education agents

Education UK: Vietnam Country Partner Meeting

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Events , , , , , , , , , ,

I was invited to speak on Friday, 14 October to representatives from 60 British colleges and universities who were in Vietnam for a series of events, including the UK higher education fairs in Hanoi, HCMC and Danang.  My assigned topic was The Study Abroad Market:  A US Perspective.  During the 30 minutes or so at my disposal, … Continue reading Education UK: Vietnam Country Partner Meeting

Reality Check/When One Government Speaks with Two Voices

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , ,

Below is my response to a 23 June Chronicle of Higher Education article by Beth McMurtrie entitled Colleges Are Warned Against a 'Gold Rush' Pursuit of International Studentsabout how to better promote American higher education abroad, discussed at a recent three-day EducationUSA conference. This may be difficult to comprehend in Washington, D.C. and its corridors of power (e.g., the … Continue reading Reality Check/When One Government Speaks with Two Voices

International-Student Recruitment Debate: 6 Views on Agents

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , ,

My comment about this collection of essays that appeared in the 16 June issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education is below.  Marjorie Smith hit the nail on the head.  It goes without saying that educational consulting companies should, to the best of their ability, represent the interests of their clients, both institutional and individual. This means … Continue reading International-Student Recruitment Debate: 6 Views on Agents

Recent Comments About Hot-Button Issues in the US Higher Education Media

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary , , ,

…in response to these articles and other comments.  All are relevant - on some level - to Vietnam. MAA ‘The End of Internationalization?’ by Elizabeth Redden, Inside Higher Ed (3 June 2011) Why We Do What We Do I agree with Dr. Knight that “internationalization has become a catch-all phrase for everything” and that most international educators … Continue reading Recent Comments About Hot-Button Issues in the US Higher Education Media

Education Makes Strange Bedfellows

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Events, Updates , ,

Life is full of surprises.  The Institute of International Education (IIE), a US nonprofit best known for its administration of the Fulbright Program, the US Government's flagship international exchange program, is partnering with the US Commercial Service in Vietnam to offer two US higher education fairs on 6 April in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and … Continue reading Education Makes Strange Bedfellows

Policy Guidance for EducationUSA Centers on Commercial Recruitment Agents

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary, Documents , ,

This policy guidance (PDF) from the U.S. State Department's states that all (EducationUSA) centers "must adhere to the following ethical standards as a condition of their centers’ voluntary association with, and continued support from, ECA (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs).  We understand that many advisers have been approached by commercial recruiters who have requested … Continue reading Policy Guidance for EducationUSA Centers on Commercial Recruitment Agents

Education Mission 2011: Indonesia & Vietnam

Mark A. Ashwill Conferences, Events , , , , ,

This April 2011 "education mission" to Indonesia and Vietnam, organized by the US Department of Commerce and described below, is most suitable for newcomers to the Vietnam market.  Check out the BuyUSA.gov website for more information.  On a side note:  this event should dispel any doubts you may have had about the importance of education and these … Continue reading Education Mission 2011: Indonesia & Vietnam

Buyer Beware: The Potential Pitfalls of Agency-Based Recruitment

Mark A. Ashwill Commentary ,

In the remarks referenced in my last post Ambassador Michalak also spent a couple hundred words on the subject of education consultants, or agents.  His advice was spot-on (my italics):  "Some parents may choose to work through an agent when looking to find the appropriate school for their child in America. Agents are local representatives for … Continue reading Buyer Beware: The Potential Pitfalls of Agency-Based Recruitment

“Agent Provocateur” – The Growing Pains of Agency-Based International Student Recruitment in the U.S.

Mark A. Ashwill Articles, Commentary , ,

At a Hunan restaurant in Flushing, Queens, members of the newly formed Chinese Returnees International (CRI) suck on spicy spare ribs and quaff green tea. They've come for camaraderie and conversation--but they also have loftier goals. "Our primary concern is to make an easier road for overseas Chinese students who want to go back to … Continue reading “Agent Provocateur” – The Growing Pains of Agency-Based International Student Recruitment in the U.S.