Things to consider when recruiting international students
By Dr . Jan L . Jones
Sharing Good Practice
As a professor of tourism and a huge advocate for multicultural programming on campuses , I was always extremely excited about potential international collaborations . Often the strategies for developing these types of relationships will vary depending on the intent , size and leadership of a campus or school . Below are a few strategies I would encourage both leaders and educators to consider before developing such partnerships .
Avoid quick fix recruiting tactics
Throughout my years as an educator , I witnessed several new administrators come to campus with high hopes of globalizing the campus . They often came with their own personal agendas and economically based motives for increasing the number of international students on campus . Many schools want to increase international student recruitment as a way to alleviate the pressures of their declining enrollments . The reality is that it costs much more for international students to attend schools here , so more international students offers a quick fix . While this is likely a natural reaction to low enrollments , administrators should first ensure that the school is ready to handle an increase of international students . This also involves educating staff across all departments about the specialized needs of international students . While recruiting is important , your ultimate goal should be retention and continued success in the long term . Work with your current international students to assess and develop a marketing strategy . Work closely with faculty to determine the potential needs and challenges of increased diversity on campus .
Prepare students to succeed on your campus
If your goal is to increase the number of students on campus , prepare the students to succeed . International students need to be culturally prepared in order to succeed . Lack of cultural preparedness can be frustrating for them and their fellow students . Find out what services your students need and develop workshops and activities that guide them all the way from admissions to graduation .
Invest in your faculty and students as ambassadors
Encourage your faculty to conduct research , attend conferences and conduct courses abroad . The best relationships and partnerships often develop in these environments . I worked on several international partnerships , as a result of serving on international conference committees . The best ambassadors are often your own students . If your students are happy with their programs they are your best marketing tools . The relationships they can form while abroad will be much more valuable than pamphlets and websites .
Develop a smooth transition
Some of the best programs and international collaborations employ creative ways for students to take coursework and transfer credits seamlessly from one campus to another . One of the most aggravating processes for students is transferring their credits across institutions . Students are often required to spend a considerable amount of money figuring this out and may choose to go somewhere else if your program does not help them .
Don ’ t force relationships
Nothing is more frustrating than administrators who agree to an international partnership without assessing the potential opportunities for collaboration with their faculty during the process . I was sent on a trip abroad to develop partnerships with a school and found it pretty frustrating when I realized that many of the faculty had no interest in collaborating . The best connections I made were with those who had shared research and teaching interests .
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| | Sep - Oct 2016 |
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