September has been a busy month for the international education sector, with events including the ICEF Monitor Global Summit, SAMS Global, PIEoneers, and Westminster Higher Education Forum on the Future of International Student Recruitment.
The Immigration White Paper, the impact of AI, and the rising popularity of Asia as an international student hub were common themes across many sessions. What’s clear is that while technology, policy, and global competition are reshaping the sector, the fundamentals remain the same: institutions must focus on finding the right students, delivering value, and ensuring long-term success for learners and societies.
1. Focus recruitment efforts
With institutions needing to manage costs carefully and tightening BCA metrics, strategy and focus matter more than ever. At WHEF, Vincenzo Raimo highlighted that for some universities, the net income from international students can be less than the £9k domestic student fees.
Recruitment strategies must identify and nurture students who are the right fit – those best placed to succeed and complete their studies. There is value in partnering with schools and school groups where you can reach cohorts directly and understand their student base. At ICEF, one standout statistic was that “78% of schools offer more than one curriculum – do you have equivalencies for all of them?” Institutions that ensure admissions requirements reflect qualifications, readiness, and student support needs will be best placed to succeed.
2. Have a clear data strategy
Every session called for better use of data – not because of scarcity, but because of the need for clarity and strategy.
- Student search and sentiment data can give a useful snapshot to shape marketing messaging, course offerings, and engagement, but will inevitably be influenced by the visibility of the platform in different markets.
- Application data trends are helpful, but with students able to submit multiple applications across countries and institutions at the click of a button, they are a less reliable proxy for real numbers.
That’s why enrolment intent data is so valuable. Enroly’s tracking of deposits and deposit-to-CAS conversion is exciting in this regard: every new partner adds richer, trusted data for the sector. In parallel, Ecctis’s recognition expertise helps institutions set clear and credible admissions standards, ensuring data insights feed into robust decision-making
3. Balance speed with a human touch
AI and automation are reshaping recruitment and admissions, but the message from ICEF was clear: students want to feel recruited, not processed. Speed alone is not everything. In fact, ICEF found that rushing out offers can reduce conversion — with about a week often being the “sweet spot.”
Institutions adopting AI must remember that technology can enhance efficiency, but it cannot replace genuine human connection. With resources stretched, AI can still play an important role by freeing up staff time. Research by Edified showed many universities fail to follow up enquiries properly, or do so without warmth or personalisation. The right systems can enable teams to deliver a better student experience while boosting conversion
4. Maintain a sector mindset
The sector’s reputation is collective. As Diana Beech noted, policy frameworks and compliance apply across the board, and failures in one part of the system can impact the whole. Collaboration and insight-sharing are essential to ensure the UK remains competitive.
On compliance, Nick Cuthbert of The PIE argued that “the UK sector should pick a platform and go with it, as there will be many benefits in the future to a bigger data lake.” A shared, sector-level approach to systems and standards could strengthen both competitiveness and credibility.
5. Keep student outcomes at the centre
Competition for international students is intensifying, with talk shifting from the “Big 4” to the “Big 14.” Asian institutions are rising rapidly in global rankings, and the growth of TNE means students can access high-quality education closer to home. The UK sector must demonstrate the ROI of a UK degree more clearly.
This links closely to concerns in the May Immigration White Paper about graduates entering low-paid or unskilled jobs. Focusing on employability, alumni engagement, and community links will be critical to both strengthening the student value proposition and reshaping the political narrative.
Ecctis’s role
For Ecctis, these discussions reinforce our mission: helping governments, institutions, and employers recognise and trust qualifications, so that international education continues to demonstrate its value clearly and credibly.
We will continue to support our partners in navigating these challenges, drawing on nearly 30 years of expertise in comparability and recognition. Together with innovators such as Enroly, we are not only supporting the sector today but also helping to shape the future of trusted, transformative international education.