Stuart Coleman, Assistant Director (Customer Experience) at
INTO, believes that this significant rise in application numbers
reflects the compelling power of our university partner reputations
and the work of the network to promote the brand and deliver
sector-leading services.
"If we establish relationships earlier, then we can begin to
build that supportive framework around our students, that extends
past the summer and continues throughout the time they are with
us." He added that, "It's the transition from making that first
enquiry to actually arriving on campus with everything taken care
of that's important. If we have fluidity throughout the whole
process then both our partners and their students can focus on
what's really important - the student experience."
As results begin to pour in over the next few months, this is
exactly what INTO teams around the world will be doing: working
closely with partners to promote academic programmes and provide
support to students as they look to begin their journey with INTO
and our partner universities.
This increase in student numbers is due, in large part, to the
market activities of our regionally based staff. Our centre-based
recruitment professionals have also been very active in their
support of our Regional Offices. In the United States for example,
University representatives from all three partners have travelled
across Europe and South East Asia in a bid to promote our
partnership model and increase the number of students applying for
entry.
INTO University of South Florida Center Director Dr. Glen
Besterfield is currently on a trip in Thailand, Vietnam and
Myanmar. His colleague, Sean Gilmore is recruiting in Indonesia and
Hong Kong this week, while INTO Oregon State University's Student
Services Manager Julianna Betjemann is on a trip to Indonesia
promoting the study opportunities at Oregon State University.
Colorado State University's Mark Hallet, Senior Director from
the Office of International Programmes, will also be lending a hand
in Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar. Meantime, Jim Cooney,
vice-provost for International Affairs was in Berlin recently
showcasing the University at a major education fair.
Jeffrey Bialy, INTO Recruitment Director for INTO America, said,
"Over the next six to seven critical weeks of market activities, US
resources are being strategically focused across INTO's Regional
Offices to maximize our partners' enrollment numbers. With staff
geared up and toting the Beavers, Bulls and Rams, confidence can
only be high that we'll again achieve budgeted targets."
"Personally, I am getting excited about this summer." Ivy Xu,
the newly appointed Assistant Director (Partnerships and
Operations) for INTO China, is looking forward to what will be
another groundbreaking year for the INTO Asia. "This year, INTO
China will welcome another 120 students from diverse countries to
three of our partner universities in China. That's an increase of
over 50% this time last summer."
Ensuring a seamless
service
Students, agents and parents demand high levels of service and
we are committed to deliver the very best in the sector. In
response to the increase in applications from this recent
recruitment activity, additional staff have been brought into our
multi-lingual teams in both Brighton and San Diego. In the last
month alone, the UK Admissions team welcomed 14 new starters in
preparation for a busy summer.
Matt Collins, Head of UK Admissions of INTO said, "We are facing
one of most intense summers yet, with unprecedented growth in
applications, as well as two different school years graduating at
the same time in Hong Kong. It is an exciting time."
Jimmy Wu, Admissions Manager for INTO China, said, "we've added
2 additional centres for our INTO China Summer Language programme:
the Nankai Univertsity in Tianjin, and Beijing Foreign Studies
University, as our existing courses at Dongbei University of
Finance and Economics."
Enriching the student
journey
Providing a swift and timely response to students, their parents
and agents sits at the heart of our service commitments. But it
doesn't stop there. Our teams are on hand to provide additional
support to students as they prepare to arrive for their course.
This summer alone we will send more than 30,000 personalised emails
to students offering advice and insights into all aspects of
student life and the secrets to success. All new students will also
receive specially designed pre-departure guides - which we have
produced in English and in Chinese.
We have also introduced new mobile apps (iphone and android)
which will be sent to all students prior to arrival. Commenting on
the apps, Steve Rawlings, our Assistant Director (Digital
Marketing) said, "These new tools will make a profound impact on
students before arriving on campus and continue to benefit them
throughout their studies."
Regional office staff are also doing a great job in supporting
agents in confirming student places earlier, with INTO as a whole
using it's recent Annual Agent Survey to promote initiatives like
Just One More, which was set up to reward agents who boost
recruitment numbers at our centres.
Jeremy Histon, Assistant Director (Global Recruitment) at INTO
and leading the Just One More campaign, explains that "to encourage
our agents, we give them a chance to join a familiarisation or Fam
trip for a week to the UK. It's been well received by agents so
far, and according to the data we have, the applications are
rolling in!"
While these next few months will be busy for many of us, there
are some who are so blissfully ahead of their work that they're
using this summer to complete work due in 2013/14. Lynette Harding,
INTO's Assistant Director (Marketing Communications), said, "2012
was so last year! I'm all about 2014."