Collegial Conversations - Viktar Khotsim

Through these conversations, we hope to share the fresh perspectives of a few idea generators and thought leaders in international student recruitment. Periodically, the Marketing and Recruiting Network will ask respected colleagues to answer three questions. Visit often to learn more about the most recent and relevant trends in this dynamic field, and to contribute to its development.

Viktar Khotsim

Viktar Khotsim is a senior adviser at the American Center for Education and Research, Inc. in Minsk, Belarus. He serves as the Overseas Advising Coordinator for the Recruitment, Admissions and Preparation Knowledge Community. Khotsim provides much of the energy and expertise behind the Virtual Consulting Office, a global network of educationUSA advisers that offer professional e-consulting services in different languages about studying in the United States.

What do you see as the most critical element in trying to attract globally mobile students to a particular country?

In my mind it is a combination of the following factors:

• How quickly a student’s investment in education in a particular country may pay for itself.
• Recognition of a diploma in different countries.
• What financial aide options are available from local the institutions in a particular country.
• The harmony between thecombination of a study plan, professionalism of a teachers and innovative technical/educational equipment.
• And finally the particular country environment, i.e. level of life, democracy issues, multicultural diversity in the society.

Why?

Investment of money for personal education is an investment for future business. Business is attractive if is profitable. Profit in the sense of individual education is a possibility to raise money in the shortest period of time by using acquainted knowledge and skills.

What particular obstacles (in terms of threats or challenges) prevent recruiters from being effective?

Recruiters encounter problems when trying to gather market research to ultimately reach their targeted audience. Another particular obstacle is the lack of local advertising for a recruiter's forthcoming trip overseas. Recruiting presentations should be tailored to each visiting country based on a particular country's alumni comments and cultural specific.

How can colleagues overcome those obstacles?

Recruiters can overcome these obstacles by effectively using local mass media (including the Internet) to pay for their promotion. They can also attempt to actively collaborate with EducationUSA advisers in the region of their visit. One last thing they can do is try to tailor advertising presentations to each region of interest.

Ten years from now, how do you envision the landscape of marketing and recruiting in international education?

There will be an even greater variety of choices in the use of technology when students explore opportunities to study abroad.