1. What is the data telling us about international student recruitment?
AARON PORTER
Director of Insights
@AaronPorter

2. Agenda Topics for discussion
Geopolitical changes over the last 2 years have shaken up the global student market. What has happened?
How can Insights shape your international recruitment strategy?
Topics for discussion
Introducing Insights
TEF – early signs
Understanding Brexit
Trump, travel ban, Trudeau
International Student Survey

3. Introducing Insights

4. Why is data so important?
Creates understanding of the sector allowing better decision making and increased efficiency and effectiveness
Identify opportunities: New geographical markets, new target audiences.
Identify threats: Competitors, declining demand, new modes of study

5. Making sense of big data
We now live in a world of big data and the Higher Education sector has as significant amounts of data.
External data
HESA
UCAS
Hotcourses Group Insights
Internal data
Enquiries
Applicants
Enrolments

6. Using the right data at the right time
DEMOGRAPHIC
PROJECTIONS
(Population, wealth, mobility etc.)
PRE-HE ATTAINMENT
(Schools, K12 data)
STUDENT RESEARCH
(Hotcourses, Google Analytics etc.)
GRADUATION
(Completion, DLHE etc.)
ENROLLMENT
(Student Records Systems, HESA etc.)
ENQUIRY & APPLICATION
(Internal, National systems eg. UCAS)

7. Insights Data
Our Insights tool uses the data from our 69 million visitors to identify real-time student behaviour, demographics, trends and market demand.
Provides access to a unique data source (a larger sample than UCAS) which is real-time and is searchable by key indicators such as: subject, location, socio-economic background, competitor institution.
Show the impact of BREXIT on student searches in real-time
What impact is TEF having on student demand now?
What courses are popular this year and with whom?
Which second tier Indian cities is my university popular in?
Which areas of the UK are my competitors recruiting students from?
When are students starting their university searches?

8. Real time Insights Tool
Domestic Tool
Performance Tool
International Tool
69m global users across the Hotcourses sites

9. TEF early signs

10. TEF – Wonkhe analysis IS TEF MAKING A DIFFERENCE?
Wonkhe’s David Kernohan analysis of UK prospective student interest in TEF.
IS TEF MAKING A DIFFERENCE?

11. TEF – early signs

12. Searches from UK and India for TEF ranked institutions (% change)
TEF impact – who cares?
Searches from UK and India for TEF ranked institutions (% change)
July – Oct 2016 vs July – Oct 2017 UK
India UK
India UK
India

13. Understanding Brexit

14. UCAS EU applications dropped by 5%
Brexit impact - EU demand
One year on from the EU Referendum, how can we quantify the impact of the leave vote?
UCAS EU applications dropped by 5%

15. Smaller slice, larger pie
UK market share of searches may be down, but volumes are up…

16. EU funding announcement
How much impact did the UK government’s EU funding announcement have on search trends?

17. EU funding, offsets UK decline
Impact of UK gov EU funding announcement on study European student searches.

18. Trump, travel ban, Trudeau

19. Trump effect on Middle East
How has the US Presidential vote impacted Middle Eastern study choices?

20. Trump’s travel ban - Iran
How did Trump’s travel ban impact Iranian study choices?
Executive Order 13769

21. India – the Canada story
Canada success story is prominent in Indian searches. The UK also fares well.

22. Trend Spotting (India over time)
JUL JAN 16 -
DEC 15 JUN 16
JUL JAN 17 -
DEC 16 JUN 17
Source: Hotcourses

23. India – the Canada story
Canada has jumped from 5th most popular to the most popular study destination.
Demand from India for destinations (market share)
12 months prior to and after 1 Nov 2017
Rank
1 Nov Oct 2016
1 Nov Oct 2017 1
USA
27.8%
Canada
23.0% 2
Australia
17.7%
19.8% 3 UK
13.2%
15.6% 4
Singapore
10.9%
13.5% 5
10.3%
8.1% 6
New Zealand
9.1%
7.8% 7
Malaysia
5.0%
3.3% 8
Ireland
2.0%
2.7% 9
Netherlands
1.4%
1.7% 10
Other
2.6%
4.5%

24. India – regional diversification
Regional shifts in India are occurring. Delhi in particular has seen big drops.

25. International student survey

26. Survey of our users
What are the key issues influencing prospective international students?
Total responses – 1,964
Key findings:
Most international students consider university as the No.1 factor when planning to study abroad (39%), followed by course (37%) and country (24%)
However in Indonesia and Brazil, course was the number factor.
Topic issues for international students when choosing a university (most important, 4 or 5/5):
Career prospects/Graduate outcomes %
Cost of study (e.g. tuition fees, living costs) %
Security/Safety %
Scholarship options %
Academic strength/Teaching quality %
Student welfare (apart from HC Russia) %
Top faculties/Subject areas/Courses (apart from HC Thailand) 75.7%
Admissions/Entry requirements/English language requirements 70.8%

27. Build content around students
Teaching/Provision

28. Survey - Key takeaways
Institution is most important. You need to think about how you are getting your brand out there.
Politics matters, but it’s not insurmountable. Whether you’re governed by Trump or Trudeau get your positive message across.
Course content is important. Need to provide in-depth course information.
Keep your course portfolio under review. An important gateway for student choice.

29. Conclusion – the world has changed
Real-time data is essential given the pace of change. UCAS, HESA etc cannot be used for agile destination and individual uni marketing anymore.
TAKE OUTS FROM TODAY
More competitive, volatile market, new players
Despite this, pockets of opportunity to be found at regional level
Students more aware and receptive to macroeconomic factors than ever with internet, social media
Real-time data combined with prospective student surveys needed to react to rapidly changing demand

30. Insights@hotcoursesgroup.com aaron.porter@hotcourses.com
Thank you
@HotcoursesGroup