The Indian Study Abroad Market and its Trends

Welcome to the Indian Story

Interesting facts on INDIA

* Population: With over 1.2 billion people, India is second only to China

* India is the largest democracy in the world, the 7th largest Country in the world

* Government: India is governed under a parliamentary system and is a federal constitutional republic. There are 28 states and 7 union territories in India.

* Multi-lingual: There are 1,652 dialects and languages spoken in India. The four religions born in India - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism

* Language: Hindi is an official language used in many regions, English is also commonly used in many regions.

* Borders: India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka and the Maldives are neighboring ocean countries.

* Age demographic: More than 50% of India is younger than 25 and more than 65% are 35 or younger. The average Indian age is much younger than most other nations.

* India is the world’s largest tea producer, and tea (chai) is its most popular beverage

* India experiences six seasons: summer, autumn, winter, spring, summer monsoon, and winter monsoon.

The Indian Story

The second biggest source market for international students INDIA still needs to be better understood by international Institutes specially from US. India with huge diversity keeps challenging institutes and their strategies, this session will apprise the participants on:

1. The education system in India and New trends in India2. When do students start planning their overseas education

journey 3. Mapping of Programs of interest by Region4. How to enter the Indian and the subcontinent market 5. Effective Agency management : Relationship mapping and

expectations

Indian Education System

When do students start

planning their overseas

education journey

When do students start planning their overseas education journey

This decision varies in each state, starts with the ‘local mindset’ hence its important to understand local requirements of each major city / state :

• South India : Plan from their bachelors and mostly study for Post Grad • North India : Plan when they reach 5th standard and keep working on till

the time they don’t reach overseas • Eastern India : plan from their year 11 UG or early bachelors for PG• Western India : Broken into 2 major centers :

Mumbai : they plan from their early bachelors and then mostly go for Post grad

Gujarat (Ahmadabad, Vadodra) : plan way early from their 8th – 9th

standard and ALL that they dream is of US – mostly apply for Post Grad

Mapping of Programs of interest by RegionPOPULAR PROGRAM MATIRX

NORTH

INDIA

SOUTH

INDIA

WEST

INDIA

EAST

INDIA

PUNJAB :

Business (not MBA)

Nursing

Teaching

And some times : IT

and Engineering

DELHI:

MBA

Business

Finance

IT & Engineering

BANGALORE,

CHENNIA and

HYDERABAD

Engineering

IT

Comp science

Nursing

MUMBAI, PUNE

&AHMEDABAD

(Gujarat)

Engineering

Chemical and Bio

tech

Computer science

IT

MBA

KOLKATA and

Other cities

Engineering

Finance

Business

Arts and

Communication

Some

Main

cities

in India

How to enter the Indian & The

Subcontinent market

How to enter the Indian & The Subcontinent market

Direct Approach : Fairly time consuming, expensive and needs a lot of commitment individually

• Identify key markets / cities • Approach High schools and colleges of interest and conduct

seminars and focused sessions on regular basis• Advertise in local Newspapers or dedicated promotional

activities to build interest level of students in your institutes OR do dedicated session in hotel venues

• Build student data base. Follow up directly from overseas and try and convert students

• Open a ‘off shore’ India office – Really ? this should be done if you are targeting high numbers or have a strategy to move beyond just recruitment

How to enter the Indian & The Subcontinent market

Appointing Education consultants (Agents) : Much organised approach with fairly less hassles and performance based outcomes / commitment

• Identify professional, certified and well established consultants ( agents) in markets of interest

• ICEF, AIRC or Agents associations in local markets are best way to identify good certified companies / agencies

• Follow a structured process with them and agreement • Agents provide ALL local support and market information• Discuss your requirements and target “only” markets that

have Potential for your institute and programs at “First stage”

How to enter the Indian & The Subcontinent market

Institutional Partnership Approach : Not so common process, takes a longer period for ROI and needs a lot of nurturing of relationships

• Identify key markets / cities to entre and then explore working relationships with Local institutes

• Structure a MOU and identify key outcomes from the MOU• Collaborative models : Top Up’ to your programs, Credit

transfers for their students, or part program delivery on shore in India or sub continent

• Long term project does not give student outcomes for atleast 2 years and Needs regular visits and committed team for this.

Effective Agency Management :

Relationship mapping and

expectations

AGENCY EXPECTATION IS QUITE LIKE THIS….

Effective Agency management :

Relationship mapping and expectations

Answer : Very simple “work with the agent” – treat them like your extended office minus your secrets, share your strategies and expectations openly and follow up on them

• Move Beyond just the agreement> Active discussion with the agent to build a long term and short term

strategy, move beyond the dotted lines and get into Action !> Align your thought with the agent and share your goals

• Discuss “openly” what you expect from agents : student numbers expected : support required from you to get that: Investment required “Time & Money” by you to get that : overseas trips required by you to do get that + + +

• Understanding local Agency market and building Local knowledge> Social cultures, education system, Cultural thought process for

parents and students, financials, banking system etc..

Effective Agency management :

Relationship mapping and expectations

• Focused Approach

> Identify your product acceptability and develop a focused approach to student recruitment in agents local market : PG or UG driven markets ?

> Institutes must have active presence minimum 2-3’ visits per year and regular training for counselors is important : use ‘Skype Training'

• Communication :

> When you are developing the marketing plan for agents market “involve them in the process”, discuss on yearly plan with the agent

• Commissions / incentives

> Its always advisable to develop a progressive incentive model along with standard per student commission, this amount is mostly used for internal incentive for staff or further marketing for institute

> Good agents don’t charge high service Fees to students so their revenue source is ONLY commission received by Institute, incentives can play important role in building numbers through the agent

SOME INTERESTING

SNAP SHOTS

Thank You for Attending the session

Mr. Pushpinder Bhatia

Managing Director

Mob: +91 9810039841

Mail: [email protected]