Using education agents is fraught with risks, but those with a long-term vision realise that doing business ethically is better for business, so how do you choose wisely and ensure accountability?

Here’s my latest University World News piece, this time about ethical international student recruitment.  I wrote it in direct response to a July 2016 article entitled Internationalisation should be ethical and for all by Hans de Wit, director of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College.  One of his proposed black/white solutions was, in effect, to throw the baby out with the bathwater, before quickly (and realistically) acknowledging that “This is not likely to happen.”

What is the solution?

It would be in the interests of governments, universities and students if the participation of commercial recruiters, for-profit pathway providers and other intermediate businesses was stopped.

Here’s the introduction to my article to whet your appetite (or not):

It has been argued, in University World News and elsewhere, that the way to address the problem of unethical student recruitment agencies is to ban them.  But are all education agents inherently bad?  No.  Are there serious issues and potential pitfalls?  Absolutely.  While I agree that education agents should follow ethical business practices, I disagree that the solution is not to use any of them.

You can see that there were different takes (and takeaways), depending upon the interests and goals of the entity doing the Tweeting.

Follow this link to read the article in its entirety.

MAA