B7: International Strategic Enrolment Across the Student Life Cycle

1. B7: International Strategic Enrolment Across the Student Life Cycle Karen Strang, Nipissing University, Ontario Sandra Schinnerl, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, BC • Clayton Smith, University of Windsor, Ontario

2. Questions • Do you have experience with International Strategic Enrolment Management? • Does your institution have: • an international student recruitment plan? • an international student retention plan?

3. Topics • Overview of International SEM • A Case Study • I-SEM, Stakeholders & PLCs • University of Windsor Story • Summary • Resources • Questions & Comments

5. Enrollment Management: The Classical Definition Enrollment management is an organizational concept and a systematic set of activities designed to enable educational institutions to exert more influence over their student enrollments. Organized by strategic planning and supported by institutional research, enrollment management activities concern student college choice, transition to college, student attrition and retention, and student outcomes. These processes are studied to guide institutional practices in the areas of new student recruitment and financial aid, student support services, curriculum development and other academic areas that affect enrollments, student persistence and student outcomes from college. - Hossler, 1990

6. What is International Strategic Enrollment Management? • Using SEM principles in the context of international students and how they relate to your institution’s mission and the educational goals of the students recruited and enrolled. -Braxton& Conroy, 2008

7. SEM is Achieved by… • Establishing clear goals for the number & types of students • Promoting student academic success by improving access, transition, retention, & graduation • Enabling effective strategic & financial planning • Supporting the delivery of effective academic programs

8. SEM is Achieved by (Cont’d)… • Creating a data-rich environment to inform decisions & evaluate strategies • Improving process & organizational efficiency • Establishing top quality student-centered service • Strengthening communications & collaboration among departments across the campus - Bontrager, 2004

9. SEM Ethos • A shared responsibility • Integrated institutional planning • A focus on service • Accountability • Research & evaluation • For the long haul -Henderson, 2005

10. Importance of Assessment • DATA - What puts the “S” in “SEM” • Transactional data • Recruitment and retention analysis • Assessment of strategies, services and outcomes

11. The Enrollment Data Agenda Enrollment Strategies Active Alumni Graduated Engaged, Satisfied Retained Enrolled Deposited Applied/Admitted Prospective Students Alumni engagement Alumni Research Placement Data Graduate Rates Graduation/ Career Development Retention Data Student Surveys First Year Exp. & Retention Programs Financial Aid Analysis Yield Yield Data Admission Statistics Recruitment Competitive Analysis Market Research Marketing Creating a Data-Driven Enrolment Plan 11

12. Case Study Discussion • Read through the brief case study • Working in groups of two or 3 discuss the questions that follow the case study • Be prepared to share an insight or suggestion from one of your group members when we discuss in a larger group

13. Case Study Discussion • Which initiatives would be considered part of International Strategic Enrollment Management? • What suggestions do you have for the campus units that did not get their initiatives funded? • What types of benchmarking or assessment tools would you suggest are put in place to assist in making resource decisions?

14. I-SEM & Stakeholders(International - Strategic Enrolment Management)

15. Stakeholder Engagement Objectives(regarding I-SEM)

16. Cycle of Stakeholder Engagement in the I-SEM - developing ideas, expressing views - current data - influence of IS on academic and admin departments - support services – retention - use feedback from all stakeholders - to identify progress or barriers - set targets or strategy for future initiatives - research I-SEM model - stakeholders and decision makers come together - identify challenges and opportunities - workable solutions, gain feedback - implementation of policies - increase in financial or human resources - which dept. is the mobilizing unit? - meet regularly - seek stakeholder views on implementation and refine plan

17. SEM & Professional Learning Communities • CBIE PLCs • Facilitate discussion and document sharing • Discuss major issues/concerns • Share best practices • Share resources, statistics, • Undertake projects • e.g. templates or agreements to work with agents, • e.g. use of “Imagine Study au/in Canada” brand

18. The University of Windsor Story

19. A look at Student Recruitment • Formed a Working Group • Internal challenges • External challenges • Conducted a financial audit and operational review • Commissioned an external benchmarking study from a US-based higher education consulting firm – Education Advisory Board • Obtained consulting services from a UK-based international higher education consulting firm - Global Higher Educational Consulting, Inc.

20. A Multi-Channel Plan • Adopt a broad-based student recruitment model that discontinues exclusivity with a single recruitment firm and identifies major student recruitment agencies that operate successfully in key markets, such as China, India, the Middle East and South Asia. • Develop in-house capacity to encourage direct applications and to manage applications and offers efficiently. This will involve making infrastructure investments in such areas as web and social media, international marketing, admissions, and study permit advice.

21. A Multi-Channel Plan (Cont’d) • Develop a range of transfer articulation agreements with university partners around the world that will permit students to enter the University (both graduate and undergraduate) with advanced standing through 1+3, 2+2 and 3+1 links. • Establish local University offices in key markets, such as India and China, to market and recruit students directly. Such offices could also support in-country university partnership and research development, alumni outreach and institutional advancement.

22. A Multi-Channel Plan (Cont’d) • Develop a University pathways program for students who have not reached the University’s entrance requirements. This will involve teaching English language, study skills, and some academic coursework. This could also result in the development of a pre-master’s pathways program. • Explore the delivery of part or whole programs outside Canada. This will result in brand awareness and the development of articulation links in other countries.

23. A Multi-Channel Plan (Cont’d) • Develop ways to use alumni as ambassadors for the University in recruiting new students (e.g., recruitment fairs abroad). • Create more connectivity between the recruitment program and the Faculties, especially the deans, and senior administration to ensure both transparency and accountability.

24. Alumni Agent Agent Fairs Regional Office (R#4) Agent Agent Overseas Programs (R#6) Regional Office (R#4) Pathways (R#5) Agent Agent Articulations (R#3) Regional Office (R#4) University of Windsor International Student Recruitment Infrastructure/In-house Capacity (R#2)

25. A Look at Student Retention • Conducted a study of international student retention: • Qualitative • Quantitative • Participated in the International Student Barometer

26. Our Purpose • To identify the factors that contribute to attrition of international students at the University of Windsor to determine what might be done to improve the success and persistence of international students academically, through support initiatives and in our student recruitment program.

27. Methodology • Pre-Study environmental scan • Pilot study • Focus groups • Service provider interviews • Faculty interviews • On-line survey: students • On-line survey: faculty • On-line survey: service providers

28. Differing Perspectives ...but agreement on Language and Culture

29. Factors Affecting Retention Smith & Demjanenko, 2011

30. 209,422 international students responded to the 2011 survey from 238 institutions in 16 countries ; 6.227 students surveyed at Ontario universities

31. The ISB: University of Windsor, Ontario Universities & Canada Our strengths are arrival and support

32. Arrival • Areas of Strength: • Registration • University orientation • Financial (banking) information • Areas of Improvement: • First night • Condition of accommodation • Meeting faculty members • Social activities i-graduate, 2011

33. Support • High Institutional Usage/High Satisfaction: • Student Centre • International Students’ Centre • Student Health Services • High Institutional Usage/Low Satisfaction: • Cashiers • Graduate Studies • Market Place (Student Centre) i-graduate, 2011

34. Learning • High Institutional Usage/High Satisfaction: • Quality lectures • Learning support • Learning spaces • High Institutional Usage/Low Satisfaction: • Work experience • Career advice (faculty) • Research activity i-graduate, 2011

35. Living • High Institutional Usage/High Satisfaction: • Sports facilities • Social activities • Eco-friendly • High Institutional Usage/Low Satisfaction: • Financial support • Transport links • Earning money i-graduate, 2011

36. Next Up • Development of an international student retention action plan

37. Summary • Assessment is key to determining the success of initiatives we undertake. Benchmark progress and let data drive decision-making. • Resources must be allocated to ensure that the strategies put in place have a lasting impact on students. • The enrolment funnel and student life cycle experience may be different for different groups of international students. Strategies need to be customized.

38. Summary (Cont’d) • Retention is another word for “home away from home”. • Racism draws a distinction between experiences in which international students thrive or survive the student experience. • We need to work collaboratively across our campuses to develop shared, institution-wide definition of campus internationalization. • Share ideas, concepts, tools and processes with your Canadian counterparts ... create a PLC - I-SEM (CBIE Professional Learning Community focused on International Student Enrolment Management).

39. Resources • British Council: http://www.britishcouncil.org/ • Canadian Bureau of International Education: http://www.cbie-bcei.ca/ • Canadian SEM Website: www.uwindsor.ca/sem • European Association of International Education: http://www.eaie.org/ • I-Graduate: International Student Barometer: http://www.i-graduate.org/services/international-student-barometer-and-student-barometer/ • NAFSA: http://www.nafsa.org/ • Stakeholder Engagement Toolkit (source: REVIT project from EU) http://www.revit-nweurope.org/selfguidingtrail/27_Stakeholder_engagement_a_toolkit-2.pdf • Stakeholder Engagement Practitioner Handbook - article "Leading for Results" (source: Canadian conference in Banff) http://www.banffcentre.ca/leadership/library/pdf/LC7_Stakeholders_article.pdf

40. Questions & Comments • Karen Strang, karens@nipissingu.ca • Sandra Schinnerl, Sandra.Schinnerl@kpu.ca • Clayton Smith, csmith@uwindsor.ca