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The first eight agencies to be certified by the American International Recruitment Council (AIRC) were announced at its first AGM last year.
The agencies – Edu Danmark, EduGlobal, Global Reach, IDP Education, IEC Online, Mentor International, Study Overseas UK and the World Education Group – had all taken part in the AIRC’s pilot project to establish a certification framework for international student recruitment agencies and they collectively have 50 branch offices in 32 countries.
John Deupree, Executive Director of AIRC, said that now the pilot phase of the operation had ended, 22 more applicants were in process; 16 of which have been advanced to candidacy. He expects a further 25 agencies to undergo certification in 2010 and double this number in 2011.
Ravi Singh, Managing Director of Global Reach in India, said that he hoped certification would encourage more US universities to work with them, noting that the accreditation process and membership had been expensive. Accreditation fees cover a site visit by an AIRC inspector. Victor Rao at the agency added, “While the membership fees for the American colleges is quite nominal, the membership for the agency is quite substantial.”
David Shi from EduGlobal said, “EduGlobal is a strong believer in the AIRC cause. The accreditation procedure is very strict... it is a thorough process. A lot of people have been interviewed and a lot of documents have been checked.”
The agent certification process was overseen by Dr Marjorie Peace Lenn, who serves as Director of Certification at AIRC and who heads the Center for Quality Assurance in International Education (CQAIE) in the USA.
Living cost visa requirement goes up in Australia
The Australian government has increased the living cost requirement for student visa applicants from AUS$12,000 (US$11,104) to AUS$18,000 (US$16,656). Since January 1 2010, all students applying for a visa to study in Australia have had to prove that they have AUS$18,000 in their bank accounts to support them during their time in the country.
A statement on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website said, “The living cost requirement of AUS$12,000 per year was first introduced in 2001. While this amount was an immigration integrity measure and was not intended to be indicative of the real cost of living in Australia, concerns have been expressed that this figure did not adequately prepare students for the realities of moving to Australia to study. By increasing the living costs requirement, students will be better prepared to live and study in Australia.”
Naresh Kumar, Director of International Affairs at Turning Point Studies International in India, said that that sum required was not a realistic estimate of living costs for one year in Australia. “It is not easy for Indian students to meet the criteria,” he added.
IDP’s first US clients
IDP Education has signed up 11 US universities to use its student placement services: Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY; Chaminade University in Honolulu, HI; Dean College in Franklin, MA; Fisher College in Boston, MA; Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, CA; Lewis University in Romeoville, IL; St Francis University in Loretto, PA; St Michael’s College in Clochester, VT and the University of Mississippi, MI.
Mark Shay, IDP’s North American Director, said, “As the number of traditional college students drops, and overseas institutions advance their recruiting efforts, US universities face unprecedented competition. Our charter partners are being proactive in working to compete for students worldwide.”
Macro-agent network, IDP, is jointly-owned by 38 Australian universities and online recruitment firm Seek Ltd.
BBSW in Windsor
The 6th British Boarding Schools Workshop was held in Windsor in the UK in November last year and attended by 54 independent schools, one guardianship company and 85 agents from 71 companies.
Due to demand, the event was held twice last year in March in Birmingham and in November in Windsor. Suzanne Rowse from SR Events, which runs the workshops, said, “We have decided to keep both March and November workshops in Windsor in future as feedback from agents shows that proximity to Heathrow and Gatwick airports is key for them.”
Rowse added that one area of development for the event was an increase in the number of fam trips on offer. Nutsa Kuridze from UK Bridge Agency in Georgia, said, “Fam trips are a fantastic opportunity for agents... to visit a school for a small amount [of money].”
News in brief
Turkey drops foreign student exam
The Turkish Higher Education Board has dropped the requirement that all international students sit a foreign student admissions exam before they can be accepted into a Turkish university. President of the Higher Education Board, Yusuf Ziya Özcan, said, “This will be one of the most important changes in the history of Turkish higher education. We will simplify the recruitment of foreign students, which we have failed to achieve so far and make it easy and attractive for foreign students to come to Turkey and study.”
First international MBA in India
Schulich School of Business in Toronto, ONT, in Canada has become the first international school to deliver an MBA programme for students in India. The two-year course will be delivered in Mumbai and Toronto by faculty from the Schulich School of Business. Graduates of the programme will receive a Schulich MBA degree. Dean of Schulich, Dezsö Horváth, said, “The Schulich MBA in India offers students a unique MBA experience, including exposure to faculty and students from around the world. At the same time it will develop expertise in two of the world’s major trading nations.”
Coventry University opens international campus in London
Coventry University in the UK is to open a London-based campus for international students undertaking postgraduate degrees. Four MBA programmes are due to start in September 2010 in a newly refurbished building in a location yet to be revealed. A spokesperson for the university said, “The new campus will allow the university to continue to expand its operational base which currently covers Coventry and a number of overseas locations throughout Asia and the Middle East.”
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