Tapping Emerging Markets in SE Asia for Student Recruitment

September 1, 2021

abcodo

International education has long been in the market, with major countries taking the top of the pedestal as the preferred destinations for students. Countries such as Canada, the UK, Australia, the United States, and New Zealand have attracted a considerable amount of interest among students as they have established their education system as among the most competitive in the world.

However, the evolution of preferences has paved the way for new countries to take the helm as a go-to destination for students keen on getting exposure to the international scene. Emerging student markets, particularly in the Southeast Asian region, have increased in recent years.

Key Takeaways:

Emerging countries in the SEA region take center stage in international higher education student recruitment.
Recruitment of students in the SEA region promotes diversity.
Transnational education offers more opportunities to students in SEA.
There must be direct engagement and tech tools to be successful in student recruitment.

Student recruitment from the Southeast Asian region promotes diversity in HEIs

Instead of focusing on the major sources of international students such as India and China, emerging countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines have been identified as promising new student markets.

The international student population from these countries may not be as large as that of India, the source of more than one-third of Canada’s 530,540 international students (as of Dec. 31, 2020). (2) But with the population and economy of these Southeast Asian countries, there is great potential.

With a culturally responsive environment, students from the Southeast Asia region are more motivated to learn. That is why agents must be trained to recruit students from these countries to promote cultural diversity. Exposure to different cultures is an eye-opener for students to immerse themselves in different perspectives in life.

Emerging countries are moving toward the spotlight

Even if China and India are the top sources of international students, the combined power and population of students from these emerging markets will eventually become significant in the future.

Vietnam, as an example, has a young population with an education backed with disposable income for pursuing studies overseas. The students’ families act as a great support system, making their dream to study overseas come true.

Small players are effectively managing the COVID-19 pandemic

A great thing about the Southeast Asian region is that Thailand successfully managed the COVID-19 pandemic at an early stage. (4)

Vietnam and other Southeast Asian players in international education have successfully curbed the spread of the coronavirus. Surges do occur, but vaccine rollouts are expected to catch up. This makes them ideal as top study destinations abroad require vaccine passports prior to the start of their academic programs. (5)

The next steps of education agents in SEA student recruitment

International education is indeed a blessing for students who dream of studying at the top study destinations in the world. However, some factors hinder them from doing so.

One of these is the inability to access resources, resulting in delayed or even cancelled study plans. Real-time information is critical among students because of the quick changes in specific protocols.

With Abcodo, all these pain points are addressed accordingly.

To recruit students in Southeast Asia, there must be direct engagement, social media, lead generation, and other technology-driven tools as part of the recruitment strategy. It’s also crucial to adjust the marketing plan to Southeast Asia based on the market’s needs and to have a greater involvement with higher education institutions and other stakeholders.

Being part of Abcodo means students are connected with the top schools worldwide and provided with an ample support system with education agents.

Abcodo is an MSM company that serves as the in-house recruitment partner of MSM Unify, a student recruitment and marketing platform that connects partner schools to top-tier agents and their students worldwide. Sign up now to get the latest updates and information on international student recruitment.