An Update on NACAC’s Commission on International Student Recruitment

• Martha Pitts, Senior Director for Higher Education Strategic Initatives, College Board Member, NACAC Commission on International Student Recruitment

• David Hawkins, Director of Public Policy and Research, NACAC

International Student Recruitment: Practical Context

• International students increasing target for US recruitment

• Between 1/4 and 1/3 of four-year institutions use agents to recruit international students (based on research from NACAC, IHE, ACE)

• Other English-speaking countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, use agents to recruit international, though none use agents to recruit domestic students

NACAC Background: The SPGP and Student Recruitment

• NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practice “mandatory practice” bans payment of commissions to recruiters

• NACAC AP Committee and Board interpreted statement as applying equally to domestic and international recruitment

• NACAC Board solicited public comment on interpretation, decided to launch Commission to further explore issue and advise association

Background: Complexity of International Landscape

• Other higher education organizations involved in the issue, including NAFSA: Association of International Educators, AACRAO, IECA, IIE, associations representing college presidents (NAICU, AASCU, APLU, AACC), and organizations representing secondary schools (NAIS)

• Organizations like AIRC, ICEF, and other individual agencies working with US colleges to promote agent-based recruiting

• Government entities, including federal agencies (ED, DHS, State, Commerce) and foreign government operations like the British Council

Commission Formation and Purpose

• Commission assembled to reflect diversity and complexity

• Exploration of institutional policies and practices for the recruitment of international students in light of well-established principles for admission practice

• Obstacles institutions face in the recruitment of international students, and ways in which such obstacles can be addressed

• Federal policy challenges facing US institutions wishing to engage in international recruitment

First Commission Meeting: Framing the Debate

• Perspectives of foreign governments that use or facilitate agent-based recruiting, including China, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom

• Perspectives of US agencies, including State, Commerce, Homeland Security, and Education, some of which have differing policies on agent-based recruitment

• Public input offered from organizations and individuals involved in international recruitment

• Video recording available on Commission Web site

First Commission Meeting: Outcomes

• Understanding that other countries’ use of agents requires substantial oversight, which is not generally in place in the US

• Appreciation for extent and history of agent-based recruiting globally

• Exploration of numerous organizational opinions of agent-based, commissioned recruiting

• Discussion of myriad institutional approaches to international recruitment

• Importance of institutional responsibility and transparency

• Agreement that Commission must move on several ‘fronts’

Adding Depth to the Debate: Subgroup Work

• Context Matters: Government policies and institutional “systems” differ among key players, making standard comparisons difficult

• Commissions and ‘Malpractice’: How widespread are the problems we hear about in international recruitment? What behaviors are considered problematic? Does the use of commissions, in and of itself, add to the likelihood of problems occurring?

Adding Depth to the Debate: Subgroup Work (cont’d)

• Agents and Institutional Arrangements: Agency practices, as well as institutional approaches to international student recruitment, differ widely, and need to be closely examined.

• Outcomes Matter: Student outcomes are critical to any approach to recruitment, though research on the subject is limited.

The Road Ahead: Completing the Commission’s Work and Advising the Association

• Subgroup work through Fall 2012

• Commission to consider draft report and recommendations in Spring 2013

• Report to NACAC by Conference 2013

Discussion: Admission/Enrollment ChallengesAdministrative Directives

• Presidential/Trustee edict

• Institutional or system-wide budget shortages

• Branching out to other countries for institutional expansion

• Deliberate internationalization

Discussion: Admission/Enrollment ChallengesInstitutional Organization and Management

• Multiple offices responsible for international students

• Responsibility for international recruitment in admission office

• Responsibility for international recruitment in other office

• Reporting structure: who is ultimately responsible for oversight of international student management?

Discussion: Admission/Enrollment ChallengesInstitutional Planning and Budget

• Campus-wide internationalization, quick fix, or something in between?

• Resources provided to support international recruitment?

• Is there a budget for international recruitment?

• How are international recruitment policies and priorities devised?

Discussion: Admission/Enrollment ChallengesAdministrative Directives

• Presidential/Trustee edict

• Institutional or system-wide budget shortages

• Branching out to other countries for institutional expansion

• Deliberate internationalization

Discussion: Admission/Enrollment ChallengesStaff and Capacity

• Is international recruitment conducted using existing staff, agents, or a combination of both?

• Resource and skills challenges: language barriers, knowledge of educational systems, ability to meet with students, and more

• How are contractual arrangements, if agents are used, structured?

• Are there other alternatives? EducationUSA, other independent services

Discussion: Admission/Enrollment ChallengesInstitutional Oversight

• How do institutions guarantee integrity of application process, regardless of method of recruitment?

• Institutions ultimately responsible for oversight of agents, both for self- and student interests

• Institutional concerns for students include misrepresentation, fraud/cheating, student outcomes

• Institutional self-interests include “fair” trade, price competition with agent commissions, accurate representation of institution

Discussion: Admission/Enrollment ChallengesStudent Success

• Ultimately, student outcomes are the key to both student and institutional interests

• Are student outcomes tracked from recruitment to completion? What methods are used?

• To date, Commission has found little research in this area

An Update on NACAC’s Commission on International Student Recruitment

Other issues not covered

Questions

An Update on NACAC’s Commission on International Student Recruitment

For more information:

NACAC Commission Web page

David Hawkins, staff liaisondhawkins@nacacnet.org(703) 299-6809