over 30% of Institutions in the United States, 70% of Canadian and almost all UK universities use agents- for universities, colleges and schools around the world using agents has become standard practise.

Leverage

Markets are large, dynamic, difficult and competitive agents are vital not only for universities but also smaller colleges and schools who don't necessarily have to resources to target a large number of countries.

Agents help to establish an institution where there was previously little or no representation. When considering new market entry the lesser known markets were believed to be more dependent on agent support. Institutions become more confident and competent in establishing themselves in a new market having benefited previously from agent involvement.

Funding

For many institutions it is easier to get the funding to pay the commission on increased numbers – post hoc, rather than to bid for increased staff or marketing spend, which appeared to have less certain outcomes.

Efficiency

One of the reasons for engaging agents is to increase the student registrations and applicant satisfaction, and to release staff time to pursue other international marketing activities and to make the marketing budget stretch more effectively.

While agents were always mentioned in the context of income there was a view that they could provide access to networks and allowed a spread of effort without the institution being committed to expending too much time and energy in less certain markets.

Permanent or even temporary home based staff together with travel costs and overseas visit arrangements especially in high expenditure countries such as Japan and South American countries would need to be, in the view of many of the respondents, considerably increased if agents could not cover the regions required. This was particularly stressed as important in emerging markets where the institution had a history of small numbers of candidates and countries where large landmass had to be covered. Of these it was said, "The cost of going there is so high and the return on investment is not there".

Local knowledge and cultural bridges

There was some reliance on the additional knowledge and competence in the language of the country that agents could offer, and examples were given of setting up first language web sites and booking rooms for interviews and organising local events. Talking to student families and sponsors was also a consideration. This key contact with families and the society from which the student came built on "a wealth of local knowledge, expertise, and cultural expertise…building links" was quoted as a significant benefit by several universities.

Local knowledge incorporates basic explanations of culture and custom and specific information about educational qualifications, the reputation and ranking of the institutions, and subject specialities and strengths. This is data that can often be found on websites but is more effectively conveyed face to face in country. It helps universities make the right level of offer. They also have the experience to discuss trends and past data and changes. So "building up a kind of picture of the new market will be of extra value".

In the same way India presents an issue and agents are seen to be able to "…reach parts of countries that we might not be able to".

You have to have an agent to negotiate with that culture

Local connections

Respondents in the research also identified the importance of connectivity and the networking that agents were able to provide. They identified contacts in local schools and universities and they "knew which kind of universities to target as well". They make introductions, help to build partnerships with appropriate institutions and help to search out sponsors "particularly at postgraduate level". Some of the examples of this provided by the universities are "contacts with scholarship agencies, with the Ministry of Education people…and with school councillors". Others have provided networking opportunities "with appropriate business people". They will have the knowledge of the people to meet, and of the influencers, sponsors and stakeholders. Such networking generally is most effective in smaller countries or communities where a well-placed agent can be connected to, and known by, a high proportion of the community.

Brand Enhancement

Agents when managed successfully do not simply recruit students to the institution but also raise the brand image of the institution, and possibly the UK, make a positive impression on the market, meet a need that students and parents express and further the reputation and the contacts of the institution in that area. All of these tasks might be achieved by UK representatives but as previously mentioned time, resource and opportunity cost do not allow that in a number of institutions and importantly the good agent brings additional value to the transaction.

Trust

Education is more than a commodity to be sold for a price, it is a contract between parties of an especially sensitive and precious nature. Parents are particularly aware of this. Certain students might, in some countries not yet exposed to westernized culture, be more needful of help and support in making an application. The role of the agent is especially valued by parents- They can see in person, speak to a real person and that can be a bit more reassuring- it could be their first time sending children away from home- it’s a big for them.

Tradition

In the culture of some countries working with agency services is seen as the proper way of undertaking transactions and, therefore, more acceptable and more reliable. In certain countries students will only want to be advised by agents

Go Between

The role of go between or conduit is much appreciated by the parents who often feel that the agent offers a reassurance and is someone who can be in touch with the institution, if anything goes wrong. The constant presence which an agent could provide is well recognised by most institutions. "It’s about that continuity, having some presence there when children have left the country- an agent can provide a continuous service all the way through.

Encourage Appropriate Applications

Agents can ensure that students of the right quality in terms of screening students. This ‘sifting’ is time saving for the institutions.

Local Knowledge

Networking

Agents can also provide services which the less well-resourced institutions find especially helpful in their ability and willingness to set up meetings and assist with alumni activity. Agents can help organise alumni gatherings and relationships, arranging meetings with universities, sponsors and schools well in advance of the institutional visit

Feedback

Overcoming Problems

Agents are more familiar with the systems that institutions set up and the problems that can occur. While students may not feel they are in a position to make requests to the universities, colleges or schools directly, agents certainly do and can sort out issues such as letters or documents that are missing and help speed up the process.

Institutions entering a new country market may consider the benefit of working with a larger and more high profile agency. However, smaller and middle size agencies may work more closely with parents and offer greater loyalty to your institution. The smaller agencies will be more accepting of training and more interested in a closer relationship.

Attractiveness

An Institution's status or ranking is not the only determinant of power. Willingness/ ability to accept volume intakes at desired levels (admission requirements) could make a so-called lower status Institution much more financially attractive to an agent than a higher ranked university with more limited volume intake and frankly harder work in terms of finding suitable candidates who meet the requirements. Each Institution should use its own distinct strengths to ensure its position vis a vis agents is appropriately balanced.

Monitoring

Monitoring student numbers and auditing performance is an ongoing activity by many institutions

Training and support

Training and support are positive and a clear part of the Institution’s responsibility to the agent. Annual review, for example, is part of training, and just as likely to lead to positive as to negative outcomes- a review means that any weaknesses on either side of the university-agent partnership can be addressed.

Terms and Conditions

Institutions generally put in place explicit statements and contracts

Cost of Using Education Agents

Typically Agents usually charge between 2.5 and 15% for commission- whilst agreements may be made to support agents with marketing and other costs

How to Partner with Education Agents

Building Agent Capacity

The Education Agents Marketing Database is designed to help you reach out to agents around the world and is ideal for email marketing to help you create and increase your network of agents to help you recruit international students from 132 Countries.

Education agents database

Education agent Newsletter

Education Agents Marketing Database

The Education Agents Marketing Database is ideal for email marketing to help you recruit agents and students from 132 Countries.

The Database has now been updated to include 15000+ agent subscribers from around the world who will be keen to partner with you.

15 000 agent contacts details as follows:

• Contact Name

• Agency Name

• Agent Address

• Agent Profile (including areas of activity)

• Country

• Telephone

• Agent Website Profile Address

• Email Address

We can make the database available to you in the form of an excel spread sheet for a one-off payment of £299.

Data Quality

We make every effort to ensure the quality of the data in the Education Agents Database.

Education Agent contact details are derived from subscribers to our Education Agents Guide website.

Agents may change their contact details and are reminded to check their profiles on a quarterly basis.

Email addresses are regularly checked using email verification software to ensure no invalid addresses or broken links.

Demographics

Education Agent Database Marketing Tools

• Outlook
• Outlook with add on Easy Mailmerge
• Mailchimp
• Constant Contact

Examples of Mailshot and Letter of Introduction

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Education Agent Contact Database

 The use of education agents to recruit international students is becoming increasingly common around the world, to the point where agents are driving significant proportions of international enrolments to universities, colleges and schools alike.

If you would like to reach out to Education Agents to represent your institution or organisation we have a database of 15 000+ agents you may contact via email.

The Excel Spreadsheet includes the following: 

• Agent Name
• Agent Address
• Country
• Contact Telephone
• Agent Website Profile Address
• Verified Email Address

Contact details are updated and maintained daily to ensure up to the minute information.

We can make the database available to you within 24 hours in the form of an excel spreadsheet as an email attachment.

You may use the spreadsheet as many times as you wish.

There is a one off charge of US$299 for the database.

If you would like to obtain a copy of the database please complete the form below: