CA ETEC formalizes alliance with ICEF to help U.S. institutions meet vetted overseas study agents

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2011 ICEF North American Workshop Miami, Florida

As part of its goal to promote the US as a study destination, CA ETEC is committed to the proliferation of resources and opportunities that give US education providers a competitive advantage in the international education market. As part of this mandate, CA ETEC maintains an alliance with ICEF; the world’s leading organizer of educator-agent networking events, including the ICEF North America Workshop, an event connecting US educators with fully vetted, international educational agents.

Since its first occurrence, the ICEF North America Workshop has expanded vigorously every year. In 2011, this workshop grew by an impressive 17%, stimulated by a 29% increase in the number of attending higher education institutions, who now constitute the largest educational sector represented at the workshop (38% – the other participants being evenly divided between secondary and language schools). This numbers demonstrate an unmistakable growing tendency among educators to embrace educational agents as a reliable source of high quality international students.

In total, the ICEF Miami 2011 Workshop hosted 661 participants, including 217 North American educational institutions (USA 151, Canada 55, International 11), 38 exhibitors and 304 student recruitment agents from 57 countries around the world.

These agents must pass a rigorous screening procedure in order to attend; among other things, they must submit detailed references from North American partners, and provide information on the number of students they have sent to North America in the last year.

The top Agent countries represented were: China, India, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Turkey, Germany, UK, Vietnam, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Nigeria.

Access to high quality student recruitment agents is not the only reason why a large and increasing number of educators choose to attend ICEF events; participants at these workshops also benefit from market intelligence seminars and informal networking occasions, which provide market intelligence and insider tips for the critical edge in international student recruitment.

As part of the alliance with ICEF, CA ETEC attends the ICEF North America workshop as an exhibitor, which allows us to draw attention to our members and promote California as a study destination to hundreds of highly professional educational agents.

In addition, CA ETEC’s arrangement with ICEF allows us to provide participating institutions from California with advantageous pricing discounts.

The 2012 ICEF North America Workshop – Miami, will take place at Loews Miami Beach Hotel from December 02 – 04.

For more information on ICEF events go to www.icef.com, for special pricing available to CA ETEC members, contact Diana Forman at dforman@icef.com

CA ETEC to introduce the Vietnam Education and Training Center(VETEC™) at the 2012 NAFSA Conference- A new model for expanding student recruitment and exchange

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California ETEC will be introducing VETEC™ at the 2012 NAFSA Conference in Houston, Texas.   The Vietnam Education and Training Center(VETEC™) is a collaborative partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, to provide U.S. education institutions an in-country marketing platform to begin or expand student recruitment efforts  in Vietnam.   VETEC™ will offer many advantages to schools seeking to pro-actively engage the Vietnam market including:

  • Prime Office location in Ho Chi Minh City
  • Timely market research and intelligence gathering
  • Bi-lingual, experienced staff
  • High impact branding and promotions
  • Exclusive promotion of U.S. Education and Training

VETEC™ does not accept commissions for student placements and offers an alternative recruitment strategy for schools limited to-date with either working through study agents or participating in high-cost, low yield study fairs.

Please visit our booth,  # 1311

http://acsearch.nafsa.org/exhibitors.aspx

 

Recruiting Students in Thailand- Fall Event Package in Bankgok, October 26-28th, 2012

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OCSC Fair in Bangkok, Thailand

For the eighth consecutive year,  California ETEC( CA ETEC) is cooperating with the Thai Government,  Office of Civil Service Commission(OCSC) to coordinate a US presence and to maximize effectiveness of participation in the OCSC International Education Fair,  October 26-28th.  This annual event in Bangkok draws more than 25,000 student attendees and provides the opportunity  to meet individually with Thai Scholars ( top students granted full-ride scholarships from various Thai Ministries).

Full Support Package includes:

  • Individual appointments with Thai Scholars
  • Exclusive Study Agent Networking Event- pre-set meetings with TIECA study agents
  • Booth Registration
  • Localization package( including booth graphics and Thai-English interpreters)
  • Literature facilitation and other on-site logistical support

A follow-on promotion in Vietnam supported by CA ETEC’s VETEC Center                         ( www.vetecusa.com) is also available to U.S. schools.  

For further event details and registration please contact: info@californiaetec.com 


Beyond the money trail! U.S. schools should consider long-range internationalization goals before expanding foreign student recruitment efforts.

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California ETEC awarded President's E-Award for Exporting Excellence

An ever growing number of academic and vocational schools  in the United States are seeking to  test the international student recruitment waters,  largely driven by the need to make up for budget shortfalls and seek “full freight” tuition revenues paid by foreign students.   This is not a surprise as international student recruitment is a big business- bringing more than $20 billion a year into the U.S. economy.

While the allure of increased revenues is enticing,  California ETEC has learned repeatedly that U.S. institutions seeking to expand student recruitment efforts must first establish a longer range internationalization vision for the campus in order to succeed with the more narrow goal of increasing foreign student recruitment.    Some of the common traits of schools succeeding in expanding campus-wide internationalization efforts are documented below.

Key success factors for sustaining international student recruitment success:

  • Historical commitment by the host institution to grow international student population, including ongoing funding and staffing support
  • Campus-wide commitment to support internationalization efforts include faculty participation in exchange and study abroad programs
  • Strong integration of Intensive English Programs(IEP)  on or nearby campus
  • Strong student services in-place to support international students, including affordable housing
  • Leveraging diverse community populations and strong diasporas of emerging markets

California ETEC provides strategic consulting services for U.S. institutions seeking to develop long-range plans to expand international student recruitment and campus-wide internationalization.

A Contrarian View on Japan

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In international student outreach circles today, a preponderance of attention is devoted to China, India, Vietnam and Korea – and for good reason. Seasoned practitioners and newcomers to the field alike know that large and growing numbers of students from these countries are currently studying in the U.S. What’s more, shrinking budgets are forcing international recruitment professionals to adopt low cost, high impact strategies. Focusing on the aforementioned countries seems like a logical step.But what about Japan? While recruitment experimentation in unproven areas may be considered a comparably low Return On Investment proposition, Japan is anything but unproven. To be sure, we have witnessed a significant decline in Japanese student enrollments in the U.S. over the past 5-10 years:

Academic Year    Japanese students in the U.S.
2001-02         46,810
2002-03         45,960
2003-04         40,835
2004-05         42,215
2005-06         38,712
2006-07         35,282
2007-08         33,974
2008-09         29,264
2009-10         24,842
2010-11         21,290

Data from Open Doors: http://www.iie.org/Research-and-Publications/Open-Doors/Data/International-Students/Leading-Places-of-Origin

However, in absolute terms Japan today is #7 on the Open Doors list of leading sending countries. And, it is #4 among both intensive English language programs and community colleges, respectively.

Savvy investors routinely boast of how their success derived from buying when others were selling (and refraining from doing the opposite.) Forgive the rough-edged metaphor, but could investing in Japan be effective, counterintuitive though it may feel?

Like any relationship worth having, partnerships with Japanese schools, agencies, and others – from Hokkaido to Kyushu – reveal their true value slowly, and over time. At Ohlone College we have taken the long view in Japan, and we’ve seen results. While modest in absolute terms, we are pleased with our Japanese student enrollment growth: about 2 dozen more Japanese students today than 5 years prior. What’s more, we see credible signs that this growth will continue.

A little more than a year ago a Tokyo-based colleague asked me if schools in the U.S. were giving up on Japan. Looking back on that now, the question pains me a bit, for 2 reasons: 1) I felt the answer in some cases might be yes; and 2) I don’t think it has to be.

Post authored by California ETEC Board Member- Eddie West,  Dean of Counseling and International Programs,  Ohlone College, Fremont, CA.

 

English Language Program Accreditation Requirements as of Summer 2012- F-1 Visa Students Beware

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SEVIS issued an informational bulletin on April 20, 2012 that will have a dramatic impact on current and future F-1 visa students.     Student advisors and current and future international students need to be aware that beginning June 1st, 2012 many schools ( primarily private ESL schools) who currently issue I-20′s for ESL study in America may lose their right to host international students!  Please see the SEVP bulletin below.    If you have any questions as to whether your current of prospective school is legally allowed to enroll international students,  please contact the US Consulate in your host country or ETEC .

SEVP Notice-  April 20, 2012

English Language training programs of study (e.g. English as a second language (ESL) programs) should take note that a new law has taken effect. In accordance with the Accreditation of English Language Training Programs Act (Accreditation Act) all English Language training programs of study certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) must be accredited or have applied for accreditation before December 15, 2011, by a regional or national accrediting agency that is currently recognized by the Department of Education (ED). In accordance with the Accreditation Act, SEVP is examining two types of English Language training programs of study for compliance with the Accreditation Act. The first are stand-alone programs and the second are combined programs of study, which are programs of study affiliated with another SEVP-certified institution either through a contract or incorporated into the institution’s offered curriculum. Stand-alone English Language training programs of study SEVP is currently issuing Notices of Intent to Withdraw to stand-alone English Language training programs of study not in compliance with the Accreditation Act. A Notice of Intent to Withdraw is an official notification to the English Language training program that it must submit evidence, within 30 days of the date of service, that the English Language training program is in compliance with the Accreditation Act. English Language training programs that fail to submit adequate evidence of compliance will have their SEVP certification withdrawn and will not be eligible to enroll nonimmigrant students nor be able to issue Forms I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” for English Language training programs of study. Combined English Language training programs of study Combined English Language training programs of study will receive an out of cycle review. An out of cycle review requires a school to submit evidence to SEVP within 30 days of service of the notice or be found to be out of compliance with SEVP requirements. Combined schools who cannot meet the evidence requirements of an out of cycle review will receive a corrective action plan from SEVP requesting the removal of their ESL program from the school’s Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student,” and will have to stop issuing Forms I-20 for their ESL program. Combined school who do not comply with the corrective action plan will receive a Notice of Intent to Withdraw and may subsequently have their SEVP certification withdrawn. Guidance for Students and School Officials On May 18, 2011, SEVP distributed a Broadcast Message informing the academic community about the Accreditation Act and its requirements. School officials have an ongoing responsibility to inform their nonimmigrant students about the Accreditation Act and its specific requirements. Nonimmigrant students currently enrolled in an ESL program of study whose certification is withdrawn, or whose school is no longer eligible to issue Forms I-20 for English Language training, will be notified via their current U.S. address listed on their Form I-20.Those students will have the following options: 1. Finish out their current session and transfer to another SEVP-certified institution’s ESL Depart the country after completion of the current session. For those nonimmigrant students who do not want to transfer, they will be required to depart the country within 30 days of the completion of their current session. Failure of a student to transfer or depart the country, per guidance above, will result in a termination of that student’s Form I-20. T

International Students are finding the merits of U.S. Community Colleges

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When I faced the decision many high seniors are grapping with today as they decide where to pursue a higher education,  the community college route  was non-starter.  In my home town,  a junior college( as known in the 80’s) was just that- a last resort for students who were low achievers  in high school. Things have radically changed in the past 25 years and it seems that community colleges have finally ascended to an exalted place in the eyes of students, parents and the higher education community.   In fact,  the Obama Administration recently announced major federal funding increases to enhance program delivery and vocational training at U.S. community colleges.

What exactly is a Community College?

Primarily, these schools are publicly-funded facilities offering higher education to anyone who is interested, especially those in the local community. A community college traditionally offers certificates, diplomas and/or Associate’s degrees in several courses of study. At many community colleges, credits can be transferred to a four-year university for those students seeking a Bachelor’s degree. Students who attend community colleges often come from a variety backgrounds and purposes including high school students participating in dual enrollment programs to adults who are seeking a career change or skills enhancement for career advancement.   In the past few years,  the domestic and international student seeking academic pathway into a four-year university has been a fast growing segment of the community college population.

Community Colleges are widespread in the U.S., particularly in the State of California

As of January 2012,  there were more than 1100 community colleges operating around the United States.  California, alone,  hosts 112 community colleges and some college districts span entire metropolitan basins, such as Los Angeles City College District.  Community colleges enroll more than seven million students nationwide, including nearly 2 million students enrolled in community colleges in the State of California . International students are also a fast growing segment whom make up as much as 15% of the student enrollment on some campuses.  In fact, the latest Open Doors Report( 2010-2011) indicated nearly 90,000 international students were enrolled at U.S. Community Colleges .

What is the allure for international students?

  • Vocational training programs that feed into local and global industries needs- Aviation,  Business Management, Fashion Design, Hospitality/Tourism,  Logistics,  and Nursing.
  • Transfer pathway into leading four-year undergraduate programs- community colleges and four-year institutions, including the UC system, have formalized transfer admission guarantees(TAG).
  • Affordable Cost-  U.S. community college tuition and fees are approximately 50% lower than those at 4-year colleges and universities.
  • A good starting point for students who have TOEFL or IELTS scores below requirements of traditional 4-year institutions.    Many community colleges have strong intensive English language programs and programs that allow international students to quickly mainstream into academic classes.

Community Colleges importance promoted by the U.S. Government overseas. 

The growing importance of community colleges has also been acknowledged the U.S. Department of State.  EducationUSA offices are increasingly coordinating stand-alone fairs to promote community colleges overseas and even the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs has created a J1 exchange program- Community College Initiative- dedicated to promoting the merits of community colleges overseas.  California ETEC co-administrated  this program from 2008-2011, a program that brought 1000 Egyptian students to 16 host colleges in California and another 25+ community colleges around the United States.

Most importantly,  visa approvals appear to be way up for community college applicants around the globe.   As  community colleges step-up student recruitment efforts globally,  more foreign students will begin their study in the U.S. at 2 year institutions.  As acknowledgement of the role community colleges are expected to play recruiting and preparing prospective 4-year students globally,  many 4-year institutions have begun efforts to develop joint-promotion strategies and expand TAG agreements with partner community colleges.    California ETEC will encourage such cooperative efforts and aggressively promote the benefits of community colleges in our promotions throughout Asia. 

 

 

Attracting Government Funded Scholars and J1 Sponsored Students to your campus

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A growing consideration in today’s international student attraction planning is how U.S. schools can gain a share of foreign government scholars and J-1 scholars sponsored by the U.S. government.   If one examines the most recent SEVIS Quarterly Report , it is no surprise that Saudi students are now the 4th leading source of international students in the United States, exceeding 43% grow in 2010-2011.  The break neck rise of Saudi scholars in the U.S. directly corresponds with the edict of the King Abdullah in 2004  to increase the number of Saudis, particularly women, studying in Western countries.

Government funding of overseas study to the U.S. is  not isolated to Saudi Arabia, in fact in the past several years several other Gulf States, newly liberated Arab countries and even developed countries have announced or launched well coordinated scholarship programs.  Countries actively supporting and funding overseas scholarships include:

  • Bahrain
  • Chile
  • Iraq
  • Finland
  • Kuwait
  • Libya
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Sweden
  • UAE

In addition to the tapping the largess of foreign governments,  the U.S. government sponsors thousands of students each year under J1 programs managed by the State Department’s  Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs.   One such program,  Community College Initiative, was launched in 2008 and brings students from more than 15 countries for 1 year academic study and cultural enrichment.   California ETEC served as co-administrator of the California  CCI Egypt program from 2009-2011 that brought 200 Egyptian students to 15 different host community colleges.    For many of the host campuses, this was their first experience having Egyptian students on campus and hosting J1 students.

While the point of this post is not to dwell on the challenges that funded scholars bring to campus, it is important to note that government funded students are more than likely going to require more support than the typical F-1 student who is self-funded.

Below are a few lessons learned hosting funded scholars from the Egypt/Middle East

a) be prepared to provide high-touch support

b) pre-arrival academic counseling and placement test evaluation a must

c) address housing, meal and other lifestyle matters prior to student

arrival

d) establish a clear line of communication with funded scholars and designate

and acknowledge contact points for all aspects of academic and student life

on campus

e)  Good Luck!

 

How to start the process to identify opportunities to  host funded scholars?

We suggest you consider a visit to Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission and other Gulf States equivalents in Washington DC.   You will also find representatives from all Middle East and Gulf States sponsoring students at the annual NAFSA Conference.  A number of panels at NAFSA detail specific steps to get listed with the appropriate educational consulates in order to qualify as a host college in the U.S.    Finally,  we suggest you speak with colleges or universities that are currently hosting foreign government or U.S. funded J1 scholars.

 

A Word to the Wise- How to Idenfity Accredited Schools in the United States

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2011 will be well remembered for the surprising number of  schools with SEVIS status exposed for illegally issuing F-1 Visas to students that either did not attend the school or were  merely  enrolled to a shell campus – a location that neither had a campus nor any meaningful delivery of academic programming.   Who is to blame for the proliferation of such “sham” universities?    It seems that a confluence of circumstances including lack of information, greed and outsized demand for study visas in  China, India and Vietnam have been the main drivers for this emerging problem.

Tri-Valley University in Pleasanton, California and North Virigina University located in Annandale, Virigina were two of the more egregious cases that surfaced last year.   In the case of Tri-Valley,  nearly 1500 students from India were registered to school being run out of a modest office building with a made up list of faculty and no students actually attending classes.   Northern Virginia University  a non-accredited, for profit- university was authorized by SEVIS to enroll 50 students, but  US Embassy and State Department officials found more than 2400 students, 90 percent from a single region in India, registered to the school.

As a record number of would-be international students consider study in the U.S., it is important that these students are steered toward credible programs that are accredited by the appropriate governing authorities.

What  a prospective international student or international student advisor should know?

  • There are six regional accreditors of U.S. Higher Education-   Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools;  New England Association of Schools and Colleges; North Central Association of Collegs and Schools;  Northwest Accreditation Commission;  Western Association of Schools and Colleges; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.  www.chea.org
  • Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools(ACICS) governs independent colleges and schools of higher learning.  www.acics.org
  • A list of unaccredited institutions of higher education can be found doing a simple Wikipedia search
  • Accreditation of English Language Training Programs Act was signed in to law on December 10, 20120.   This new law requires all English Language Training Schools seeking to enroll F-1 Non immigrant students to receive accreditation by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of the Department of Education.    www.accet.org;  www.cea-accredit.org

How to avoid being scammed by a fraudulent school? 

  • Schedule an appointment with your in-country EducationUSA Office to identify accredited schools in the United States.   EducationUSA staff will be able to provide no-cost, unbiased student advising services.
  • Request proof of accreditation from the language school or academic institution you are planning to seek admission
  • If you are working with a study agent,  ask that the agency to provide information about the accreditation council which approved the school in question.
  • Verify with your local government that the academic credits you will receive from the U.S. institution will be recognized in-country.
  • Finally,  please contact info@californiaetec.com if you have any questions about accreditation or would like a referral to a local resource who can assist you answering questions about U.S. institutions. 

The Vietnam Education and Training Center(VETEC™) Advantage

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California ETEC’s first contact with the Vietnam Education Market was in 2006.  After coordinating a series of in-country events( customized student fairs,  agent matchmaking receptions,  school visits), we concluded the best way to support the growing interest of U.S. schools in Vietnam was to get closer to the market.  The first step in this process was CA ETEC being selected to coordinate the Meet Vietnam Education Forum in San Francisco,  November 2009.  This event was sponsored by the Vietnam Government with the express purpose of enhancing institutional linkages between Vietnamese and U.S. colleges and universities.   As a by-product, we established useful contacts at the Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training(MOET).    Follow on events were also conducted in 2010-2011 in Vietnam to encourage U.S. schools to pursue more pro-active education exchange with local high schools and universities.    While these events yielded modest outcomes- J1 scholar exchange, teacher exchanges and student placements at U.S. institutions,  the distance of the Vietnam market and its’ growing importance required a more permanent commitment.    In 2011,  California ETEC proposed establishing a stand-alone center in Ho Chi Minh City- VETEC™ – for funding support from the U.S. Department of Commerce( Market Development Cooperator Program).    On September 12th, 2011,   California ETEC received notice that the VETEC ™ project was selected to receive federal funding support- the first such initiative ever funded with a focus on the Vietnam market.

VETEC™ Opening in Summer 2012 

VETEC™ will be located in a prime location in Ho Chi Minh City, maintain a bi-lingual staff, offer year-round student advising services and ongoing assistance and support colleges and universities seeking to start or expand student recruitment and exchange activities in Vietnam.

Why VETEC™?

Future student recruitment success in the highly competitive Vietnam market will require a strategic approach that can only be gained through having an ongoing presence in-country.    VETEC™ will offer U.S. schools a viable alternative and/or supplement to working through study agents or participating in high-cost, low yield study fairs that  are multiplying in Vietnam.

Visit our dedicated  website ( www.vetecausa.com) to learn more  how your school can leverage  VETEC™ and succeed in the Vietnam market