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International Students: Best Practices for Recruitment, Admission, and Retention. ACCU Annual Meeting Washington, D.C. February 2013. An Overview. Start with mission & strategic goals Set realistic goals Let data drive your decisions Engage the campus (not just an admissions effort)
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International Students: Best Practices for Recruitment, Admission, and Retention ACCU Annual Meeting Washington, D.C. February 2013
An Overview • Start with mission & strategic goals • Set realistic goals • Let data drive your decisions • Engage the campus (not just an admissions effort) • Identify sustainable strategies • Understand the infrastructure needed
An extension of our Missions • Mission statements, core values & vision; strategic plans/initiatives; student outcomes • Mission/Vision make the case for why and can help develop plans for the “how” • Recruiting international students only for the extra revenue they generate can lead to an unfocused and ineffective set of activities
Setting Realistic & Data Driven Goals • Key element of any enrollment conversation is “how many” • External data and competitor data will help inform the goal setting process • Identifying current international enrollment, tracking institutional “footprint”, inventorying faculty connections, coordinating with alumni, as well as using external data is critical
Engage the Campus • Having an effective international strategy is not just the responsibility of the admissions office • Study abroad and exchange programs • Global partnerships • Faculty connections • Goal setting should be realistic, spread across at least three years and can include much more than simply new freshman
Identify Sustainable Strategies • Take advantage of group tours: NCCAA’s Latin America tour, Wren & Fida, Linden Group , etc • Develop recruiting material with international specifics • Coordinate travel across the campus • Reach out to educational centers, government agencies (Washington, DC and abroad) • Have a policy for working with agents
Identify Sustainable Strategies • Partner with other schools • Electronic communication and social media • Personal follow up outside of traditional communication flow • Relationships with schools, counselors, government agencies take time • Connect with international organizations such as NAFSA
International Infrastructure • Dedicated admissions staff member • International recruitment material • Credential evaluation (application processing) • Designated School Official (DSO) • Coordination of “acceptable programs” • Collection of payments electronically • Academic placement tools
International Enrollment Success • Our missions & strategic plans provide the framework • Campus collaboration & data help form the goals and expectations • Sustainable and consistent strategies help execute the plan • Building the proper infrastructure ensures success