MARKETING & ADMISSIONS
THE WORLD VIEW WILL OVERSEAS STUDENT NUMBERS DROP AWAY? As the country continues to navigate the pandemic, many independent schools are wondering about the future recruitment of international students. We asked Dominic Moon for some insights. Do you believe that international student recruitment is still viable in the post-pandemic world?
Yes, 100%. International students will continue to be at the heart of many a boarding school. No doubt many of your readers have already digested some of the recent surveys and reports which confirm that a ritish boarding education is still considered a premium product and thereby very desirable by families from all around the world. That said, not every boarding school is prospering and a number are now considering the viability of continuing to provide boarding as an option. Many of these schools have too few British boarders – often offset by a COVIDled resurgence of day pupils – and are considering whether to stay the course or simply deliver what their own local market wants. A number of schools are taking stock and reviewing their offering longer term.
Where are the new international markets?
If I had a penny for every time I was asked that question... Well, the simple answer is that there are no ne markets ur agency recruits pupils from 140 different countries and we believe it’s understanding the ebb and o bet een the markets that is important. Schools need to recognise hen to be in country or, more importantly, when not to be.
Do schools still need agents to recruit international students? This is a question that comes from the finance team more often than not as they see the invoices from agents asking for 10% of paid fees (sometimes 15%, sometimes up to 25%!). However, it would be imprudent to under alue the hea y lifting’ undertaken by agents in recruiting international students. In many cases they are responsible for up to 90% of the overseas pupils on the school roll, so now may well be the time to work those channels harder than ever rather than making a false economy.
What advice are you giving schools reviewing their overseas student recruitment plans?
Quite simply, not to put all your eggs in one basket. For many years, we have prescribed regional diversity as a recruitment tactic and now is the time, more than ever, to invest in a sustainable and diverse student recruitment programme. With geopolitical shifts across the globe – from West
Africa to Russia – compounded by Brexit (and the associated visa issues), creating a robust international student recruitment strategy that doesn’t rely on particular regions is advisable. It will require investment and hard work to achieve this, just as it did in the good old days when all the markets were new. But good groundwork now will provide future security and protect a school’s boarding legacy. However, there is no uick fix or golden nuggets out there, so patience is essential.
