Include agents in international education strategy, says UK sector

Asked what the parliamentary group need to be saying to govt, Bobby Mehta, associate professional vice-chancellor at the University of Portsmouth and BUILA chair, stated the “significant contributions” by agents, counsellors and pathway providers must be recognised.

Jacqui Jenkins, international programme guide for international pupil mobility at the British Council, agreed that brokers should be cited in the strategy and extra that the priority should really be on “maintaining good quality first” in order to boost the United kingdom as a study location.

Jenkins told the team that despite the fact that the British Council has knowledgeable funding cuts, “huge amounts” of dollars are being invested into agents by way of the organisation’s new hub, which she explained as a “one-end shop” for anyone recruiting to the United kingdom.

Released in December, the hub enables brokers to acquire certification just after completing education, which Jenkins described as a “badge of superior practice”.

“We would like to make positive that brokers and counsellors get the correct information so they can give superior services to that university student and, as a result, college students make informed choices about the United kingdom and we can satisfy their expectations,” Jenkins stated.

There are somewhere around 10,000 agents on the system and above 1,000 of those people have been qualified.

Speakers highlighted the significance of agents to the total student journey, with college students often initially relying on brokers to “cut by means of that sounds of information” about research places, in accordance to Charley Robinson, head of worldwide mobility policy at UUKi.

“The agent and counsellor part does not quit at the issue at which a college student is enrolled”

She mentioned agents can give “useful insights, comparisons and goal views of the relative traits and merits of universities and study locations that college students cannot simply get from universities specifically or from families”.

“The agent and counsellor part doesn’t just halt at the place at which a student is enrolled,” she extra. Sue Edwards from Place for Training agreed that brokers are important to support with the “practical” parts of coming to the Uk and to assist university student transitions.

Robinson mentioned how other international locations are functioning with agents, pointing out that 75% of learners are recruited to Australian establishments by using agents when compared to close to 50% in the Uk. She stated that Australia has “long understood” the role of agents and cited Western Australia’s the latest agent incentive scheme.

The APPG is set to start an inquiry into the publish-study perform visa in the coming months.

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