WHO MANAGES YOUR APPLICATION
PROCESS - YOU OR YOUR AGENTS?
Simon Read, Uni-Pay
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SESSION OVERVIEW
1 - Some background market context/trends
2 - What is important to agents?
3 - What is it really like? - the communication
dynamic
4 - Panel input on using agents within their
own sectors / experiences
5-Q&A
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MARKET CONTEXT & TRENDS
BIS International Education Strategy 2013
• 2011/12 = £10.2 bn income in UK from overseas students
• Estimated further growth of 15 – 20% over 5 years
Use of agents to recruit students is growing
• Nearly 1/3rd of all overseas students for HE (OBHE)
• More like 50% + for language schools
3,836 completed the British Council’s Foundation Training
programme for Agents
Now a truly global market worth many billions of dollars
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WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO AGENTS?
Main ingredient for successful educator-agent partnerships
ICEF i-graduate Agent Barometer 2013
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MOST EFFECTIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Quick response times to enquiries and
applications
Agent manual with fees and
information
Regular communication updates
ICEF i-graduate Agent Barometer 2013
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SO WHAT IS THE REALITY OF THE
COMMUNICATION DYNAMIC?
 Complex Communication
Dynamic
 Highly Competitive Environment
 Open to Abuse
 Quasi-regulated
 Not standardised / controlled
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SO WHO OWNS THIS COMPLEX PROCESS?
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USING INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT
AGENTS: RISKS AND REGULATION?
Richard Brabner
University of Hertfordshire
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THE USE OF AGENTS IN UK HIGHER EDUCATION
• Widespread use of agents in UK higher education
→ 100 UK universities enrolled 51,027 students via
processes involving agents in 2010-11
→ 29.3% of all 174,225 non-European Union students
• Conflict of interest
→ “multi-task agency problem” and “trilateral dilemma”
• Lack of studies or focus on this issue in the UK
• Ethical debate conducted in the US
→ National Association for College Admission Counselling
against using agents
→ But many colleges in the US ignore NACAC
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RECRUITMENT AGENTS IN THE NEWS
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QUALITATIVE STUDY
Small qualitative study
→ 8 semi-structured interviews
Helping the students with
the process, that’s
another key aspect of it,
it’s that very practical
support as it’s a complex
process going through
different stages of the
application
The scale of the
activities is so great
that I think most
international
departments would
not be able to do
without agents
→ Content analysis on press articles in UK
and US
→ Results presented in 5 themes
1. Why universities use agents
→ Scale
→ Competitive advantage
Sonja Cox, a Chinese student
writing in the Aberdeen Press and
Journal: “The agent was the only
source I could use to seek more
information about Aberdeen
Business School and Aberdeen itself
→ Local knowledge
2. How agents benefit students
→ Support through the application process
→ Cultural norms
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QUALITATIVE STUDY
3. Ethical Concerns That Arise From Using Agents
→ Bias/conflict of interest
→ Misrepresentation and Misinformation
→ Standards
There are
cases of
straightforward
lying
→ Fraud and other serious cases of criminality
4. How universities manage their agents
→ Selection procedures
→ Contracts
→ Communication and information
→ Training
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We look at their
experience, their legal
status we do check, their
network of contacts, the
size the shape, etc. And
we also get references
from institutions that are
already represented by
the agent
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A lot of the
agents sold
something
very different
to what the
students
[were]
receiving
QUALITATIVE STUDY
5. Views on regulation
→ Responsibility of institutions
→ Transparency
→ Power dynamics
→ Codes of conduct
We [the university] are
responsible for making
ourselves aware of
how they [the agents]
are behaving and
where there are
problems, we withdraw
our contract
I think the key really is
that if there’s a dual
payment then both the
university needs to know
that’s how the business
model works and the
student needs to know
that’s how the business
model works
→ License to practice
Conclusions from the qualitative study
→ Banning agents not in the interest of universities or
international students
→ But ethical issues persist
→ Role for regulation
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How many times have we
seen voluntary arrangements,
peer supervision, just not
work? So we probably need to
have a system of licensing
practice for the agent
REGULATION APPROACHES
Regulation of agents in higher education limited
→ Code of conducts
• American International Recruitment Council
• Australian National Code
Financial services industry
→ Self-regulatory organisations
•
•
•
Positives: Better able to address complicated issues
and cheaper and quicker than courts
Criticisms: Benefit of sector; inadequate incentives,
dampen competition; free –riding
Problems can be overcome
→ Arbitration
→ Transparency
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REGULATORY OPTIONS FOR UK HIGHER
EDUCATION
• Universities continue to adopt control measures
• But needs to be a sector-wide approach to
regulation
1. License to practice SRO
→ Interviewees recognise the responsibility of universities
→ Mix of the AIRC and Australian system to ensure rigor
→ Define ethical principles, license reputable agents,
adjudicate complaints
2. Arbitration
3.Transparency
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THANK YOU
Richard Brabner, Head of Policy, University of Hertfordshire
http://www.lfhe.ac.uk/en/research-resources/publications/index.cfm/ST%20-%2012
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JUSTIN QUINN
Managing Director
Centre of English Studies
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6 YEAR-ROUND SCHOOLS
Over 30 years in
International Education






London
Oxford
Leeds
Worthing
Dublin
Taipei
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OVER 15,000 STUDENTS IN 2013
 From 66 countries
 Average age 20.35
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HOW DO WE RECRUIT OUR STUDENTS ?
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HOW DO WE RECRUIT OUR AGENTS ?
 Studyworld
 ICEF Workshops
 ALPHE Workshops
Sales calls
 Facebook
 Referrals
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WHAT DO THE AGENTS DO FOR CES ?
 Recruit & council
students
 Promote CES in their
brochures, websites,
student fairs,
Facebook
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Commissions
Agent agreements
Vetting of agents
BC Training
20% - 25% on the tuition fees
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PAYMENTS
 Deducted from gross
fee at source
 Gross fee and
commissions paid
retrospectively
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AFSHAN BAKSH
Head of International Development
Harrow College
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HARROW COLLEGE – THE FE EXPERIENCE
In the beginning…
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WHERE ARE WE NOW?
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WORKING ‘WITH’ AGENTS
Price
Communication
Rules / Process
/ Penalty
Due Diligence /
Quality
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Partner
Agent
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Motivation /
Commitment
30
CREATING A BALANCE
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DAWOOD FARD
Managing Director
Centurus
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MY EXPERIENCE
Institution dynamic – HE/ FE / Language School / Public / Private
Diverse systems and process
Managing applicant communication
Lack of common approach
Student often disengaged throughout the application process
Agent Quality
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PROCESSES USED
Communication
Marketing materials
Applicant communication
Internal notes
History and records
Outsourced services – Students and Organisations
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IN SUMMARY
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COMMON THEMES
Agents are an important part of the recruitment process
Communication is Key
Abuse does exist
Agents are high in the power dynamic
Institutions must own the process
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FROM THIS….
 Complex Communication
Dynamic
 Highly Competitive Environment
 Open to Abuse
 Quasi-regulated
 Not standardised / controlled
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TO THIS……..
 Common Approach
 Structure
 Reduces Risk and
Abuse
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THANK YOU
Simon Read
Uni-Pay
[email protected]
Please visit our stand for further information on our services
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Any references to third party organisations in this presentation are
not an endorsement by British Council of those organisations.
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The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for
cultural relations and educational opportunities.
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