Maximising the impact of digital-first international recruitment strategies

Online, mobile and social media is where prospective international students are. We’ve reached a point where brand awareness is paramount for higher education institutions to make it to those students’ shortlist. In the current fiercely competitive landscape, destinations offering value for money and higher education institutions adapting to student decision-making would emerge as leaders.

‘In the last decade, international student recruitment strategies have moved from digital as an “experiment” to digital as the “expectation.’ This transformation is the result of two primary forces. First, student behavior and choices expect digital engagement. Second, institutional cost pressures expect a return on investment. This transformation is compelling universities to move from digital as one of the recruitment channels to the first and most important channel for attracting and enrolling international students”, shares Rahul Choudaha, Executive Vice President of Research and Engagement at Studyportals, in his feature about digital first strategies for NAGAP.

Furthermore, Choudaha explains that “many higher education institutions are under pressure to grow international enrolments at a time their budgets are shrinking, and students are having a wider set of choices. This is where “digital-first” can reach the right segment of students and, more importantly, engage with students throughout their complex decision journey.”

Even though the importance of digital in international student recruitment is conspicuous, it’s hard to get it right as it can be hard to discern the value each digital platform and service brings along students’ meandering journey.

So, how can universities maximise the impact of digital student recruitment for their internationalisation strategy? To address this question comprehensively, Studyportals turned the subject into a free webinar.

On the 8^th of May at 4pm CEST / 10am EDT, Rahul Choudaha will invite university leaders from four different corners of the words – USA, UK, The Netherlands, and Canada – to share their perspectives on embracing digital-first strategies for international student recruitment. 

During this interactive online panel discussion, the speakers Ashley Dunlop, University of Winnipeg, CA, Omid Feyli, Tilburg University, NL, Laura Montgomery, The New School, US, and Sophie Turnbull, University of the West England, will be addressing the following topics:

• Emerging trends in international student recruitment
• How to leverage digital content for lead generation
• How to identify the most effective channels for maximum ROI
• Digital-first best practices from top university leaders

Choudaha asserts that ‘as communication technologies and student expectations are in continuous evolution, institutions must recognise that getting the maximum impact of digital strategies also requires continuous learning and improvement.’

He stresses the importance of responding to these trends in order to align with the changing behaviors and expectations of prospective international students. ‘It’s high time that institutions start aligning their resources and priorities with student expectations and market characteristics through digital-first strategies. The success of many institutions will depend on how quickly and effectively they innovate and adopt digital-first strategies.’

To keep abreast with the latest digital-first international recruitment strategies, sign up for the webinar on the 8^th of May 2019. If you cannot make the live session, sign up anyway to receive the recording.