AIEC Pre-Conference Workshops

The AIEC workshops are optional and held on Tuesday 8 October 2013 at the National Convention Centre Canberra. These half day workshops have been designed to cater for all sectors of higher education. 

Registration for the workshops will open in May. Subscribe to the AIEC newsletter to receive notification of when they open.

Workshop 1 - Paperless Pipedream or Virtual Reality? Best Practice in (Online) Admissions

9:00am – 12:30pm
The paperless office has been something of a pipedream for many international offices. However, as more and more institutions move their admissions systems online, it is now becoming a virtual reality.

Efficient online systems can be a great source of competitive advantage, particularly now that students are increasingly considering multiple providers and destinations before making their final choice.

Using case studies from different providers around Australia, this workshop provides a first-hand insight into some best practice examples in international online admissions.

Workshop 2 -Internships, Post-Study Work Rights and Graduate Employment

9:00am – 12:30pm
The recent introduction of Post-Study Work (PSW) rights has given Australia a distinct advantage over competitor countries and renewed the focus on graduate outcomes for international students. This workshop will examine the ‘ins and outs’ of PSW and engage industry representatives to look at how institutions can best prepare international students for the Australian workplace.

Workshop 3 - Developing TransNational Education (TNE) Pathways to Maximise Onshore Commencements

9:00am – 12:30pm
Developing offshore pathways is an increasing priority for many institutions. This workshop will provide a cross-sectoral perspective of the present and projected growth in offshore pathways, with a specific focus on developing pathways that maximising onshore commencements.
It will include:

• A review of recent regulatory changes in Australia, and the available data and trends
• Various contractual and relationship models between institutions and third party providers
• Impact of Streamlined Visa Processing (SVP) on TNE and onshore pathways.      

Workshop 4 Engaging Your International Students via Social Media

9:00am – 12:30pm
This workshop will look at how institutions can better engage and support international students via social media. It will examine:

• Social inclusion and community engagement
• Promotion of events, resources and information
• Organic methods and appropriate channels to reach current students
• Case studies from institutions using social media to enhance student learning.

Workshop 5 Destination Australia: Knowing Your Local Competitors

9:00am – 12:30pm
When we think of ‘the competition’, we tend to look straight to the international big players like the US, the UK and Canada. But what about the competitors right here in our own backyard?

This workshop will provide an insight into different state and capital city-based international education strategies and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

It will also examine international student trends onshore. How mobile are they? Where do they move to/from within Australia and what are their motives?

Workshop 6 - Maximising Your Sponsored Students’ Strategy

1:30pm – 5:00pm
Budget cuts across many institutions have increased the reliance on external funding sources and raised the importance of implementing an effective sponsor management strategy.

This workshop will explore how to generate and maintain productive relationships with scholarship providers and provide the best possible support to sponsored students.

It will also review the strategies of major sponsors for 2014 and beyond, including the types of scholarships available and the study areas of most interest.

Workshop 7- An Insider’s Guide to Working with Agents

1:30pm – 5:00pm
This workshop is aimed at international staff with direct agent management responsibilities, and particularly those staff new to the international education environment.

Participants will gain an overview of all facets of agent management including:

• The legislative environment (SVP, TEQSA and TPS)
• Linking agent contracts to marketing objectives
• Agent management systems
• Relationship marketing and agent servicing
• Agent contracts and commissions; and
• How to manage the fall-out from fraudulent agent activity. 

Workshop 8 - TNE: We’re All In It Together, But Are We Getting The Most Out Of It?

1:30pm – 5:00pm
TNE is now an integral part of many universities’ international strategies. In this environment we need to ask whether all stakeholders – and specifically academic staff – are provided with and/or have the opportunity to benefit from TNE.

This workshop will look at how to better engage academic staff in developing TNE programs. It will consider good practice that address:

• the most common challenges facing academics;
• how to turn workarounds into sustainable activities, and;
• how to utilise the lessons learnt in TNE offshore when internationalising the curriculum at home.

Workshop 9 - Mobility 2.0: The Future of Student Mobility 

1:30pm – 5:00pm
As students seek out more flexible international study experiences to fit their academic, personal and financial needs, institutions are breaking away from traditional models and exploring more dynamic modes of delivery.

Virtual mobility, student-initiated study programs, incorporated internships, dynamic curriculum integration and other blended modes are becoming more prevalent and are increasingly used as a marketing tool for institutions wanting to differentiate.

This session will examine a variety of these models through case studies and explore what the student mobility landscape may look like in 5–10 years.  

Workshop 10 - Putting the Puzzle Together: ESOS 2012

1:30pm – 5:00pm
This workshop will examine the intricacies of the various pieces of legislation that govern international education in Australia, including the ESOS Act and the National Code. It is aimed at middle-management staff to help them understand the implications of different legislation and link the various issues associated with service, marketing, academic progress and compliance.