How Fintech innovations are making international education more inclusive

Start-ups in international education: disrupters or innovators?: In this ICEF Podcast we’re talking about startups and it is always fascinating to hear the stories of the people behind these new initiatives, the newcomers in the marketplace: what drives them, which ideas do they have, which problems are they solving, how can their product or service add value, and where do they find the time, the energy, the funds, the tenacity to keep going even when the going gets tough sometimes. We have invited three start-up founders: three entrepreneurs who made time in their busy agendas not only to tell us about their story and explain their format/concept, but also to share with us their ambitions and strategic objectives for the coming years. by ICEF Podcast

59 min listen

Move over AI, here comes AGI: The impact of Artificial General Intelligence on international education: This month’s main topic focuses on the next stage in the AI evolution: Artificial General Intelligence, and how it impacts international education. Also covered in this episode is a full update on the new visa rules in Canada. In our keys to there market section we take a look at student recruitment form and to the Czech Republic. by ICEF Podcast

49 min listen

How growth and sustainable development goals can co-exist in international education: Main topic: How growth and sustainable development goals can co-exist in international education Whilst international education has a significant impact on the environment due to its reliance on travel and energy consumption, this doesn’t mean that growth and sustainable development goals can’t go hand in hand. In this episode, our guest speakers will share their stories about how they became ambassadors for sustainability in international education. They will examine the impact that the industry has on the environment, give examples of initiatives to reduce this footprint, and provide concrete advice for professionals, organisations to reduce their carbon footprint and be more environmentally-friendly.  Also in this episode: News & developments: The 2023 international education trends that will extend into 2024 Keys to the market: South Korea by ICEF Podcast

46 min listen

The enduring appeal of study destination USA: trends, facts and figures: Despite shifting global trends, political uncertainties, competition from other study destinations, affordability issues due to inflation and challenges in the areas of student accommodation, the US continues to be extremely popular among international students and remains undisputedly one of the world’s most attractive study destinations. Its popularity among international students stems from the US’ reputation for academic excellence, its strong job market and employment opportunities and its vibrant cultural landscape for example. In this episode's main topic we discuss the wide variety of trends and factors that shape the US’ position in international education of today and tomorrow, providing a deeper insight into the enduring appeal of study destination USA. by ICEF Podcast

54 min listen

How podcasting can help engage with prospective international students: Main topic • How podcasting can help engage with prospective international students In this month's episode we discuss the diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, and the recent elections in the Netherlands. Our main topic explores the power of podcasting as a unique medium for engaging and interacting with international students, highlighting its potential role in international student recruitment strategies. In our "Keys to the Market" segment, we focus on Poland and its dual role as both a source and destination country for international students. by ICEF Podcast

58 min listen

Special episode: Talk of the town - live from ICEF Berlin: In this special episode, recorded live at ICEF Berlin, ICEF Monitor's Editor in Chief Craig Riggs and ICEF CBDO Martijn van de Veen are joined by event delegates Nicole Cavanaugh from Blyth Academy Shamim Ghani from SAMS Global, to reflect on some of the main themes of discussion at the event. Together they discussed the impact of digital transformation, the importance of quality standards in student recruitment, and the over-arching theme of both ICEF Digital and ICEF Berlin: "enhancing the student journey". Enjoy this special episode "Talk of the town - live from ICEF Berlin" and allow yourself a brief 'audio-visit' of the epicentre of international education: ICEF Berlin! by ICEF Podcast

33 min listen

How the pandemic shaped international education: Main topic • How the pandemic shaped international education Launched in the midst of the Pandemic, the ICEF Podcast sought to keep the international education community informed and connected during a time of unprecedented disruption. It proved to be incredibly popular, reaching a global audience that continued to grow even after the lockdowns had lifted. Today, we celebrate the 50th episode of ICEF Podcast and, now that the pandemic has faded, we are taking a moment to reflect on the lasting impact that it has had on all of us, and how it has changed our industry. As part of our celebration, we are particularly pleased to be joined by a special guest - ICEF's CEO Markus Badde - who reflects on ICEF's experiences during the pandemic and the role the podcast kept in keeping the community engaged. by ICEF Podcast

39 min listen

The increasing appeal of Asian destinations in international student recruitment: Main topic • The increasing appeal of Asian destinations in international student recruitment Asia is widely recognised as a powerhouse in international education, contributing a significant number of students to institutions in traditionally leading study destinations such as the US, Canada, the UK, the European Union, and Australia. Equally important to acknowledge, is the rising appeal of study destinations in Asia. Whether Times Higher Education or QS rankings, institutions across the vast continent are consistently moving up the rankings whereby it's worth to note that student decision-making factors go beyond quality and ranking alone: other important considerations for Asian destinations include safety, affordability, geography, politics, and culture. Across the board, the appeal of various Asian study destinations is on the rise, not only for students from neighbouring countries but also for t by ICEF Podcast

49 min listen

Beyond future and career prospects: Understanding what tomorrow’s international students really want: Main topic • Beyond future and career prospects: Understanding what tomorrow’s international students really want The decision-making process for prospective international students is heavily influenced by career prospects and future opportunities. However, several other factors also play a role, some more important than others, such as institution reputation, teaching quality, student life, cost of living, cultural alignment, sustainability, inclusion, and more. The final decision for a school, destination and programme is always the result of a combination of all these different factors and their relevance evolves over time. In this podcast episode, we dive into the recent findings of two major international student surveys: the QS International Student Survey and the 2023 Global Student Experience report by i-Graduate. We'll discuss how to interpret these findings, compare them to by ICEF Podcast

56 min listen

Bridging the skills gap: Preparing international students for their future careers: Main topic: "Bridging the skills gap: Preparing international students for their future careers" In a world that is faced with rapidly evolving technologies and innovations, it is crucial for education providers to equip their international students with the skills demanded by their future employers. In the main topic of this month’s ICEF podcast, we will discuss the so-called ‘skills gap’, with data, statistics and examples, and shed light on various options for education providers and student recruitment professionals, to help their students bridge this skills gap and enhance their employability and career opportunities. Think of micro-credentials, interdisciplinary programs, internships, and experiential learning as tools for students to gain practical experiences that prepare them for the workforce. by ICEF Podcast

55 min listen

Tackling the sub-agent dilemma: Exploring the pros and cons of aggregated recruitment: Main topic: Building a sub-agent network has been a well-known strategy in international student recruitment for many years. Sub-agents can provide education providers with a range of advantages, including expanding market reach, leveraging local expertise, increasing diversity, and enhancing conversion rates. However, the use of sub-agents also has its challenges, and with the dramatic increase in sub-agent recruitment, fuelled by the emergence of ‘agent aggregators’, more and more concerns are being raised about quality control, transparency, data security and potential conflicts of interest. In addition, the absence of direct relationships between agents and education providers may expose institutions to reputational risks if sub-agents engage in unethical practices or provide misleading information to students. In this episode's main topic we take a look at sub-agent recruitment, exploring its by ICEF Podcast

51 min listen

Quality assurance in student recruitment from India: Various study destination countries are seeing significant increases in international student enrolments, with Canada, as an example, seeing 30% year-over-year growth in 2022, and a record enrolment of more than 800,000 foreign students. Inevitably, challenges have accompanied such rapid growth. with increasing media reports detailing questionable recruitment practices and poor-quality services for students. India for example, has been an important part of the Canadian story, with Indian students now accounting for nearly four out of ten foreign enrolments in Canada. But how best to ensure that students are receiving professional services from agents at home and an excellent study experience once at their study destination? This podcast’s main topic features a special panel discussion, recorded at ICEF Vancouver, with leading practitioners exploring the best practices for recruitment within the context of surging student numbers. by ICEF Podcast

60 min listen

Special episode: Exploring AI and its impact on international student recruitment: A broad range of AI powered tools and solutions are available for, and increasingly used by, international student recruitment professionals are making the recruitment processes faster, more secure and more efficient. But how does AI really impact the student journey? In this special episode we will kick-off with an introduction to AI by professor Seyedali Mirjalili: What is AI exactly; how does it work, how does it learn, what are typical misconceptions or misunderstandings around AI, what’s AI’s ‘the best kept secret’ etc. What follows is a panel discussion about the use and implementation of AI in international student recruitment; its pros and cons, the impact it has on the roles and responsibilities of the recruitment professionals whether agency or educator, and to what extent the use of AI benefits our end-customer: the international student. Professor Seyedali Mirjalili will also be speaking at I by ICEF Podcast

49 min listen

Study destination promotion: the vital role of education agencies by ICEF Podcast

41 min listen

How accommodation crises are affecting international education: Whether Canada, the US, the UK, Australia or the Netherlands: finding accommodation seems to become a bigger hurdle for international students than getting accepted at an institution or even obtaining a student VISA. How is the international education sector - and student accommodation service providers in particular - responding to the accommodation crises that so many important study destinations are dealing with? by ICEF Podcast

49 min listen

How ChatGPT affects the future of international education: "ChatGPT”, has been dominating the headlines since its launch a little over 2 months ago. The AI powered chatbot is able to generate accurate, comprehensive answers to all types of queries big and small and the question now is, how will this new digital tool influence the international education sector? How will it affect recruitment and communication processes, marketing strategies, entry exams or even help create new tools and solutions for international students? We have asked the AI powered chatbot itself to answer these questions, and in this episode we discuss these questions and answers with a high-level panel of industry and technology specialists. by ICEF Podcast

49 min listen

Jan '23 • Exploring the synergies between online learning and international education: Digital learning is beneficial for all ages and levels of students. As institutions, we often focus on the academic aspects of an online education. But, what is available beyond the classroom? In this session, we will explore the ways in which online learners can enrich their learning and development by including extracurricular programmes, summer sessions, internships, and more. We will also explore how the flexibility of digital learning opens opportunities for athletes, performers, and aspiring entrepreneurs to keep on top of both their studies and their passions. by ICEF Podcast

56 min listen

Bonus Episode: Scholarships: the missing piece of your international student recruitment strategy?: Each year, scholarship providers, whether governments, ministries, foundations, institutions or private companies, provide funding for hundreds of thousands of students. Scholarships exist for all areas of education: pathway/vocational programmes, life-long learning opportunities, internships, professional training programmes, language studies, and of course university programmes. Funding can be partial or in full, often including accommodation, insurance and travel coverage. For many schools, institutions or other providers of educational and experiential learning programmes, scholarship partnerships represent an important part of their student recruitment strategies. In this bonus podcast episode, we will take a closer look at such scholarship partnerships, for example: -Where to find, and how to engage with, potential scholarship partners -What types of scholarships exist and what by ICEF Podcast

51 min listen

Dec 2022 • Agent Aggregators: four industry perspectives: Edtech venture capitalists and strategic investors have been pouring millions into digital agent recruitment platforms, often referred to as agent aggregators, and their rise has only accelerated during the pandemic. The aggregators provide educators with access to countless agents across various countries and timezones, making it easy for schools & institutions to reach as many prospective students in as many countries as possible. A ‘win-win-win’ for educators - agencies - students, or too good to be true? How are aggregators affecting the international student recruitment industry and what are the consequences, positive or negative? In this multi-panel discussion we will take a closer look at the rapid rise of digital agent aggregator platforms and the position they are claiming in international student recruitment, from 4 different perspectives. • The recruitment professional perspective • The aggregator perspective • The by ICEF Podcast

63 min listen

Nov 2022 • Digital Transformation in International Education: News and Developments: •The new playbook for international recruitment • Foreign enrolment in US rebounded in 2021/22 and is approaching pre-pandemic levels Main Topic: • Digital Transformation in International Education Keys to the Market: • Sri Lanka by ICEF Podcast

58 min listen

October '22 • Are the traditional ‘student corridors’ under pressure? How global events are affecting international student flows: In this episode, we start with a discussion about recent news and developments in the international student recruitment industry including study tracks top messaging apps and student priorities in key Asian markets. For our main topic, host Martijn van de Veen and ICEF Monitor's Editor in Chief Craig Riggs discuss how global events are impacting traditional 'student corridors' and putting them under pressure. They are joined by Chris Kirk, Director at UCAS International, Mirka Martel, Head of Research, Evaluation and Learning at the Institute of International Education and Alice Wilby, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University College of Birmingham. Then, after a short message from our sponsor, University College Birmingham, we conclude the episode with our Keys to the market section, where this month we will focus on the appeal of Egypt as a source market f by ICEF Podcast

44 min listen

September '22 • US visa options for students and their families: In this episode, we start with a discussion about recent news and developments in the international student recruitment industry including how affordability is a rising factor in international students' choice of destination and a new incentive scheme for agents in Western Australia. For our main topic, host Martijn van de Veen and ICEF Monitor's Editor in Chief Craig Riggs focus on visa options in the US for international students and their families. They are joined by Bruna Canto, Managing Director Latin America for FirstPathway Partners and Tadeu Ferreira who is Partner at LeafLaw. Then, after a short message from our sponsor, FirstPathway Partners, we conclude the episode with our Keys to the market section, where this month we will focus on the appeal of Kuwait as a source market for international student recruitment. by ICEF Podcast

29 min listen

August '22 • The growing importance of career opportunities for international students: In this episode, we start with a discussion about recent news and developments in the international student recruitment industry including how US visa processing delays are worsening, whereas on a more positive note, the UK is resuming priority processing. For our main topic, host Martijn van de Veen and ICEF Monitor's Editor in Chief Craig Riggs focus on career opportunities for international students. They are joined by Nannette Ripmeester, Director Client Relations Europe & North America and Adam Cooper, President of Alliance Abroad. Then, after a short message from our sponsor, SRH Haarlem Campus, we conclude the episode with our Keys to the market section, where this month we will focus on the appeal of Nepal as a source market for international student recruitment. by ICEF Podcast

38 min listen

July '22 • Student advising and planning for medical studies abroad: In this episode, we start with a discussion about some recent News & Developments in the International Student Recruitment Industry including how recruiters can best utilise social channels such as TikTok and Instagram to engage with students. For our main topic, host Martijn van de Veen and ICEF Monitor's Editor in chief Craig Riggs focus on international students in health studies. They are joined by Philippe Van Hecke, Director of International Business Development at the SABA University School of Medicine, part of GUS Global University Systems. Then, after a short message from our sponsor, Universidad Europea, we conclude the episode with our Keys to the market section, where this month we will focus on the appeal of Ghana, one of the rapidly growing Western-African source markets for international student recruitment. by ICEF Podcast

33 min listen

June '22 • Study destinations Australia and New Zealand back in the game: Live from ICEF ANZA: In this episode which is sponsored by Torrens University, Australia’s fastest-growing university with a credible industry-immersive difference, Torrens University is home to more than 19,000 students from over 115 different countries at campuses across Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, China, and online. The episode starts with a discussion on key industry trends and developments with ICEF Monitor's Editor in Chief Craig Riggs. For our main topic, host Martijn van de Veen will discuss two study destinations that are back in the gam; Australia and New Zealand. Australia and New Zealand have been faced with some of the world's toughest coronavirus restrictions, including border closures that lasted longer than any other major study destination. As we are gradually coming out of the pandemic and borders are reopening, this session aims to discuss what the future of internation by ICEF Podcast

50 min listen

May '22 • Study destination Canada: Live from ICEF Toronto and ICEF French Education: In this episode which is sponsored by Centennial College and Collège Avalon, we discuss industry trends and developments including demand for international study and financial aid to study abroad in Nigeria and how India simplifies procedures for foreign institution partnerships. For our main topic, host Martijn van de Veen and ICEF Monitor's Editor in Chief Craig Riggs will discuss Canada as a destination and with specific focus on Quebec and its position as French speaking study destination. They are joined by Magdalena Link, VP Sales at ILAC, Ana Paula de Souza, Senior Manager of Corporate Sales at Air Canada, Thevi Pather, Associate VP International at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Craig Stephenson, President and CEO of Centennial College, Diego Sanchez, Director of International Affairs at Languages Canada, Martin Houde, Director of Collège Avalon and George Khoury, Principle advisor for Opulence by ICEF Podcast

59 min listen

April '22 • International Education: is studying in English the only viable option?: In this episode which is sponsored by Universidad Europea, we discuss industry trends and developments including the growing influence of school groups in the international K-12 sector and international enrolment recovery in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US. For our main topic, host Martijn van de Veen and ICEF Monitor's Editor in chief Craig Riggs will discuss whether studying in English is the only viable option in International Education. They are joined by Cristina Grasset, Director at Spain Education Programs and Olivier Chiche Portiche, Director General a.i. at Campus France by ICEF Podcast

41 min listen

Bonus Episode • The unique position of Boarding Schools in International Student Recruitment: The unique role of boarding schools in the international student recruitment industry, in cooperation with TABS by ICEF Podcast

44 min listen

Mar '22 • Student decision making factors are changing - why and how: In this episode we discuss how and why students' decision making factors are changing. For example decisions about study destination, choice of school, choice of programme, and what these changes mean for international student recruitment professionals. Host Martijn van de Veen and ICEF Monitor's Editor in chief Craig Riggs will discuss this together with Abby Guthrie, Communications Manager at educations.com, part of Keystone Education Group and Bharat Chawla, CEO of Uniqway.com. by ICEF Podcast

32 min listen

Feb '22 • Artificial Intelligence in international student recruitment: In this episode we will be focusing on Artificial Intelligence and discussing what it is and how it it being used in the international student recruitment industry. Alongside key market trends and developments in our sector, we will also be discussing Nigeria as a major source market for international students. This episode is sponsored by iSchoolConnect who help global students gain admission into the perfect university using Artificial Intelligence technology. For further details please visit: https://bit.ly/3BB1jNc by ICEF Podcast

37 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

How Fintech innovations are making international education more inclusive

How Fintech innovations are making international education more inclusive

Description

Titles in the series (58)

More Episodes from ICEF Podcast

Related podcast episodes