L-R Jane Larson, CIS Executive Director and Dick Krajczar, EARCOS Executive Director
3 Institute on Higher Educati rd
EARCOS and the Council of International Schools (CIS) have once again successfully partnered on a regional institute to connect university counselors in Asia and university admissions officers from around the world. The EARCOS-CIS Institute on International Admissions and Guidance brought together nearly 400 participants for two days of networking, sharing effective practices, and brainstorming new and better ways to serve globally mobile student populations. Nearly 200 university counselors from 18 countries across Asia attended the institute, as well as 190 university representatives from the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, Europe, and Asia. Networking opportunities were built into the program through joint lunches, coffee breaks and a closing reception. School counselors also had a chance to represent their schools during the school fair, where universities could circulate and talk to different counselors, and counselors had a chance to network with universities during the reverse university fair. Schools were able to leave with increased knowledge about global university options for their students, and universities were able to gain a better understanding of the schools in attendance and even consider adding in visits to new schools and regions in future student recruitment trips. Drawing on the talent and expertise of the attendees, 45 sessions were offered over the course of the two days that appealed to both university and school attendees, and stimulated dialogue that continue long after the sessions were over. Topics varied from “Pathways into the Japanese Education System” and “Personality Profiles and the College Search” to “Careers in the Creative Arts” and “In6 EARCOS Triannual Journal
novating the High School Visit.” Members of the CIS Career & Recruitment Services team were on hand to speak with counselors about taking the next step in their careers and university admissions officers who want to “switch sides of the desk” and move to a counselling position. In addition to individual consultations with participants, they presented a session entitled “Getting Ready for Your Next Career Step as a Counselor by Applying the STAR Method.” Jane Larsson, Executive Director of CIS, also presented on “Protecting Children and Young Adults from Sexual Abuse: What you Don’t Know and Need to Know,” a topic CIS has been working closely on in recent years. For the first time, the EARCOS-CIS Institute featured a keynote speaker. This year’s speaker was Michi Ferreol, co-founder of CAMP Philippines, a peer mentoring organization for students in the Philippines. She delivered an inspiring speech on her experience of attending an international school in the Philippines and university in the United States, and reflected on the challenges she faced throughout her journey as well as the transformative power of an international education. Not only did participants engage with each other over the two days, but a large university fair was planned for local students to meet the university representatives. Over 900 students from dozens of schools in the Bangkok area registered to attend the Saturday evening fair. The universities were able to engage directly with potential students and their families, which helped to increase their knowledge of as well as provide greater access to global university options. The EARCOS-CIS Institute on International Admission and Guid-
