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Recruitment of international students has been a hot topic over the past few weeks. At the recent Liberal Democrat party conference, business secretary Vince Cable voiced his concern about foreign students not feeling welcome in the UK.
He said: "There are lots of perception issues particularly in India where the message has got back that the British do not what overseas students. Numbers have fallen sharply and students have gone off to the States and Australia."
With £10bn of the £17bn that's generated by universities each year coming from overseas students, they are a valuable group not just to the education sector, but for a growing economy.
In our recent live chat on how best to welcome foreign students, our expert panel suggested that alongside collaboration with student unions and staff exchange schemes, it's also vital for universities to remember that recruitment is not the end point.
By the same token, student orientation and integration needs to start as early as possible. Universities must not only convince overseas students that they are welcome in the UK but that they'll be looked after once they've arrived.
There's no denying that international student recruitment is complex, costly and competitive. So how are universities coping with the challenge? According to Nik Miller, alumni engagement officer at the University of York, "Smart institutions are investing, looking towards their growing alumni communities overseas to boost their international efforts."
With universities diverting more of their funds towards marketing and recruitment departments, these teams are having to get creative in how they represent not only their institution, but the British education system as a whole.
The key to a successful student recruitment strategy is thinking about "what you communicate, to whom, and how," according to Richard Levin, executive director of enrolment services and university registration at the University of Toronto in Canada. "Messages must be consistent and clear and authentic," he says. A university that asks itself the right questions is more likely to provide answers that students want to hear.
From social media and easy-to-navigate university websites, to recruitment fairs and university branding, in this week's live chat we want to discuss best practice in international recruitment. What works and what doesn't? And what are the roles of agents and international offices in promoting study in the UK.
Join our online discussion in partnership with ETS TOEFL Friday 27 September from 12-2pm BST. You can also follow the debate live on Twitter using the hashtag #HElivechat.
Panel
Sandy Bhangal is associate director of client relations at ETS Global UK.
Daniel Stevens is the international students' officer for the National Union of Students. @dc_stevens
Pam Murria is assistant director of the international office at Birmingham City University.
Jeanine Gregersen-Hermans is director of student recruitment at the University of Hull.
Aurelie Phommarack is international recruitment officer at Salford University.
Gavin Newman is managing director of ivent and also heads up their sub-brand OnlinEd, which designs and delivers online virtual student recruitment events and open days for UK universities.
Neil Johnson is head of marketing for educate and a student recruitment specialist. @neil_educate
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