Could Iran Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment?

International Student Recruitment in Iran

Presented by: Higher Education Marketing

1.  Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment

2.  The History of Higher Education in Iran

3.  Iran’s Postgraduate Surplus: An Opportunity for International Recruiters?

4.  Developing Web Content for Iranian Students

5.  Social Media Marketing in Iran

6.  Iranian Government Policies on International Student Recruitment

Overview

Iran is fast emerging as a major market for international student recruitment, as a number of factors have combined to contribute to its growing importance: �  Iran possesses a growing, intelligent and highly motivated student population

�  Recent easing of international trade sanctions has increased student mobility

�  Government officials estimate as many as 60,000 Iranians studying abroad �  The country has experienced a recent surplus of applicants for postgraduate

study

So how can schools gain a foothold in this exciting market? Read on to learn more!

Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment

1. Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment

A major factor behind Iran’s rise to prominence as an international recruitment market has been the growth of higher education in the country.

2. The History of Higher Education in Iran


In 1970, just 67,286 students were enrolled in university study in Iran. Today, there are 4,367,901 students, a 6,500% increase!

Source: Brandeis University

Prior to 1984, Iran also had just 84 universities, but government intervention led to the creation of two important institutions: �  Islamic Azad University established over 400 campuses across the

country, often in remote regions. Today, it has over 1.7 million students �  Payam Nur University, a state-owned institution offering distance

learning programs, now has an estimated 800,000 students.

These two schools account for over 50% of the Iranian university student population. Over 304 other institutions have also been established since 2005 with government assistance.


2. The History of Higher Education in Iran

While Iran now offers plenty of opportunities for undergraduate study, the rise in university graduates has created some issues: �  EDUSTAT estimates that 12.85% of Iran’s workforce now have

university degrees, more than any other Middle Eastern country apart from Israel

�  The growth has made the employment market extremely competitive

�  Demand for postgraduate study has grown as a result

�  The Washington Post reported that just 60,000 of 900,000 Master’s applicants in 2011 were accepted

�  That same year, just 6,000 out of 127,000 PhD candidates found suitable places


3. Iran’s Postgraduate Surplus: An Opportunity for International Recruiters?

Recruiters seeking to target Iranian students should use direct, personalized tactics. Creating a dedicated section on your website for Iranian applicants will help you attract potential leads.


Example: The University of Hertfordshire’s dedicated page for Iranian students includes details on entry requirements, student visas, and local agents

4. Developing Web Content for Iranian Students

Highlighting any existing Iranian presence at your school, such as student societies and services, will help make applicants feel more at ease about starting school in a new country.


Example: The University of Sheffield highlights various student societies which cater to Iranian nationals within its student recruitment pages


Inviting current Iranian students to contribute to your website will also help you engage potential recruits. This can include student and alumni profiles, blogs, and testimonials.


Example: The University of Sheffield also invites Iranian students to contribute blogs, even translating some posts into Farsi


The social media marketing landscape in Iran is complex. Here are some things recruiters need to know:


Ø  Many major sites, including Facebook and Twitter, are banned Ø  Despite this, Facebook is the 9th most visited site in Iran, as

Iranians access the site using VPN services Ø  Many Iranian public figures also keep Twitter accounts Ø  Instagram is not banned, and around 7.5 million Iranians aged

16-35 use the site Ø  Local sites also serve as substitutes for banned international

platforms

5. Social Media Marketing in Iran

Schools looking to engage Iranian prospects on social media will find Instagram is a good starting point. �  Highlight the presence of current students, Persian cultural

events on your campus, and Iranian student societies.


Example: This profile of an Iranian student on MIT’s Student Life Instagram attracted over 220 likes and a number of comments from Iranian users.


Recruiters can also consider using local sites as a way of engaging with Iranian students on social media:



Ø  Facenama boasts over 7.3 million unique daily visitors—and a similar interface to Facebook— but requires an Iranian IP address

Ø  Aparat is the Iranian equivalent of YouTube, and many international schools are already active on the site

If you’re looking to establish a student recruitment presence in Iran for the first time, there are a number of things to be mindful of:

6. Iranian Government Policies on International Student Recruitment


Ø  International institutions need to be accredited by the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology to legally access the Iranian student market

Ø  Accredited schools are evaluated and grouped into different categories based on their quality

Ø  Many international institutions also make use of Iranian recruitment agencies

Ø  Agencies are only authorized to recruit students for a maximum of 3 countries, and tend to specialize in specific regions

Ø  Recruitment agencies are regulated by the Iranian Society of Student Recruitment Initiatives (SSRI), which currently has 191 members

Many schools can find linking up with international student recruitment agents beneficial in Iran



Example St. David’s Catholic Sixth Form College, a private secondary school in Wales, uses a licensed Iranian education agent

While the government is keen to establish more international education links, it remains very conscious of a ‘brain drain’ effect, which has been an issue in recent years: �  Many of the educational links initiated by the government have been co-

operative partnerships for doctoral programs

�  Students divide their time between Iranian and international universities

�  Agreements have already been reached with schools in France, Switzerland, Slovakia, and Sweden

Iran is still new territory for international student recruitment, and schools need to work hard to keep up with changes in the market. But with a potential market of over 800,000 highly qualified candidates, the extra effort could well be worth it!



Could Iran Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment?

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