Two of EduCo’s Australian institutions, CIC Higher Education and Southern Cross University, held webinars in March for education agents to keep motivation levels high and sustain the enrolment growth achieved as of the 3rd quarter of the fiscal year.
“We are now in the last quarter of the financial year and we need to sustain our momentum,” says Ali Butt, vice president for Sales and Marketing. Ali is keen not to drop the ball. “Webinars are useful especially when we need to send out information on short notice. We also reach a very targeted audience quickly and efficiently at less cost than organising a physical event and we intend to do this on a regular basis.”
Mr Butt says that maintaining constant contact with agents is key to EduCo’s international student recruitment success. “The target of our webinars are existing agents, new agents and inactive agents. We’d like to encourage them and help them achieve their own goals by providing them with the tools to succeed, and moving them up the ladder: for those in Tier 3 to Tier 2 and from Tier 2 to Tier 1.” He clarifies, however, that the targets set for agents are dependent on the region’s size, student mobility as well as the agents’ requirements and commitment to deliver.
Aside from highlighting the salient features of both institutions and updating education agents about what’s going on in the campuses, Mr Butt also shared marketing materials that agents can use in their recruitment campaigns. The webinars also made it possible for agents to speak directly with on-campus marketing staff, meet admissions and student services staff and see the campus facilities.
Forging closer ties with Sri Lankan agents
The first of a series of webinars, CIC Higher Education aims to forge closer ties with Sri Lankan agents and give them a better understanding of the institution that they are promoting.
Campus General Manager Francesca Macpherson and her team presented the College to education agents where Mr Butt and Chami Jayamaha, recruitment manager for Sri Lanka, were also present. “We’ve stimulated interest for the College and answered questions in real time. The next step would be a face-to-face agent event in Sri Lanka on 2 May,” Mr Butt reveals.
In the webinar, Mrs Macpherson and her team highlighted CIC’s unique proposition in terms of personalised student support, student-centric teaching methods and career advice as well as the introduction of the new House System where students, lecturers and staff are assigned into the four houses as a way of promoting team spirit and mateship within the CIC campus community.
More webinars have been lined up for the agents of Asian, Central American, African and European countries in the coming months to grow the student population as well as provide diversity into the student mix.
Targeting more diversity in the student mix
Southern Cross University’s latest webinar was aimed at the Southeast Asian student market and was attended by 35 education agents. This is part of the university’s aim to bring in a diverse student mix to allow students a truly international setting. Similar webinars for European and Latin American agents will be rolled out as well.
Southern Cross University – whose Sydney, Melbourne and Perth campuses are exclusively dedicated to international students – was presented by Ben McCully, SVP for the SCU Partnership. Mr McCully and his team outlined the programs and activities which were designed specifically for those seeking a high-quality tertiary education that’s integrated into work-based learning.
In the webinar, Southern Cross University shared the key differentiators for the three campuses, as follows:
- Structured academic programs combined with practical experience and industry engagement;
- Teaching staff with first-class academic qualifications and extensive industry experience;
- Contemporary campus facilities located in the central business districts of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth;
- Employability Skills Program that offers a series of career-building workshops to prepare students to integrate into the Australian workplace;
- Professional accredited courses, for instance, the Master of Professional Accounting program which is accredited by professional accounting groups and where graduates can apply for admission to the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA);
- Small class sizes and low student-to-teacher ratios; and
- Dedicated focus on providing outstanding student services and support for all students.
Key takeaway
Mr Butt is optimistic that education agents will be more motivated to promote EduCo’s institutions and better equipped to share the unique features of each campus. He is also looking forward to more applications which can be eventually be converted into enrolment.
EduCo makes all these possible with the support of its over 2,000 education agents in various continents. For enquiries regarding upcoming webinars and agent events, education agents can speak to their local agent representatives.
