The ICEF Agent Voice 2023 survey, which garnered 662 responses, discovered that 43% of brokers see sourcing certified leads as their prime situation.
Some 30% ranked visa processing and help as their greatest problem, with delays, lengthy processing occasions, entry to appointments, necessities and rejection charges all famous as problematic.
“With brokers having to take a position appreciable time in serving to college students full software processes, delays on the vacation spot can have a big influence upon their very own operations,” the report famous.
A complete of 57% of respondents stated fast responses from institutional companions is the highest valued accomplice help space, forward of 24% who stated speedy software processing was most extremely valued.
The report famous that velocity is highlighted by brokers as a prime precedence for institutional companions.
“Delays on the vacation spot can have a big influence upon their very own operations”
Launched in 2020, the survey has sought to establish newest developments and threats affecting the business.
Much like the 2022 iteration, this yr’s survey suggests brokers are predicting development throughout all academic sectors in 2023/24. Nevertheless, the ratio of companies anticipating to see elevated enrolment has fallen this yr.
Over 60% stated that basis, pathway and undergraduate, in addition to MBA and graduate packages, will develop subsequent yr – they’re much less buoyant about language and Ok-12 and secondary programs, with 52% and 38%, respectively, anticipating will increase in enrolments.
Total, urge for food for worldwide schooling “stays robust”, ICEF stated, with the “large 4” vacation spot nations, together with the UAE, Germany and the Netherlands, anticipating important development.
Additionally like final yr, value was famous as the largest issue affecting pupil resolution making.
Picture: ICEF
ICEF stated lodging is one other prime issue for college students, whereas “conventional issues, equivalent to an establishment’s rating, are actually perceived to be far much less vital”.
The survey additionally discovered that employability is more and more changing into vital to college students, as universities promote profession alternatives “immediately as a gross sales level and not directly by means of their research packages”.
Six in 10 respondents reported inserting college students in new fields of research, with knowledge science and massive knowledge, enterprise intelligence and analytics, synthetic intelligence and worldwide enterprise being the preferred, carefully adopted by medical research and provide chain administration and logistics.
“Moreover, there seems to be a direct correlation between college students’ most popular post-study work and profession locations and the nations receiving probably the most enquiries for worldwide research alternatives,” the report famous.
Round half of respondents (52%) stated that work and immigration alternatives are a key issue affecting pupil resolution making.
The variety of brokers providing on-line packages has dropped from 50% in 2022 to 46% in 2023 – the primary yr since 2020 that there has not been a reported improve, the report added.
The survey additionally discovered that almost all of companies (60%) “nonetheless depend on conventional and time consuming strategies of recruitment”, with non-digital and word-of-mouth promotional methods remaining “essential”. Almost half ranked some of these advertising channels as most vital.
Picture: ICEF
Nearly half (49%) stay unsure as to the influence AI could have sooner or later, it continued. Take up of digital strategies and AI stays sluggish, ICEF stated.
It additionally stated that agent fee stays largely secure after a interval of development between 2019-2021.
Greater than 50% brokers throughout all academic packages (except for Tradition, Work & Journey), reported commissions above the pre pandemic common of 10%, report stated. Nevertheless, “ranges look like settling after a interval of uncertainty”.
