Involving Academic Colleagues in Student Recruitment Initiatives

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Involving Academic Colleagues in Student
Recruitment Initiatives

• Tim Rogers
• Head of Recruitment Admissions
• London School of Economics Political Science

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Context - UK

• Governments participation target, to an extent,
  will underline the importance of ongoing
  undergraduate student recruitment
• Transparent recruitment admissions procedures
  in light of the White Paper
• Need to maintain visibility in a more crowded
  marketplace
• Rapidly declining graduate applicant numbers
  across the entire sector will demand greater
  efforts

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Context International

• In 2000, an estimated 1.8 million students
  studied internationally
• In real terms, there are likely to be in excess
  of 7 million travelling international students in
  2025
• There are likely to be in excess of 20 million
  students studying by distance learning
• In the coming 20 years, Asia will drive this
  increase across all levels of education
• More than two-thirds of this global demand will
  come from Asia alone

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Institutional Realities

• One of many administrative burdens competing for
  time
• Burdensome when considered simply as a duty
  particularly admissions selection
• Activities often led by retired or research
  inactive staff with no formal marketing
  experience
• Participation in overseas activities seen purely
  as a reward
• Limited budgets limited ambitions

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Developing a Recruitment Strategy

• Totally dependent on institution-wide support
• Academic buy-in essential for both adoption,
  implementation success
• Central administrative point empowered to drive
  strategy forward
• Examination of existing partnerships
  relationships
• Internal education as important as external
  perception of an institution

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Academic Factors in Strategy

• The development of a coherent strategy includes
  all academic issues
• Academic support for international students is
  essential particularly at the graduate research
  level
• Admissions requirements need to be consistent
• Understanding international qualifications
  standards
• International academic culture

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Institutional Position (1)

• Does your institution want international
  students?
• Does your institution want more or less
  international students?
• Does your institution want international students
  from only one country or many?
• Is your institution prepared to fund a campaign
  to recruit support international students on
  campus
• Does your institution have a policy?

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Institutional Position (2)

• Infrastructure requirements are different for an
  actively recruiting institution
• Academics are essential for any success in this
  area ensure you have their support
• Centrally organise a committee with
  responsibility for all international recruitment
  affairs
• Resource bids need to be realistic and inclusive
  recruitment does not end at the point of
  application

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Institutional Organisation

• Designate academic administrative figureheads
  for strategic matters
• Establish a central committee with a reporting
  line to the Academic Board or Planning Committee
• Appoint a designated person to promote policy
  practice internally
• Ensure there are sufficient staff members to
  cover recruitment, welfare issues support
  matters

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Practicals

• Essential to engage academic colleagues is a
  reward system
• Augment research funds department or faculty
  orientated from the centre
• Internal promotion needs to be as attractive as
  direct as possible
• Buy out for agreed periods of time?
• Balancing teaching, research administrative
  functions
• The use of recently retired staff

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Partnership Programmes

• Building on existing academic links at any
  level
• International strategic partnerships can provide
  leverage for a range of recruitment activities
• Student exchange feeds recruitment in the future
• Staff training for key allies
• Academically more meaningful than straight
  recruitment

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Budgeting Recruitment Initiatives

• Various models exist
• Concept that revenue from recruitment activities
  is earned income
• Planning strategy needs to aim at a developing
  model rather than the finished article
• Top slicing success to fund operations can make
  these initiatives attractive
• External help financial support available

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Recruitment a different view

• There is an important need to recruit a balance
  of students from a range of countries
• Recruitment does not necessarily mean on campus
• Off-shore distance learning
• Branch campuses and franchising
• E-Learning
• International exchange of students staff

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