Do You Know Your Unique Selling Points – and

Does Anyone Else?

Dr Neil Kemp, International Education Consultant and

Visiting Fellow, University of London

INTERNATIONALISATION

TNE AND

DISTANCE DELIVERY

ARTICULATION

CAMPUSES

COLLABORATIVE

DELIVERY

STUDENTS

STUDENT

MOBILITY

PARTNERSHIPS

STUDENT

EXCHANGES

CURRICULUM

- COURSES - TEACHING

RESEARCH

COOPERATION

DEPARTMENT

- INSTITUTIONAL

STAFF

TEACHING

COOPERATION

STAFF

EXCHANGES

STAFF

RECRUITMENT

LANGUAGES –

COUNTRY STUDIES

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT

RECRUITMENT

International student recruitment

• Tremendous opportunities

– 2006-07 new enrolments up in

• US by 10%

• UK by 8%

• Australia by 4%

• BUT competition gets tougher – students

spoilt for choice!

• Need strategic approach underpinned by

investment

Global Trend in HE Students Studying Outside their Home Country

(OECD data)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

Trends in demand by level of study – UK data

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

03 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

PG research

PG taught First degree

Other undergraduate

MARKETING

and the P words!

•Product

•Place

•Price

•Position – differentiate!

•Promotion

The importance of BRAND

A unique and identifiable symbol or name, which serves to

differentiate competing products. Both a physical and

emotional trigger to create a relationship between

customers and the product

– Not just a logo

– Key messages - set of values

– Unique Selling Points (USPs)

– Differentiate from competitors

Some USPs in the global education market.....

•Quality – but all say this!

•‘Leading research university’

•World’s ‘Top Hundred’

•Examples – subject areas – big name researchers

•Nobel laureates

•Quality of student experience – accessibility - friendly

•Affordable – scholarships, fees, living costs

•Graduate employability – applied programmes – business links

•International, Global networks/partners (eg Universitas 21 etc)

and a few others.....

•Location:

•Paris, London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Madrid,

•(or Singapore, LA, Beijing)

•Environmentally friendly – world’s ‘Green University’

•Lifestyle

•Sun – beach

•Culture – UK’s ‘golden triangle’

•Hollywood – or Bollywood

•Language – English programmes

The Values

• Tradition matched by innovation:

• Career enhancing academic quality:

• The value of the individual:

• Variety, choice and consistency:

• Language, culture and society:

• An investment for the future:

HOW MANY GLOBAL BRANDS IN

HIGHER EDUCATION?

•What emotions are conveyed?

•What key messages - USPs?

•Differentiate from competitors?

Level of study

Student Country of Origin

Subject of study

International Students: The Education Marketing Mix

National Brands!

Important in international education!

(spot any USPs?)

Connecting with students!

•Who are they?

•How do they communicate?

•Are international students different?

Generation Y• Grown up with

• Web, blogging, downloads, instant messaging

• podcast

• mobile phones

• Multi-task, multi view

– TV - channel hop

– Multiple TVs

– DVDs

• Tolerant: of multi-culturalism and internationalisation, gay rights and social change

• 80s and 90s falling birth rates, smaller families, focus on immediate family

• Greater family wealth

What information sources most used?

• Websites – national and institutional

• Friends

• Alumni

• Family

• Current staff/tutor

• Adverts – media

• Events - exhibitions

• Staff visits

• Local offices – DAAD, British Council, NUFFIC

• In-country activities - TNE

1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

Research quality

Reputation

Teaching quality

University scholarship/ bursary

Cost of study

Course length

Personal safety

Recommendation

Response time

Location

Social life

Work opportunities

Social atmosphere

Friends here

Main factors influencing selection of a UK institution for PG

research

Source: International Student Barometer UK

40%

35%

32%

22%

20%

20%

16%

16%

16%

10%

10%

8%

7%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

University website

Friends

Teacher / tutor

Prospectus

University visit

Parents

Staff at a presentation

Alumni

Current students

Sponsor

Education UK website

League tables

British council

Source: International Student Barometer UK

Main information and influencers on choice of UK institution

for PG research

university websites will NEED to………

……..demonstrate student life, faculty expertise

and quality of education is necessary. What the

(institution’s site) will provide is the hub of the

wheel .…..

……. need to manage their presence at Flickr,

Youtube or whatever the latest trend is. But they

should be designed to pull the user back to the

main site.

Comments from blogs on university websites

AGAIN -

MARKETING and those P words!

•Product

•Place

•Price

•Position – differentiate!

•Promotion

International promotion and recruitment:

working with the private sector:

Some approaches:

• Education agents

• Private companies for recruitment and

foundation programmes

• Delivering TNE with private companies

s

•How do you know?

•What will you do?

Market research in target countries

Check current students – or others in nearby

institutions

Hits on website – tracking visitors

Improve meta-tags

Is it working?

AGAIN -

MARKETING and those P words!

•Product

•Place

•Price

•Position – differentiate!

•Promotion

Communicating:

this is tedious – thank goodness the DVDs coming!

The Values

• Tradition matched by innovation:

• Career enhancing academic quality:

• The value of the individual:

• Variety, choice and consistency:

• Language, culture and society:

• An investment for the future:

Thank you!

Dr Neil Kemp

neil.kemp@nkeducation.com