October, 2nd, 2015 Toyo University, Tokyo

International Recruitment and Admissions for English-Taught Degree Programs: the case of Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Dora Longoni – Politecnico di Milano

Where we are

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Facts and Figures – Who we are

World EU Italy

Engineering & Technology 24 7 1

QS World University Rankings 2015

Politecnico di Milano Score

Academic Reputation (40%) 84,0

Employer Reputation (30%) 85,7

Citations per Paper Measures productivity for the last five years (15%) 78,1

H-index Citations (15%) Measures both the number of papers produced and the impact of the published work 84,4

Overall 83,7

QS World University Rankings in Engineering and Technology 2015

STUDENTS PROFESSORS & RESEARCHERS

ARCHITECTURE19% of graduated in Italy 9,630 310

DESIGN41% of graduated in Italy 3,988 97

ENGINEERING15% of graduated in Italy 27,211 905

World EU Italy

General Ranking 187 87 1

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29LAUREA (BSc)

PROGRAMS 1 in ENGLISH

41LAUREA

MAGISTRALE (MSc)

PROGRAMS

36 in ENGLISH (of which 23

taught ONLY in English)

18 PhD PROGRAMSin ENGLISH

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

20912520

31123373

3681

43874720

5163

5591

Internationalisation@POLIMI

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Internationalisation@POLIMI – the start-up phase

In the academic year 2003/04 foreign students enrolled were only 2% mainly in 3-year Bachelor programmes (Lauree)

In the same year PhD foreign enrolments reached 8% In 2004 Politecnico di Milano launches an intense

internationalisation programme aiming to make POLIMI more attractive for international students

Priority is given to attracting international students into 2-year Laurea Magistrale (Master of Science) courses and PhDs

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Strategic objectives set for 2011: • Increase the number of MSc programs taught in English• 10% international students at LM (MSc) level• From 12 strategic geographic areas

Benchmarking 2004 and setting objectives

a.y. 2004/05

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The action plan in the start-up phase

Creating an educational offer in English at the MSc level: in 2005/06 the first seven LM (MSc) courses taught in English were introduced.

Realising the basic conditions and infrastructure for internationalisation The International marketing and promotion office The International admissions office International student services: welcome offices, residence

halls, career service, etc.

Creation of a Scholarship Programme to attract talented student: initial support from the Institute for Foreign Trade, and local Chambers of Commerce

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7

OECD data on international students

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Introducing English-taught programs: why?

• The possibility of attracting international students intoItalian-taught programmes was and is very limited

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Rationales for internationalisation

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Student and staff 

development

International branding and 

profile

Incomegeneration

Strategic alliances

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The International Marketing Strategy

It is part of the wider strategy of internationalization of theuniversity

Developing student competence and promoting the quality ofresearch and education offered in order to enhance internationalreputation

• Focus not on numbers but on quality: merit-based selection process strong synergy with International Admissions importance of students’ retention

• Merit-based scholarships for talented students

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• Potentially an extremely effective marketing tool• Impact on student decision-making • Scholarships can be effective in:

- attracting well-qualified applicants- converting offers to registrations

• Often possible to obtain free publicity for scholarship• More effective and attractive than advertising

Scholarships

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Defining target countries and objectives

12 countries/geographical areas as target countries forrecruitment

• Minimum timeframe to achieve objectives in a newmarket: 2 years

Specific Measurable Achievable Result-oriented and Timelyobjectives:

• Number of students enrolled in LM from targetcountries; n. of international students enrolled peracademic year; n. of admitted students, n. ofapplications, ect.

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Welcome Desks

International Marketing and

Promotion Office

International Admissions Office

The admnistrative infrastracture

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The International Marketing Office

• Since 2005, one central International Marketing Office in charge of promoting all LM (MSc) taught in English, and PhD programs as of 2013

• No «national» marketing office (no marketing campaigns, no paid adverts in Italy)

• The International Marketing Office takes decision on activities/investments that need to be undertaken to promote all graduate courses

• The Int’l Marketing office is in charge of the follow-up for all LM programs, i.e. turning enquiries into enrolments

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CRM for the Student Life Cycle

PROSPECTIVESTUDENT APPLICANT ADMITTED

STUDENTREGISTEREDSTUDENT

ALUMNUS

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The CRM Infrastructure

• Connecting different CRM/EM systems: difficult for large institutions

• Bridging gaps across differentadministrative areas

M&R

• prospective student

International Admissions

• applicants• admittedstudents

Registrar’soffce

• Pre‐registeredstudents

• Currentstudents

Career Service

• Internships• Placement

Alumni

• International chapters

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• Software for enquiry management (EMS)www…./contact-us

• Dedicated phone line

• Dedicated Skype account

• Chat on line/Forum

• Social Media

DedicatedStaff

CRM tools

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Direct Marketing channels

International Higher Education Fairs

Seminars and presentations abroad

Online marketing

Partnerships

Alumni

Virtual fairs

Agents

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Agents: main role

• Commercial representatives• Possibility to cover a large variety of markets• Knowledge of the market they represent and the

communication/advertising channels• Essential contribution in the follow-up phase• Can represent the institution in HE fairs• Provide continuous advise to local students

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Agents: contract and values

• Sign a contract: advice from legal expertsEstablish fees and/or compensationEstablish expectations in terms of behavioursProtect the institution from misbehaviours

• Share values • Make your own policies explicit

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Agents: training

• Knowledge of the institution and its objectives, constant updates

• Possibility to visit the represented institution• Important investment of time and energy in training

agents• Agents need to be well informed on institutional rules and

policies

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International Admissions@POLIMI

• Since 2005 one central International Admissions Office in charge of evaluating the credentials of all LM (MSc) applicants (and PhD applicants as of 2013)

• Working in close connection with International Marketing, in the same Service: sharing the same objectives

• In-house development of an online application and evaluation system for all LM (MSc) internationalapplicants

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International Admissions@POLIMI/2

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Same requirements and documents for all LM programs• Minimum GPA from selected countries• Application documents: degree, transcripts, motivation

letter, recommendation letters, CV, study programs• English language certificate

Evaluation in two steps• Technical evaluation made by the Int’l Admissions

Office • Academic evaluation and decision on admission made

by a committee of professors for each study programme

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International Admissions@POLIMI/3

The International admissions office verifies the dossier, taking into account:

• Results/grades of the student in her/his previous career • The validity of the titles achieved and its value in the higher

education system to which it belongs• Reputation and ranking of the university• Language proficiency

Academics verify/consider:• the content of the courses previously attended • the student motivation, CV, and recommendation letters• Any other test (i.e. GRE) taken by the student• Decide on admission and rank students for merit-based

scholarship assignment

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M&R and admissions skills

Interculturalskills

AccuracyCustomer/ Target‐oriented

Analyticalskills

Intercultural skills

Negotiationskills

Public speaking, commun. skills

International marketing skills

International admissions skills

Customer/Target‐oriented

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The Strategic Enrolment Management Funnel

ProspectsInterested prospects

ApplicantsAdmittedstudentsEnrolledstudents

Alumni

•Yield/Drop-out

•Return on Investment (ROI)

• Retention

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BUDDIES for assisting int’l students before arrival and during the first months of their student life• POLIMI students with at least 6 months experience and similar

interests• 1 Buddy every 2 int’l students• Focus on cultural integration

INTERNATIONAL WELCOME WEEK• Focus on Study Plan, meetings with professors in charge of the study

program• Integration activities and fun

INTERNATIONAL CAREER FAIR• For companies interested in hiring int’l students and for students

interested in working abroad

International students’ life: integration and career

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Start-up phase 2005-2011: results achieved

• 10% international students in LM (MSc) programs• Increase in the number of LM (MSc) programs taught in English

(more than doubled)

Steps forward:

• From 2009/10 introduction of differentiated fees for NON-UE students

• Reduction of the number of int’l scholarships offered• Implementation of ad hoc initiatives for promoting internship and

placement for international students• Upgrading of orientation and integration services

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Success factors

• Strong synergy between marketing/recruitment and admissions

• One working group sharing the same objectives and aware of their respective roles and responsibilities

• A tailor-made evaluation systems that reflects the searchfor academic quality and is consistent with PoliMIreputation, i.e. graduating highly-skilled engineers, architects and designers

• Continuous sharing of ideas between academics and professionals to improve the evaluation system

• Building mutual trust and respect

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• Roles and tasks should be clearly defined• Academic staff, International Deans/Delegates

for international affairs: strategies and policies• Administration: implementation and process

management• Synergy and coordination between the faculty

and the administration to be guaranteed by the leadership

Responsibilities

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POLIMI – Vision 2012

A university of international relevance– actively participating in networks of excellence– pursuing quality research activities as defined by

international standards– attracting high profile international students in

significant numbers at the Master of Science and PhD level

– with high quality administrative services addressed to both international and national students

– with a more and more international faculty

PoliMI ‐ Strategic Plan 2012‐2014

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POLIMI – Educational Strategic Objectives 2012–2014

Enhancing the attraction of international students:• 20-25% at MSc level• 30-40% at PhD level

International students should perform as well as nationalstudents

• Focus on qualityInternational students should be distributed among allprogrammes

From A.Y. 2014/15 all Master of Science courses will beexclusively offered in English (Phase 3)PoliMI ‐ Strategic Plan 2012‐2014

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Teaching only in English at MSc level: first respones

• Resistance by a small part of the faculty• A lawsuit that has now reached the highest level of the

juidicial contest: the Constitutional Court• Very positive reactions from PoliMI students

• Benefits in terms of future career clearly perceived• Growth in attracting also national students even at the

Bachelor level:• PoliMI one of the few institutions in Italy whose

applicants have grown constantly at all levels in the last years

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The growth of English-taught programs 2005/06 - 2015/16 35

*of which 23 taughtONLY in English

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

7

11 11 1112

15 1517

1921

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PoliMI – LM (MSc) programs taught in English

Offerta formativa in INGLESE

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International students growth@PoliMI

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15

1,9%

5,5%

9,0%

10,0%11,2%

13,7%

17,5%

15,9%

16,9%

18,9%

21,6%

International Students in LM (MSc) Programmes

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Scholarships for international students@POLIMI

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Additional scholarships:‐ POLIMI income‐based

scholarships for nationaland int’l students

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

LM International intake

Merit‐based scholarships

Tuition fee‐waivers

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A few conclusions

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Internationalisation at home is a very pervasive process, impacting the entire institution:

• Deans and program directors• Student services and general campus organisation

A strong committment from the leadership is needed

A very good internal and external communication plan isstrongly recommended

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