Student Recruitment Agents in International Higher Education

With a focus on the growing number of institutions employing commercial agents to support international student recruitment, Student Recruitment Agents in International Higher Education provides an evidence-based exploration of this phenomenon, and will increase the reader’s understanding of the multiple dimensions of agent engagement, its contradictions and complexities.This book explores who and what these education agents are, what students and higher education institutions can expect from a good agent, how bad agents can be identified and avoided, and what we learn from the reasons for the development of these agents in the first place. Offering theoretical perspectives with practical applications, this volume features contributions from academics and scholar-practitioners, laying out fresh perspectives and insights on topics such as process transparency, developing agent policy and procedures, and government regulations.Providing the ideal reference for students embarking on international study, agents, higher educational institutions, government/accreditation agencies, researchers, and practitioners, this insightful book acts as a critical basis for further research and improvements in higher education practice.

"Although a longstanding practice for institutions in Australia and the UK, the use of student recruitment agents is now a topic of increasing interest for institutions world-wide. Seen as controversial in some quarters but readily accepted as the norm in others, there could not be a more timely publication to support a greater understanding of the complexities of business models in international education, the rapid evolution of those business models in the face of the global pandemic, and the shifting role played by commercial agents in international student acquisition and retention."Dr Douglas Proctor, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement), Swinburne University of Technology, Australia"Pii-Tuulia Nikula, Vincenzo Raimo and Eddie West have opened the world of education agents for all to see – and what an important world it is! Agents mediate the flow of six million students across the world, foster the hopes of families and open opportunities for young people, stabilise the finances of educational providers, and cross the cultural boundaries for everyone. This compelling book tells us much we did not know and also makes the agent industry accountable in a new way. A major contribution."Simon Marginson, Professor of Higher Education at the University of Oxford and director of the ESRC/RE Centre for Global Higher Education"Outsourcing has been a staple of the higher education sector but one area of outsourcing that still gives institutions heart burn is international student recruitment agents. Student Recruitment Agents in International Higher Education provides diverse perspectives from institutions, students, consultants, and practitioners arming HEIs with the knowledge to navigate, negotiate and shape partnerships successfully. This inclusive book brings together rare insights into regional, governmental, and global practices and emphasizes the critical elements of a strategic agent-institution relationship."Joann Ng. Hartmann, Senior Impact Officer, NAFSA

Pii-Tuulia Nikula is a Principal Academic at Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Technology and Skills. Her research focuses on questions of education agent management and governance.Vincenzo Raimo is an independent higher education consultant and Visiting Fellow at the University of Reading, where he previously served as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement).Eddie West is Assistant Dean of International Strategy and Programs at San Diego State University, where he provides leadership of international partnership development, collaborations, and overseas programs.