Developing an international student program framework

Overview

The establishment and operation of an international student program is within the jurisdiction of a school authority. A program framework that outlines the overall feasibility of the international student program as well as the resources required will help set the foundation for an effective and well-functioning program. The framework should also align with the school authority’s vision and goals and their responsibilities to international students under the Education Act. Below are some recommendations school authorities can take to build program frameworks.

Develop policies and procedures

Written policies clearly outline the expectations of international students and school authorities throughout the study period and appropriate courses of action if these expectations are not met. School authorities should consider preparing detailed program documents related to written governing policies such as:

procedures for working with education agents
placement of international students
well defined fee payment and refund polices
handling of international student emergencies, such as the emergence of a global pandemic
an international student has committed or has become a victim of a criminal offence
conflict resolution approach in case of a conflict between the host family and the international student
clearly laid-out consequences of committing infractions
the selection of homestay parents and lodging, where applicable

The school authority may choose to review policies and procedures annually. International students and other stakeholders can provide input where applicable.

Develop a staffing plan

School authorities may choose to identify one staff member to coordinate and champion the program. This person is key to the success of the program and may be responsible for tasks such as:

representing the school authority at educational functions abroad
serving as the contact for international students and their families
providing support to schools and teachers hosting international student
serving as a contact for emergencies and urgent needs
acting as a liaison between program administrators and central office staff
ensuring the implementation of program policies surrounding home stays, duty of care and other matters related to welcoming unaccompanied foreign minors into the school and local community

It’s important to properly prepare school authority staff in order to effectively integrate international students.

Consider the following:

School authority staff must be clear of what’s expected of them.
Staff need to be aware of their legal obligations in relation to working with foreign minors.
Additional staff may be required.
Staff may require additional training and resources.
School authorities must able to adapt staffing plans when their international student program grow.
The school authority may have to provide professional development opportunities for staff.

Plan international student living arrangements

School authorities need to consider where international students will live upon arrival to Canada. Living arrangements depend on the capacity of the school authority and the surrounding community. School authorities can work with homestay companies or coordinators to locate host families for international students or arrange for them to live in a supervised dormitory.

International students can also arrange to stay with friends or family – school authorities do not need to be involved in coordinating these arrangements.

Determine school and community capacity

Section 12 in the Education Act indicates that it’s important to determine school and community capacity when considering an international student program. School authorities must consider the following:

The room that is available for international students must be assessed.
Determine which schools have capacity.
Ensure principals, teachers and community members in the community are prepared to work with the school authority to ensure that international students are welcomed and supported both at home and in their learning and that they have suitable housing.

To manage these details and encourage school and community involvement, a steering committee may be established where all those affected by the program are represented.

Estimate costs and set fees

School authorities do not receive funding from Alberta Education for international students. The Education Act, s13 (2) and (3), specifies that school authorities determine the amount of education fees to charge an international student and may set fees to cover the full cost of the international student’s education.

The following things need to be considered when setting fees for international students:

classroom instruction for the international student
international student support, including English language learning support, guidance counselling and special needs assistance
administration of the international student program, including salary and travel expenses of a coordinator, development of promotional materials, compensation for host families and other administrative overhead
costs of the homestay provider or coordinator, if applicable
costs of extra teaching staff to accommodate any increase of students at the school
school transportation

It is recommended that school authorities prepare a program budget to be included in the school authority’s 3-year plan.

Develop a recruitment plan

A solid recruitment plan should consider the budget available and the number, age and grade of international students to recruit.

The best recruitment plans are based on sound research, including a thorough investigation of the number, age and grade of international students the school authority can support and which countries or regions have these international student markets.

This research may include consultations with local schools, community organizations and Alberta trade offices abroad. An additional consideration when recruiting international students may include the recognition of Alberta education coursework and credit in the student's country of origin.

Some countries may only recognize school completion/coursework from their own education system, and this may become a significant obstacle for the student if they hope to pursue postsecondary education in their country of origin. It could also help to determine the type of education programming or international experience to offer the student in coming to Alberta.

For students who are planning to complete the Alberta high school credential, it is especially important to lay out the requirements and clarify how course credit will be awarded, particularly in the awarding of credits for prior learning and whether a percentage grade would be provided on the transcript.

Successful recruitment requires developing a presence in the region of focus and gaining the trust of prospective international students and their parents. School authorities may also wish to develop a multi-year recruitment plan and expect that it takes some time before they see an increase in international student numbers.

It is also advisable for recruiting staff to have the appropriate training and qualifications to recruit international students.

With a target audience in mind, the school authority could utilize the following recruitment strategies:

Develop an international student program website

It is helpful for international students to find critical information such as fees and programs offered on your international student program website. Work with your website services or communications department to develop strategies that will be effective for an international student recruitment website.

The following sections could be included on the website:

past international student testimonials
details of the application process
information regarding student and parent responsibilities (as outlined in s31 and s32 of the Education Act)
international student support services
relevant scholarship opportunities

It is important to appeal your website messaging to your target market and make your messaging easily digestible. To help non-fluent English speakers comprehend your content, you could provide the option to view your website in different target languages.

Likewise, providing PDF versions of promotional materials translated into different languages or displaying important information through infographics, videos, charts etc. will help prospective international students navigate your content.

Distribute promotional materials

Design and distribute a brochure or print package of promotional materials to your target market. These materials can be distributed directly to international students at study abroad fairs or through an intermediary such as an education agent partner.

Tips for developing web or print promotional materials:

Know your audience. Some international students and their parents will value optional courses and the liberal nature of education in Alberta. Others will focus almost exclusively on excellence in core courses.
Talk to representatives in the country where you are recruiting to gain insight into what kind of information is important to the students and parents who live there.
Provide contextualized information regarding the region or city in which you intend to host an international student. They may be familiar with Canada, but knowing things about the region will help them decide to come.
Only translate important information. Translating promotional materials in their entirety can be very expensive and may require continual updating. Instead, translate key sections of your material and hand out this summary sheet as needed.
Design print materials to last. It is recommended not to include details such as fees or specific application dates since these are likely to change from year to year. Instead, highlight program information that is unlikely to change. Provide more specific details on the school authority website or in a one-page sheet that can be printed.
Maximize portability and variety of use. Remember when you are designing your promotional materials that you may have to ship them overseas or carry them with you.
Print a strategic amount. Estimating how many brochures or promotional material depends on several variables including the size of the school authority’s program, budget and the size of the study abroad fairs you may be attending.
Consider printing and shipping costs. In some cases, it may be cheaper and less hassle to have your promotional materials printed overseas rather than printing them in Canada and shipping them.

Participate in study abroad fairs

Schools, universities and language institutions often promote their education programs to international students or agents attending study abroad fairs. To participate, the institution is typically assessed a fee to lease a booth within the venue, usually a hotel or conference centre. EduCanada, Alberta Association of Public Schools – International (AAPS-I), Canadian Association of Public Schools-International (CAPS-I), and Canadian embassies abroad organize events that feature Alberta educational institutions. There are also opportunities for study abroad fairs in virtual formats.

Employ international student ambassadors

Alumni success stories are an excellent source to market to your international student program. These current or former international students can showcase their experiences as an international student, including extracurricular activities they did in Canada, friends they made, courses they took, etc.

Using social media

Social media plays an important role in a marketing campaign. Whether Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn, these platforms are ways to reach your target audience at a low cost.

Send personalized email responses to inquiries

There are many schools recruiting international students. Crafting personalized emails for program inquiries, agents or prospective international students is an effective way to show responsiveness and build further interest.

Host international student recruitment webinars

Reaching prospects through virtual platforms is a good way to increase your reach to international students at a low cost. Create a series of webinars or a recruiting event to showcase your program to prospective international students.

This can also allow you to answer questions in real time that international students may have about your program and school.

Propose a framework for approval

The final step in planning an international student program is to present the proposal and framework to your school authority senior administration and executive decision makers. A framework that articulates the opportunities created by an international student program and that recognizes and plans for potential challenges is most likely to be successful.

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