1. Victoria Day Events A Regional Approach to Collaboration

2. Presentation Overview Why collaborate? Why collaborate? Event development and promotion Event development and promotion Event overview and results Event overview and results Lessons learned Lessons learned Victoria Day Events

3. Vietnam: Quick Facts Population: 90 million GDP per capita: $US1,960 100,000 Vietnamese students studying in 49 countries in 2012 (90% self-financing) Growing middle and upper class with an interest in international education 12 year general education system Identified as one of six priority markets in Canada’s International Education Strategy Market size potential: minimum 400,000 over 10 years

4. Student Mobility

5. Trade Commissioner feedback Fair overload New and emerging market with little Canadian presence Overlapping recruitment activities and interests among Victoria institutions Decision: Fair that would promote Victoria as a study destination for any student Why Collaborate?

6. Can we do this alone? How do we choose an agent? Why AIT: What did they bring to the table? Do we sacrifice anything by committing the event to one agent? Exploring the Market

7. Building Collaboration What’s the ‘right mix’ of institutions? Building relationships with the agent Logistics and timing Transparent and fair costs Communication

8. Presentation development o General introduction to Canada and BC education system o Focus on Victoria o Minimal but balanced institution information Municipal Involvement (Tourism Victoria, DVBA, City Hall) Building Collaboration

9. Online ads in magazines and local newspapers Social media outreach Posts on educational forums and high school websites E-newsletters to AIT databases Posters and leaflets for high schools, universities and English centers Outreach to local student clubs Promotions

10. Promotions Seminars at high schools and universities InstitutionStudent Numbers Foreign Trade University55 students Hanoi Amsterdam High School 58 students Tran Phu High School102 students Lotus University 200 students Bui Thi Xuan High School 100 students

11. Promotions Online WebsiteFormat Stats Vnexpress Banner Impressions: 64.736 Clicks: 450 Poster Views: 864 Dantri, kenh14, nguoilaodong Banner Impressions: 495.563 ; Unique Visitors: 135.416 Clicks: 540 ; Unique Clicks: 458 Poster Clicks: 6.796, Visitors: 4.537 Format RegisteredAttended Facebook/Online Newspaper 8565 Website 80 Database 8030 Total17395

12. Twice a year Two major cities Online advanced registration One hour presentation followed by mini-fair Door prizes (iPad) Quizzes with prizes Event Overview

13. Pre-registrations: Hanoi: 173 Hanoi: 173 Ho Chi Minh City: 95 Ho Chi Minh City: 95 Attended at fair with parents: Hanoi: 95 Hanoi: 95 Ho Chi Minh City: 60 Ho Chi Minh City: 60 Event Statistics

14. Applications/registered students as a result of the fair Intangible benefits and insights A template for approaching other markets Results

15. Internal Challenges o Desire to expand the event vs wanting to focus o Managing expectations of our audience o Decision-making by committee External challenges o Visas approval rates o Competition from Australia and US o Vietnamese schools’ policies Lessons Learned

16. What’s next?

17. Presenters Jeff Davis Greater Victoria School Board 61 jedavis@sb61.bc.ca Jessica Wrightson Camosun College WrightsonJ@camosun.bc.ca Ramona Hamilton Cook University of Victoria ramonah@uvic.ca Qi Ke University of Victoria qike@uvic.ca