Gateway
International Enrollment Management
Let Gateway help you enhance your international enrollment management strategy.
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At Gateway, we understand that many institutions are increasingly committed to bolstering their international recruitment and enrollment management strategies as a way to sustainably increase international student growth. These institutions recognize the academic and cultural value international students bring to their campuses as well as the financial contributions made to their communities. Through our consultation and support services grounded in industry best practices and next generation thinking, Gateway is well-positioned to provide effective guidance to institutions aiming to enhance their strategic international enrollment strategies. Let Gateway help your institution grow, retain and graduate successful international students.
Internationalization and creating global campuses is becoming more essential for institutions to survive and thrive. A comprehensive strategic international recruitment strategy at the undergraduate and graduate levels then becomes a compelling part of the overall recruitment and enrollment plans for institutional success. At Gateway, our areas of strength are focused on all aspects of international enrollment management, including recruitment, retention and alumni engagement.
If enrolling international students is a part of your strategy to achieve enrollment success, then Gateway is the right partner to help you develop and refine your international student recruitment strategy. Gateway’s team of international enrollment management experts can help you use data to create a recruitment strategy that takes into consideration the international landscape, student market, and campus resources. Gateway will provide support in developing, executing and measuring the success of your strategic plan.
How we recruit international students relies heavily on effective marketing and communications planning. We know that students expect to see information on the web and want to use their smart phones for transactional and informational communication. Gateway can introduce you to effective digital marketing strategies to help you connect and engage with students all over the world. From personalized marketing to innovative communication strategies, Gateway can guide you in planning and creating an omnichannel marketing and communications strategy to reach the right students for your institution.
There is more student behavior and mobility data available now than ever before. The sheer volume of accessible data across a multitude of platforms can be challenging to navigate and use effectively. Given tight budgets and the need to find the right students, Gateway’s experts help you use data effectively for content development, website optimization, and new market evaluation. Assisting you with knowing where to find and how to use data to communicate with and attract students to apply to your institution is our goal.
It is common practice for prospective students to consult a local agent when seeking placement in a university or college abroad. In some countries, 60 to 80% of international students are assisted by third-party agents. As such, there are hundreds of agents that operate throughout the world that provide a range of services focused on recruiting, advising and supporting qualified students to study abroad. There are different types of agents, the majority generally represent a selected number of educational institutions, often specializing in specific programs or destinations. Similarly, there are many online recruitment platforms and advertising venues that can be effectively utilized for recruitment. Forming partnerships with trustworthy international recruitment partners is often an essential part of a successful strategic plan. Utilizing our knowledge and vast network of providers, Gateway can help your institution with establish meaningful partnerships to create a sustainable pipeline of highly qualified students.
A pathway program allows international students who want to study in the U.S. to pursue intensive ESL training while also taking credit-bearing instruction that counts toward their degrees. Pathway programs provide students the opportunity to acclimate to the U.S. and U.S. higher education and complete language preparation designed to move students successfully through the first year of a degree program. Most pathways programs also provide student support services for academic skill development and specialized advising. Pathway providers are educational organizations that recruit, place and advise students for a co-developed and -operated pathway. Whether you decide to develop your own pathway or partner with an existing pathway provider, Gateway can help you navigate the complexity of international pathway programming.
Gateway can facilitate the assessment of your admissions processes from prospecting to enrollment. Leveraging admissions best practices and industry knowledge, Gateway is well-positioned to assist you with utilizing new directions in enrollment management technology and next generation admission processes to more effectively engage and yield international students no matter where they land in your admissions funnel.
Who better to represent your institution than alumni? They are engaged, know the ropes and are proud of their educational experience at their alma mater. Alumni recruitment can be one of the most effective means to generate interest, applications and create overseas relationships that support enrollment and partnership development and career opportunities. Let Gateway help you develop and grow your team of alumni recruiters and ambassadors. And see what can happen when you have dedicated boots on the ground who can speak from first-hand experience about their educational and other experiences at your institution.
Although national trends suggest that the demand for intensive English programming is diminishing, many institutions must still offer ESL instruction as part of a sustainable international student recruitment strategy. This may involve developing a revenue-generating Intensive English Program (IEP) and/or providing continuing ESL support to enrolled students. At some institutions, it will be similarly important to provide ESL testing, intercultural training, student orientation, teacher training, and other related services. Let Gateway support you with re-envisioning your strategy for English language programming.
It is important for most institutions to maintain relationships with sponsoring agencies and continually explore expanded opportunities to host sponsored students. There are many governments (U.S. or international), international organizations, public or private companies, and other third-party entities that provide partial or full support to students, including costs associated with tuition, fees, living expenses and other amenities. Gateway is the perfect partner to help you develop and grow your sponsored student portfolio.
Just as important as international student recruitment is, the institution’s ability to retain and graduate all international students is vital. The first-to-second year retention rate of international students and graduation rates can often be less than domestic students. Whether undergraduate, graduate or professional, it is essential that all international students that choose to study at your institution are satisfied with their education and are retained to graduation. Gateway is well positioned to provide you with industry best practices for international student retention. (Also see, International Student and Scholar Services – Gateway International Group)
What follows are twenty strategies that to varying degrees are commonly utilized in international student recruitment efforts. Not all strategies are immediately feasible for some institutions and some require extensive institution-wide collaboration and varying levels of upfront financial investment. Consider allowing Gateway to support your institution with framing your international student recruitment
strategy.
International Enrollment Management Strategy
Consultation & Support Services
Training & Development
Gateway works with a diverse array of institutions and organizations around the world. Our services are customized to our partner institutions’ needs and budgets. Gateway particularly welcomes institutions and organizations located outside of the United States, with whom we can also assist with international admissions and enrollment management systems and structures. We are here to help.
Gateway’s services should not be perceived as legal counsel or advice, but rather as an advisory function to help your institution align with best practices in the international education industry. Gateway is well-equipped to provide trusted guidance, but ultimately your institution determines whether to implement any recommendations provided by Gateway.
In June 2020, Gateway International Group conducted an industry-wide survey of IEM professionals with the goal of identifying some of the most prominent leaders in the IEM space today, with a predominant focus on the U.S. higher education marketplace. This compilation illustrates the results of that survey, suggesting that there are at least nine broad categories of potential partners essential to successful international enrollment management today, with each playing a distinctive and complementary role.
It can be intimidating to look at all the different providers filling the exhibit hall at your next conference and wonder what to make of each. How are they different? Do I really need the service or solution they’re offering? Where to begin?
To answer these questions, consider the typical student journey: every enrolled student heard of you for the first time, conducted research about your institution to learn more, applied (maybe with assistance), was admitted, and decided to enroll. They got their visa and got on the plane, too! Now overlay these touchpoints onto a classic enrollment funnel. At the very top, we see the first steps of the journey with the student discovering you and building awareness. Who is responsible for building awareness of the institution internally? Is this person or team focused on international student recruitment, or prospective students more generally? How do you measure their success?
As you progress through the stages that follow, from more serious research and Q&A to application and avoiding the dreaded “summer melt” (where accepted students decide to go elsewhere or vanish altogether), consider your institution’s internal capacity to meet student needs. Some providers offer solutions that target a particular stage of the enrollment funnel. Are you resourced to support each stage effectively? To do so, you need adequate staffing, budget and expertise in an increasingly competitive environment. You may find that you lack the staffing to handle the volume of inquiries you receive, or that you lack the budget to crisscross the globe attending every single fair and recruitment event. Now you have a basis for engaging an external organization to get some help (whether a product vendor, partner or somewhere in between).
Cut through the elevator pitch jargon and ask third-party organizations which part of the enrollment funnel their solutions address. You’ll find a mix of boutique specialists (think of a small recruitment agency with a strong history and track record in a single priority market), and (increasingly) a range of broad-based offerings that support many or most stages of the enrollment funnel, from digital brand-building and lead generation to student counseling, peer-to-peer advising and yield efforts. If you don’t know what your priority markets are, you might need to look outside the funnel altogether and consider whether your data sources are adequate (longitudinal enrollment data from within the institution is a good start, but doesn’t do much to identify new opportunities). Before assessing whether you’re doing enough in-house to build your brand and generate awareness, consider if you even know where you ought to be doing so, and how you came to that conclusion.
To know with whom you should be working, you need a strong sense of what you need help with and where on the funnel you’re falling behind. In an environment where many providers are saying similar things, having a clear sense of your own capabilities (and limits) is the right place to start.
David L. Di Maria has helped develop international education programs at public universities in the USA for nearly fifteen years. His experiences range from directing international admissions across an eight-campus system to serving as senior international officer at an R1 flagship institution. His latest book is Achieving More with Less: Lean Management in the International Students Office.
Advisory Consultant
We will conduct an initial intake and needs assessment to discuss how best Gateway can support your needs.
Gateway and the partner institution will identify and assign primary liaisons to ensure effective and streamlined communication.
Gateway and the partner institution will negotiate a detailed services agreement in accordance with an agreed upon scope of services.
If needed, Gateway will seek an introduction and orientation to your institution’s current institutional systems, structures, and protocols vis-à-vis the scope of requested services.
For all contracted services, as appropriate, Gateway will prepare final written reports on services rendered and recommendations proposed.
Depending on the nature of the assignment, Gateway will conduct periodic review and assessment meetings to discuss provided services and make modifications as needed.
Gateway understands the financial impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on institutions and organizations around the world and as such, prioritizes efficiency and affordability in our pricing. Our prices are flexible and tailored, generally determined on project scope and expectations. Gateway is prepared to navigate future uncertainties in higher education in partnership with our clients and be as flexible as possible in the best interests of our partnerships. Contracts are typically fixed term and based on a one-time, predetermined fee.
Gateway International Group has made the commitment to allocate 5% of revenue to support traditionally underrepresented student participation in international learning and engagement. We have designated the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) as a recipient of funds gathered through Gateway’s Virtual Education Abroad Office. FEA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented in U.S. education abroad.
Developing Strategic International Partnerships: Models for Initiating and Sustaining Innovative Institutional Linkages. Edited by Susan Buck Sutton and Daniel Obst.
Gateway stands ready to work with you on providing affordable, cost-effective solutions to meet your international enrollment management needs. Contact us today to start the conversation and learn more about ou`r innovative approaches for enhancing the full spectrum of education abroad programming and operations.
So that we can connect you with the appropriate Gateway professional, please complete this brief intake form.
Education Abroad Faculty Toolkit
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Education Abroad Provider Directory
David L. Di Maria has helped develop international education programs at public universities in the USA for nearly fifteen years. His experiences range from directing international admissions across an eight-campus system to serving as senior international officer at an R1 flagship institution.
As a scholar-practitioner, Di Maria frequently presents and consults on critical issues affecting international education administration. He is also the author, co-author or editor of more than 40 publications. His latest book, Achieving More with Less: Lean Management in the International Students Office, focuses on low cost strategies institutional leaders can apply to increase capacity and optimize results of international student programs.
Di Maria earned a doctorate from the University of Minnesota, where his research focused on campus services for international students.
Gateway Service Areas:
– International Enrollment Management
– Lean Process Improvement
– Internationalization Strategy
– Agency-based Recruitment
George F. Kacenga, PhD, has been a champion for the value of higher education for over twenty-years. He is currently the Vice President of Enrollment Management at William Paterson University of New Jersey. He recently worked as the AVP of University Partnerships with M Square Media. Kacenga has served as an Executive Director for Undergraduate Admissions and Senior International Officer (SIO) in the Purdue University System, in addition to working at the University of Colorado Denver and the University of Pittsburgh. His experience includes domestic and international recruitment, education abroad, intensive English, and global partnerships throughout a career that includes positions with public, private, and highly ranked academic institutions. A Fulbright Administrator Award recipient, Kacenga holds a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction, and a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in Social and Comparative Analysis in Education. His expertise has been further honed through engagement as a community member, including professional roles and participation in AIRC (Past-President), NAFSA, TAICEP, NACAC, AACRAO, AIEA, and FEA.
Steven Boyd earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Excelsior College and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Bridgeport.
After living in Latin America for 20 years, where he was employed as a teacher, translator, simultaneous interpreter and conference organizer, Mr. Boyd entered the field of higher education as an International Admissions Counselor at the University of Bridgeport. While there he worked in both domestic and international admissions as Director of Graduate Admissions, Assistant Director of the English Language Institute, and Director of International Admissions. Most recently, he worked at the University of New Haven as Executive Director of Graduate and International Admissions, overseeing all aspects of domestic graduate and international admissions. His leadership was key in preserving both institutions as leaders in international enrollment.
Mr. Boyd’s expertise lies in strategic international recruitment and market development, including the execution of armchair and in-country recruitment initiatives. He is highly skilled in the implementation of successful agent networks based on responsible ethical and professional practices, as well as the implementation of university-to-university partnerships. His university travels have taken him to 60 countries.
Mr. Boyd is Past President of the American International Recruitment Council (AIRC) and was a member of the AIRC Board of Directors from 2017-2020. Steve has been an active member of several organizations in the field of international education including NAFSA, AIEA, and EAIE.
He is a frequent presenter on strategic international recruitment and market development in India, China, Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, and Asia at conferences organized by NAFSA, IIE, NACUBO, AIRC, IC3, EducationUSA Forum, ICEF, and others.
Gateway Service Areas:
– International student recruitment
– Agent network management
– International partnerships
– International admissions
Dive into a nuanced exploration of the global discourse surrounding higher education in the United States. Join us for a panel discussion with esteemed international educators as we embark on a journey through the lenses of culture and international perspective, examining how global audiences interpret and engage with the ‘anti-woke’ discourse within the context of U.S. higher education. This engaging panel discussion will delve into the intersections of culture, ideology, and education, and the complex landscape of how international audiences perceive the ‘anti-woke’ narrative that has emerged within U.S. academia.
Whether you’re a senior international officer, or simply curious about the diverse viewpoints shaping U.S. higher education, this podcast episode will provide an invaluable space for critical analysis and insightful conversations.
Fanta Aw is a distinguished leader in international education, renowned for her extensive contributions to global learning, cross-cultural understanding, and educational equity. With a deep commitment to fostering connections between diverse cultures and promoting educational excellence, she has significantly impacted the international education community.
Fanta Aw’s career has been characterized by her dedication to advancing global education initiatives, promoting diversity and inclusion, and nurturing partnerships that transcend borders. She has held influential roles in various organizations, advocating for the importance of international collaboration and learning experiences that empower individuals to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.
As a thought leader and visionary, Fanta Aw’s insights and expertise have shaped discussions on the future of international education, emphasizing the significance of equitable access, cultural exchange, and lifelong learning. Her work has not only elevated institutions but has also inspired countless individuals to embrace the transformative power of global education.
Date: September 14th, 2023
Time: 12 noon ET
An experienced global researcher and administrator, Mark Beirn brings a critical approach to risk management, factoring structural racism and identity-based violence into his rubric for supporting equitable global mobility.
Specialization Areas:
– Global Risk Management
– Education Abroad
– Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in International Education
– Health and Safety
– Curriculum Development
Stephen Appiah-Padi is an international educator with several years of teaching and administrative experience in both 4 and 2-year HEIs. An experienced global education practitioner-scholar, with a demonstrated history of success in the field.
Dr. Appiah-Padi has a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada in Educational Policy & Administration with a specialization in International/Intercultural Education.
At Northwestern College, he provided oversight in the administration of education abroad and international student services. In Lansing, Michigan, he first oversaw diversity and intercultural education at Lansing Community College, and later created the Center for International and Intercultural Education (CIIE) which merged intercultural engagement and international education programs of the institution, and he became its first director. Additionally, Dr. Appiah-Padi taught a course, “Diversity in the American Workplace”, to undergraduate management students of the College. In his current position, he provides leadership and vision in advancing strategic internationalization initiatives, including international partnerships and study abroad programs at Bucknell University.
Dr Appiah-Padi has created and facilitated several workshops for faculty and staff development in higher education and in business organizations. He has presented at several national and international conferences. In NAFSA, among several volunteer leadership positions, he has served as Dean of the Fundamentals of Intercultural Communication Workshop, the Leadership Development Committee member, Chair of the Africa Special Interest Group, and a Fellow of the Global Fellowship Program for mentoring emerging leaders of internationalization in African HEIs. He currently serves as a member of the NAFSA Board of Directors.
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Dr. Rosa Almoguera has worked as an international educator for over twenty years. She was trained as a Hispanic Philologist at the Universidad Complutense, in Madrid, and did her M.A. at the University of Pennsylvania. Her Ph.D., from Universidad Complutense included a field study and edition of written balladry “Romancero”. During many years Rosa combined teaching and her role as a senior administrator at the Fundación Ortega-Marañón in Toledo, Spain. At the Foundation, Rosa directed and, in many cases created, programs for the University of Minnesota, Notre Dame, Princeton, Ohio State, Arcadia, and the University of Chicago. She has also been a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota, University of Portland, and Interamericana de Puerto Rico.
Beginning in 2016, Rosa works as an international education consultant for both public and private European and US higher education institutions. Rosa has been successful in developing new partnerships and programs, as well as helping improve already existing ones.
Rosa is a member of Forum and NAFSA and has presented with higher education professionals on innovative academic and research programming, STEM in study abroad and Nationalism in Europe. Rosa is currently completing the final Professional Certification from the Forum on Education Abroad.
