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Return to Bulletin Home - November 2006
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Key Market Trends Highlighted in Berlin Seminar William Archer, director of the International Graduate Insight Group, gave Berlin Workshop attendees a good deal to think about in his presentation, "Market Trends, Expectations, and Experiences of International Education in 2006." For additional background on William Archer's Berlin seminar, please see William Archer Q & A Archer outlined the general contours of the international education market today (e.g., explosive but unpredictable growth in demand, the "new consumer" used to constant and immediate gratification and payback, and the "era of litigious learning"), and then went on to specifics based on his proprietary market research. Archer's most thought-provoking observations included: There is now an explosion of points at which education providers are assessed and publicly judged by students. Today's education provider is evaluated constantly, from the time prospective students and parents first hear of the institution through to enquiry, application, acceptance, post-arrival, in-school reports, graduation, and finally to when students are back home as alumni, continuing to spread the word (whether this be good or bad). This is the era of "360º reputation management".
The International Graduate Insight Group's Will Archer presenting his research overview in Berlin. Today's culture is made of "online oxygen." Archer stressed that "online culture is the culture," noting that students are now moving beyond email to instant messaging to get that much more immediate. How does this affect the education provider? Massively. Archer included slides depicting a student blogger's analysis of his new school; even before classes had started, the blogger was posting comparative pictures of his new vs. old accommodations, up to and including the size and hygienic properties of the showerhead in the washroom. Blunt comments accompanied the pictures, and Archer reminded the audience that the online post (and others like it) was up there irretrievably, in a way that was beyond the control of the institution. Archer opined that online culture demands a "new dialogue" between education providers and students. It was clear to all present how important it is to deliver on every facet of the educational experience; every mistake now has the potential to be blogged on immediately for all in the world to see. Education must be linked to career prospects. Archer's StudentPulse™ market research shows that students see "quality of education" as the main reason they go abroad to study, but this is followed very closely by the motivation "to improve my career prospects." In other words, accreditation is not enough—students expect desirable, marketable skills from their study abroad programmes. Also important to students (#3 on the list of motivational factors): "to broaden my experience", reinforcing the need to round out educational offerings with cultural and recreational opportunities. Students consider individual education providers ahead of specific countries when choosing where to study. While it is true that certain countries have established themselves as attractive study abroad destinations, StudentPulse shows that prospective students actually consider the reputation of an institution above the country when making their decision. Personal safety and Internet features are key. Regarding their overall learning and living experience, international students place personal safety and Internet facilities ahead of everything, including quality of teachers, course content, and employability. If your institution has competitive advantages in these two areas, it is highly important to promote these and to gather hard data on them to present as evidence. Students are willing to spread word-of-mouth—just ask them! One of Archer's most compelling slides showed that roughly 3 in 10 students surveyed for StudentPulse said they would actively encourage others to study at their alma mater. But a great proportion beyond this 3 in 10 said they would recommend their institution "if asked." Overall, over 8 in 10 students would encourage others to attend the education institution they attended, including those who wouldn't need to be asked and those who would need this extra nudge. Talk about latent marketing resources! For more on the International Graduate Insight Group, please email info@i-graduate.org or visit www.i-graduate.org. William Archer Q & AICEF Bulletin: You have said that student behaviours and choices when it comes to studying abroad are less predictable than they have been in the past. What is behind this change?William Archer: The process of decision-making, and the resulting choices that students make, is speeding up and changing more rapidly with each cohort of students. Today's students have had different experiences and these frame their expectations in relation to choosing an educational programme. After all, this is the era of "satisfaction guaranteed", 24/7 service, and consumer empowerment. We now see this new, empowered consumer as an important player in the international student market. At the same time, consumer choice is exploding in international education. We see more programmes available in traditional destination countries such as the US or UK; the number of distance learning options continues to grow; and now new regional study destinations are emerging as well, particularly in Asia and especially China. ICEF Bulletin: Is it the case, then, that the relationships between consumers—between students—are more important than ever in today's international education markets? WA: Absolutely. Personal recommendations are the most powerful influencer of student behaviour. This has been true for a long time, but now it is amplified through the social networking and "messenger culture" that we have today. It used to be that the process of communicating with consumers began and ended with the production of a brochure or a website. Not anymore. Now, communication among students is instant and continuous via online discussion boards, blogs, instant messaging, and email. ICEF Bulletin: How can education providers and agents respond to these important changes? WA: First, recognise that everybody matters—everybody within the organisation has a role to play in ensuring student satisfaction and in sharing that success with current and prospective students. This suggests the importance of what I call "joined-up thinking": ensuring that all areas of organisation are working well together. The first key connection to be made in this respect is between the recruiting office (i.e., the "promise" that is made to students) and the delivery of the educational programme (i.e., making good on that promise). The second key connection is between the alumni office of the institution and its career counselling and employment offices. Make sure to collect and share your student and alumni success stories. For the student, the choice of educational institution is the lifelong brand that they carry with them for the rest of their careers. They spend their years after graduation either connecting with your educational brand or trying to distance themselves from it.
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