Bridging Borders: The Crucial Role of Cultural Awareness in Higher Education and Student Recruitment

Five Key Takeaways The vodcast emphasised the need for educational institutions to strategically integrate cultural awareness into their core practices. Kate Barnes, Acumen’s Director of Partnership Development, highlighted that a deep understanding of cultural nuances is crucial for fostering successful international collaborations. The key takeaway here is that institutions should …

Mastering Digital Marketing for International Education: Insights from Nishtha Gupta’s Exclusive Workshop

In the ever-evolving landscape of international education, staying at the forefront means embracing digital transformation. On the 27th of October 2023, Acumen hosted an exclusive in-house learning session titled ‘Digital Marketing Essentials for International Education,’ featuring Nishtha Gupta, Acumen’s Head of Digital Marketing Delivery. This workshop was an invaluable opportunity …

What now? What next? Insights into Australia’s tertiary education sector

Claire Field’s recent podcast episode of “What now? What next? Insights into Australia’s tertiary education sector” featured guest, Marnie Watson, Chief Commercial and Partnership Officer at Acumen, part of the Sannam S4 Group. In this episode discussion focused on various aspects of transnational education (TNE) in Australia’s tertiary education sector. …

Unlocking Potential: Acumen’s Expansion into Indonesia

Jakarta, 16 October 2023 Acumen, part of Sannam S4 Group, is extending its growing footprint in South East Asia through expansion into Indonesia, announced Adrian Mutton, Chairman & CEO of Acumen, during a visit to Jakarta.     “We and our clients are looking at South East Asia as a key region …

AGGS Sessions: Agent 2023: Delivering the best student experience & ensuring sustainability in international student recruitment . The evolution of the agents, the role of technology vs personal engagement in recruitment and admissions

Moderator Adrian Mutton, Founder & Executive Chairman Sannam S4 Group Panellists Karunn Kandoi, ApplyBoard Suneet Singh Kochar, CEO, Fateh Education Sushil Sukhwani, Founding Director & Owner, Edwise International Akshay Chatruvedi – Founder LeverageEdu Banit Singh Sawhney, CEO and Founder, Imperial Group Welcome to the thought-provoking panel discussion titled “Agent 2023: …

AGGS Sessions: 10K Voices – The changing aspirations and concerns of an internationally ambitious student

With Moderator Ritika Singh, Acumen Panellists Ritu Sharma, Senior Regional Advisor, Victoria University Shishir K Upadhyay, Principal Advisor, University of South California Sonu Himani, Senior Partnerships Officer, King’s College Vinita Nilesh Desai, Senior Recruitment Advisor, University of Auckland Welcome to an engaging and insightful panel discussion titled “10K Voices: The …

Acumen (part of the Sannam S4 Group) Achieves ‘Great Place to Work’ Certification

Acumen is thrilled to announce its recent achievement of the ‘Great Place to Work’ certification. This recognition reflects the organisation’s unwavering commitment to fostering a positive, inclusive, and vibrant workplace culture for its employees. The ‘Great Place to Work’ certification is a prestigious accolade that recognises organisations for their outstanding …

AGGS Sessions: Trends, opportunities and challenges and the value proposition of transnational (TNE) education.

With Moderators Pete Richards, Executive Director, UK and Europe, Acumen Sannam S4 Professor Delia Heneghan, Executive Director and Senior Vice President Panellists Pooja Singh, Recruitment Adviser, University of Troy  Palak Behl, Recruitment Adviser, King’s College London Megha Srivastava, Senior Recruitment Adviser, York University Dr. Erik Lithander, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Strategic …

AGGS Sessions: Student recruitment – the status quo and the future. An assessment of agents, direct and progression recruitment and campus vs online course recruitment

With Moderator Chris Bandy, Executive Director, Australia and New Zealand • Sales Panellist Panganamala Sudha, Consultant, University of Southern California  Sandeep Bhalla, University of Sydney  Mahima Kapoor, Regional Recruitment Advisor, University of York  Riddhi Khurana, Recruitment Advisor, Ontario Tech University  Coordinating CX Manager: Palak Join the distinguished panel of experts …

AGGS Sessions: Trends, opportunities and challenges and the value proposition of international education. Personal experiences, employability and producing global citizens.

With  Katie Landrey, Partner Success Manager, North America (Service Delivery), Sannam S4 Group Hemant Kumar Das, Principal Advisor – India Initiatives, University of Virginia, Darden School of Business  Anjalii Agarwal, Senior Recruitment Advisor, University of Sydney  Sejal Gandhi, Recruitment Advisor, University of Southampton  Anindita Halder, Senior Recruitment Advisor, University of …

Regional differences in recruitment, trends, and insights pan South Asia

With Moderator Haike Manning, Executive Director, South east Asia, Acumen Panellists Rohil Kapoor, Senior Recruitment Adviser (University of Nottingham) (confirmed) Harkirat Singh Sahni, Recruitment Adviser (University of Westminster) (confirmed) Madhu Sharma, Regional Recruitment Adviser, University of Salford (confirmed) Mishi Sardana, Regional Adviser South Asia, Queen Mary University of London (confirmed) Today …

Acumen Global Gateway Summit Sessions: The role of industry in higher education. Creating job ready graduates and establishing apprenticeships and meaningful career pathways

In an era marked by rapid technological advancements and shifting economic landscapes, the relationship between higher education institutions and industries has never been more critical. Join Dr Shashank Shah, Senior Specialist – Higher Education, NITI Aayog, Prof. Prabhu Aggarwal – Vice Chancellor, Bennett University, Mr Dipesh Shah, Executive Director (Development), …

A New Era Dawns For Articulation Partnerships in India

Written by Sagar Bahadur— Executive Director – India & South Asia, Acumen In recent years, the landscape of higher education in India has undergone a significant transformation, driven by the NEP 2020 and a shifting perspective towards global education. One noteworthy shift gaining traction is the establishment and implementation of …

Acumen Global Gateway Summit Sessions: Master Class Regulatory Compliance and Best Practice in Higher Education in India: In-Country Representation, University Market Entry & Expansion

With Ed Dixon, Kapil Dua, and Michael Green Compliance and adherence to thereof are one of key considerations for any entity looking to expand into the Indian Marketplace. Kapil Dua, Seamless’s Chief Executive Officer, Ed Dixon, Executive Director UK, and Michael Green, Executive Director and Senior Vice President North America, …

Acumen Global Gateway Summit Sessions: Fireside Chat

With Sanjeev Sanyal & Adrian Mutton With COVID-19 forcing the hand of many to embrace new ways and more digital/hybrid ways of working, it was only a matter of time before Universities reevaluated their historical framework and operations against the mass of potential that the new digital era has to …

Acumen Global Gateway Summit Sessions: “India’s Leapfrog Opportunity”

With Sanjeev Sanyal – Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council India has now become the most populous country in the world and as such, the  education landscape is radically changing. Shifts in technology, demographics and the economy have already taken place and presented new and exciting opportunities for the Indian education …

What does 2023 have in store for Higher Education? Join Rob Reeves from Acumen’s UK Team as he gives his insights and predictions.

Predicting future Higher Education trends is one of the most important things an institution can do. This helps to develop strategies and plan responses to ongoing issues, whilst targeting more consistent growth. Robin Reeves, experienced international recruiter, reflects on 2022 and offers his predictions for the UK Higher Education sector in 2023. How did the South …

Deep dive into international recruitment – are aggregators worth it?

Aggregators are a frequent component of international student recruitment and work to unite students across the globe with a compatible university course. They may provide various benefits for students and institutions, though there are also significant questions about their effectiveness. This makes it important to assess if these agents are …

Acumen Leadership in Conversation— Cecilia Pereira-Yates: The Malaysian Market: “It’s not just a commercial relationship”

Before joining Acumen, Cecilia was a Managing Director for GB8 International Education and Partnerships Specialist, a company she founded in 2012.  Cecilia’s  experience and expertise of over 26 years is in the areas of international student recruitment, transnational education, international partnerships and cultural awareness training. Some of her key consultancy …

Acumen Leadership in Conversation – With Joe Arangio: How economic uncertainty will drive enrolment in 2023

Joe Arangio, Acumen’s Senior Vice President, North America has led business development, operations, and program delivery across education’s public, nonprofit and proprietary sectors at the post-graduate, post-secondary and K-12 levels. Joe’s expertise in navigating international education’s complex regulations is routinely used to create learning opportunities that might not otherwise exist. …

UGC Draft Guidelines for Foreign Branch Campuses Unveiled

The much-awaited draft rules for establishing and operating campuses overseas in India have been revealed. The University Grants Commission (UGC) issued the Draft Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India Regulations on 5 January, 2023. As India aims to reach a 50% Gross Enrollment Ratio(GER) from 27.3% currently by 2035 as …

Important Changes In Sight For The Australian Education System

As global education faced an immense slowdown due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, many countries were hit hard. Transnational education developments, international student recruitment and broader internationalisation steps that were in existence, have been pushed back. However, with the situation rapidly improving, many countries are now focused on international opportunities …

No Application Needed For Admission – A New System?

With traditional systems and guidelines, most colleges and universities across the globe require students to apply based on their interests and various criteria for admission. This application process is designed so that students are able to choose their desired courses and institutions have the freedom to decide between candidates. With …

A Memorandum of Understanding & A Collaboration of Minds

What the landmark UK-Indian MoU means for the education industry. In a landmark collaborative effort to merge academic minds from India with the United Kingdom, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries. Both India and the UK share a colourful past, but the Indian MoU is …

Priority Visa Processing To Resume In The UK

The UK Visas and Immigration Services (or the UKVI),  has started restoring priority visa processing services for various visa classes that are eligible, including for students. The service was resumed on August 12th 2022. Priority visa processing was suspended in March of this year. This was so that Ukrainian applicants …

A Strong US Dollar and What that Means for International Students

Indicators are pointing to a surge in demand for international education opportunities among students who have grown weary of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, currency devaluation, inflation, as well as the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war, have dampened the demand for studying abroad in some outbound markets.  What …

Australian Government vows to fix Visa delays

With higher education being the focus of many people arriving in Australia every year, the government has become more proactive in its approach to approving new visas.  The world has been recovering from the COVID pandemic and admissions to colleges and universities are now in full swing. Recently, however, visa …

Vietnam Aims to Internationalise Vocational Education and Training

The VET Toolbox project, funded by the EU, was launched in September of 2021.  The project was initiated so that a framework for qualifications, for Vietnamese institutions, could be developed. The hope is that with certificate recognition, Vietnamese students can gain opportunities to work in local as well as international …

Vietnam’s Role in the Internationalisation of Education

Education’s perception in Vietnamese culture is exceptional. Due to their roots in Confucianism, the Vietnamese place great value on the importance of education. Confucius regularly spoke of its significance in the development of a human being. He also believed that education is a key factor for societal advancement.  The past …

Vietnam Rising – The Growing Demand for International Students

According to several reports and news articles, Vietnam is in the market to promote foreign education for its brightest minds. With a multitude of students in several countries, especially from East Asia, opting for higher education abroad, universities in European nations and the Americas are waiting to welcome the influx …

The Top College Student Recruitment Strategies

As an international student recruitment manager, you know that recruiting top college students is essential to the success of your program. But what are the best strategies for attracting these talented students? It’s no secret that college student recruitment is a competitive process. In order to attract top talent, schools …

International dual and joint degrees to get green light

India is set to greenlight dual and joint degrees awarded by Indian universities with international partners as part of its internationalisation plan being pushed through forcefully since its inclusion last year in the National Education Policy (NEP), a blueprint for the next decade. Foreign universities had already started to explore …

Secure study abroad destinations: The UK and Ireland

The emergence of the coronavirus pandemic has destabilised the certainty university study abroad providers have had regarding the safety of certain international destinations. Despite this, there are some countries that have deep support networks for American students, such as the UK and Ireland. Studying abroad in the UK and Ireland …

Acumen reflects on International Education Week 2021

Mid-November is a much-anticipated time for international educators in the U.S.Colleagues wait with interest for the annual Open Doors report (a government-funded survey on international and U.S. higher education student mobility) to be released, and when it is, there is much debate, reflection and speculation based on the data. Corresponding …

Appointment of former New Zealand ambassador and establishment of a Vietnam HQ furthering the expansion strategy and growing regional expertise to the international education leader’s global footprint.

Sannam S4 Group, a leading international education services provider, today announced the appointment of the former New Zealand Ambassador Mr. Haike Manning as Executive Director, South East Asia, and through the acquisition of the education business of LightPath Consulting Group, acquires a presence in Vietnam. Manning’s appointment and the acquisition …

Generational shift in Indian students’ higher education goals

Universities in India and abroad need to change their mindset when seeking to attract Indian students, as a major survey has shown a shift in perspectives among ‘Generation Z’ youths towards life goals and jobs and what influences them. The survey by international education consultancy Sannam S4 of some 10,000 …

The impact of the Biden Administration on US-Malaysia Student Mobility

The US has been among the top 10 preferred study destinations for Malaysian students. As per IIE Open Doors data, Malaysia has sent a consistent number of students (primarily undergraduates) to the US. Since 2017/18, however, these numbers have been steadily declining. Like most international students in the US, 2020 …

Proud to be gold sponsors at AIEC 2021

At Acumen, we pride ourselves on our global presence in the education sector and assisting institutions expand into new markets, which is why we’re proud to announce that this year we are gold sponsors of the Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) 2021. The AIEC will be taking place online this …

Why America is losing international students

American higher education has long prided itself on being a brilliant beacon, attracting generations of students from around the globe. They come for education and for opportunity. Many, having established ties to America, return home to take roles in academe, business, or government. No country has trained more foreign leaders …

New solutions portfolio includes cutting-edge ‘TNE Matchmaker’ data-mining tool that uses AI to locate best-fit university partners

Acumen, a leading global education services provider, today launched Global Gateway, a comprehensive suite of transnational education (TNE)-related solutions designed to maximise enrolment outcomes for universities. The new service features TNE Matchmaker, the world’s first AI-driven data-mining tool, which searches thousands of courses compiled across South Asia and Southeast Asia …

India branch campus risks and costs “too high”, survey suggests

At least eight top 200 universities in the THE ranking would “definitely consider” having a branch campus in India, according to a recent survey on Establishing International Branch Campuses in India by the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration. Of those, two were in the top 100, which the …

Acumen Welcomes US Joint Statement on International Education

Acumen welcomes the Joint Statement of Principles in Support of International Education recently announced by the US Department of State and Department of Education. We applaud the US government’s commitment to developing a coordinated national approach to international education and recognising the significant benefits that come with global engagement. Acumen …

Explained: The challenges, and the solutions, for students going abroad

Students are worried about travel restrictions, but getting vaccinated boosts their chances of attending classes at international universities. Travel restrictions, quarantine expenses, mental anxiety—these are just some of the challenges that students hoping to go abroad for higher education this year have faced during the second Covid wave. However, with …

Comprehensive enrolment service helps universities enhance recruitment and marketing activities internationally

Acumen, a leading education services provider, today launched PACE, a comprehensive suite of student recruitment-related solutions designed to maximise enrolment outcomes for universities. PACE, which stands for Prospect, Admit, Convert and Enrol, helps universities generate and nurture initial queries through to completed applications, and drive enrolments by enhanced conversion and …

Alumno Founder & CEO Michael Bartlett appointed Sannam S4 Group Global Managing Director, Education

Sannam S4 Group, a leading international education services provider, announced today its acquisition of Alumno, a Singapore-based education consultancy offering strategic advice and implementation support to universities, education organizations and governments on marketing and branding, TNE, partnership development and student recruitment throughout the Asia region. “Acquiring Alumno is an important …

Opportunities for international recruitment post-pandemic

United States international student enrolments this fall semester dropped by more than 40% amid COVID-19 disruptions, but even before the pandemic, international students were beginning to look elsewhere for an education. We all knew that international student enrolments at US universities would be down this term as a result of …

Volume 11: Recruiting Latin American Students the Power of 7

With COVID 19 posing more challenges than ever before within international student recruitment, there has never been a more important time for universities to go that extra mile and manage a tailored approach to attract students. From over 10 years´ experience working with student recruitment in Latin America, below are …

Volume 10: Challenges & opportunities for Higher Education in Latin America & the Caribbean the fallout from COVID

Universities in Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) were already facing daunting challenges before the global pandemic. Rising enrollments that overwhelmed institutional capacity, rigid governance structures, and severe budget restrictions have strained institutions across the region. The pandemic has not only compounded existing problems but has also created new difficulties …

Volume 9: Teaching & learning – Changing the way we do it

Victoria University (VU) changed the landscape of Higher Education in Australia in 2018 when they introduced a revolutionary new model of student learning, known as The VU Way.   Other universities require students to undertake four subjects at once over a 12 week semester followed by a period of exams and …

Overview of Online Education in India

Significant advancements are being made in online education in India as a result of its exponentially developing technology. With a population of over 1.3 billion and the availability of high-speed internet and smartphones, India has a massive base of technologically-driven consumers as the educational landscape shifts in response to the …

Sannam S4 Collaborates with Yocket for a Panel Discussion Series

The panel discussion series announced on LinkedIn on June 2, 2020, will provide a platform for open dialogue between students and some of Sannam S4’s university partners. The series will be hosted on Yocket: an online platform offering a multitude of services to help students manage their plans to study …

Volume 8: The Role of Higher Education in Enhancing Social Enterprise

Since the internet age began, higher education has become more global. The internet has allowed the learner and educator to connect globally, or, as Manuel Castells famously coined the phrase, to become a ‘Network Society’ (Castells, 1996). This network society has developed a new wave of economic, social, political, and …

Digital and Social Media Landscape India

Digital and Social Media Landscape in India

With the deep penetration of internet connectivity among people, the number of social media users in India have been growing constantly. The Indian government-sponsored Digital India initiative has also contributed greatly to this growth. The year 2020, which came under the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic, saw much resort to …

Volume 7: Tax Exposures For Foreign Higher-Ed Institutions in India

As we write this article, the COVID-19 Pandemic is engulfing our world and invoking unprecedented responses and strategies. Global sectors are facing drastic challenges that re-defines the basic modalities of running international operations. The coming years, probably at least the first-half of this decade, will see a paradigm shift where …

Volume 6: Coronavirus Crisis and Digital Education Preparedness

The news magazine Inside Higher Ed published on January 16, 2020, an article titled “Takedown of Online Education”. It featured a US-based research report titled “Does Online Education Live up to Its Promise?” The report was rather negative on online education, especially on fully online courses, apparently aiming to discourage …

top social media trends in india

Top Social Media Trends in India

Social Media Statistics and Facts, You Need to Know Facebook Facts Facebook has 260 million active users in India—that’s the highest they have in any country The largest user group by age on Facebook is 18–24 years, with a whopping 97.2 million users In terms of the number of users …

Volume 5: Impact of EdTech In Changing How India Learns & Skills

In Sep 2019 Zomato laid off 541 employees on the account of automation improving the speed of service resolution. In Nov 2019 Cognizant removed employees from their current roles, and planned to reskill and redeploy a fraction, leading to a net reduction of about 5,000 to 7,000 jobs. These are …

Volume 4: Developing Global Talent Through Higher Education

The Global Skills Mismatch According to global recruiting firm ManpowerGroup, more employers than ever are struggling to fill open positions – 45% globally confirm that they are unable to find the skills they need – the highest talent mismatch figure in over a decade (ManpowerGroup, 2018). Challenges related to the …