Is Your Graduate Student Recruitment Strategy in Trouble? Navigating the Trends

Mark Bennett, Insights Director at FindAUniversity, shared compelling insights into the current trends and challenges in international graduate education and recruitment strategy development during a Keystone Higher Ed Chats podcast episode discussing graduate student recruitment trends and insights for 2024. 

Scott Miller, CCO of Keystone Education Group, led the chat which explored the impact of changing immigration policies, the recruitment evolution since Covid-19, and the outlook for the graduate level higher education landscape in the UK and globally. 

Understanding the Shifting International Graduate Interest Trends 

The higher education landscape has been experiencing transformative shifts that will reshape the operational dynamics of universities in the near, and perhaps distant, future.  

Throughout 2022-2023, significant global events have left an indelible mark on the sector, spanning across borders. The most influential are political decisions influencing the mobility of international graduate students-- including language requirements, fees, and visa restrictions. 

These influences extend beyond the UK, highlighting similar shifts in other countries like the Netherlands and Australia. 

Whereas the UK saw a positive influx of graduate student enrollment during Covid-19 due to supportive study policies, that figure has now reversed by 45% according to Bennett. Potential outcomes of these measures typically redirect applicants to neighboring nations. 

Non-EU students who may have by default considered the UK as their first or second choice destination, are facing these changes and are now looking elsewhere.  

But where can they go? 

Listen to Mark Bennett on the Keystone Higher Ed Chats Podcast here

Navigating Uncertainty, Exploring Opportunities 

The prevailing atmosphere of uncertainty is impeding universities’ international recruitment efforts. It is also, and perhaps more significantly, eroding potential graduate students’ confidence due to the obstacles impeding study and post-study work.  

Despite challenges, Bennett remains optimistic about the potential for diversification in target markets, encouraging universities to explore emerging markets for recruitment opportunities and strategy development. 

 The UK is still one of the most popular destinations in the world for international education. “There are certain audiences and actually certain subject areas... that are much, much more positive.” “PhD doctoral opportunities and interest (are) relatively unaffected,” according to Bennett.  

Masters and PhD interest in studying in Ireland, Germany, and France is up dramatically, and those countries are going to lengths to encourage students to study within their borders. Institutional quality aside, university-related costs and costs of living advantages offer yet another distinct 'selling point’ to international graduate students for these once-overlooked destinations. 

Bennett hypothesizes that students wanting to study, especially in the UK, will come outside of the popular student hotbeds of Africa and South Asia. “We will see much more diversification in markets.... from possibly other emerging markets... like Indonesia... and some areas of Latin America.”  

Strategic planning and adaptability are the antidote to managing the uncertainty surrounding current and potential future government policies involving international students and their impact.  

Leveraging Insights for Strategic Decision-Making in Recruiting 

The significance of data-driven insights in guiding recruitment strategies cannot be overstated, underlining the importance of staying informed and adaptable in navigating evolving trends. Bennett encourages, “Watch these trends and stay on top of them.... the opportunity is definitely out there.”  

FindAUniversity’s insights tracker follows graduate student study plans and attitudes over time, including different recruitment periods. They survey thousands of potential students each month to grasp their feelings about studying, what factors they are contemplating, the reasons behind those considerations, and their future plans.  

It is from this data that Bennett confidently discerns, “Demand is still vast.... Certain audiences... and certain subject areas within these audiences are much more positive.” 

In the dynamic landscape of international graduate recruitment, staying informed and adaptable is key to continued success in attracting top talent globally. Those universities that adopt data-driven strategies, explore new markets, and foster adaptability with confidence and creativity are ensured to navigate uncertainties with confidence and creativity.