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Conversation Insights
The IC Global Cafés & The IC Cafés
Discover the critical issues affecting international education NOW.
Defining and projecting a distinctive international narrative for your university
At this IC Café we explore how universities around the world are creating innovative ways of defining and presenting their standout strengths and messages, especially when it comes to capturing a unifying purpose and a sense of distinctive global mission and impact.
In particular, we present several interesting examples of global narratives and international brand-building approaches, including one award-winning global brand proposition and campaign (drawn from Monash University).
We also address methods for measuring and monitoring the impact of international brand and reputation resonance – and highlight The IC Global’s own International Influencer Index as a distinctive approach.
Benefit from the expertise and experience of our speakers:
- Caroline Knowles, Director, Global Marketing Monash University.
- Justin Shaw, Chief Higher Education Consultant, Communications Management & and IC Global Fellow.
PVC-I’s Voices: What’s the plan for the new academic year?
This Café focuses on UK institutions’ approaches to internationalisation for the 2023-2024 academic year, predictions for the year ahead and observations on key international education issues from the perspective of senior leaders at UK universities. Our expert speakers are:
- Rachel Sandison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, External Engagement, University of Glasgow;
- Ben Matthews, Associate Director of Global Engagement at Lancaster University;
- Professor Antonius Raghubansie, Pro Vice-Chancellor International, Keele University.

Has the Foundation market peaked?
With the growth of students studying Foundation Programmes with private providers and the decline of student numbers at in-house programmes:
- What are the future trends for Foundation Programmes?
- How has the foundation market and those that provide them evolved?
- What are best practice models and structures for universities?
- How can international student recruiters best engage with this channel to support their recruitment targets?
This IC Global Café we focus on this key route to undergraduate studies from the different perspectives of our expert speakers.
- Professor Nina-Anne Lawrence, Director of Warwick Foundation Studies, Head of Department and Chair of the University Pathway Alliance (UPA) will share how the Alliance is responding to market changes that have affected international student recruitment to the UK, the innovations introduced to programmes and whether foundation programmes are still valuable for international students.
- Dr Anthony Manning, Director & Dean of Global & Lifelong Learning at the University of Kent and an IC Global Fellow will share insights into the overall Foundation Programme market and observations as an in-house provider at the University of Kent.
If you work in the Foundation Programme market or manage this within your portfolio, don’t miss this insights.
Regional Insights into Sub-Saharan Africa
With the rise of internationally mobile students from Sub-Saharan Africa, foreign exchange and currency instability and the recent UK Government’s decision of international students studying taught master’s courses in the UK not being able to bring dependents, what are the implications of this on international student recruitment and the region?
The imminent launch of the first ever ranking of universities in Sub-Saharan Africa by Times Higher Education (THE) also puts a spotlight on this region. What partnership opportunities are available to institutions? What role does policy play when building collaborations with institutions and increasing international student recruitment? What’s the local context and pulse on the ground?
At this IC Global Café we are delighted to be joined by expert speakers from Sub-Saharan Africa:
- Meekness Lunga Ayidu, Senior Regional Programme Manager: Higher Education (Sub-Saharan Africa), British Council
- Kaozara Oyalowo, Policy Officer (Africa and the Middle East), UUKi
- Stuart Rennie, Managing Director, SJRennie Consulting and Managing Director, AfaraEd and The IC Global Fellow
Recruitment channels and pathways to UG study in the UK
At this IC Café our expert speakers share trends in recruitment channels, pathways and applications for international students studying in the UK, the role of agent aggregators and private pathway providers, and make recommendations to help the UK to strengthen its position as the second most popular study destination for international students in the world.
Our expert speakers:
- John Mcnamara, Global Head of Research, Education Insight Hubs at The British Council
- Jacqui Jenkins, Global Programme Lead-International Student Mobility at The British Council
- Sirin Myles, Co-Founder and Director, The IC Global Partnership
- Chris Kirk, Director of UCAS International
- James Pitman, Managing Director UK and Europe, Study Group
A conversation and discussion with Jamie Arrowsmith
Jamie Arrowsmith, Director of Universities UK International (UUKi) joined The IC Café to discuss UUKi’s recent work on international students, including the economic impact, #weareinternational and recent Government policy changes. Attendees, had the opportunity to discuss pre-arranged topics with peers and colleagues in breakout rooms. Please note that the session was specifically focused on the UK.

In conversation with Professor Sir Steve Smith on global engagement in Higher Education
At this IC Café Professor Sir Steve Smith talks about the changing nature of international recruitment patterns and the evolving relationships between aggregators, agents and universities, and answers The IC Communy questions.

Measuring Global Engagement, Reputation and Influence
At this IC Café on reputation management, our expert speakers, Alistair Jarvis, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Partnerships and Governance), University of London, and Justin Shaw, Chief Higher Education Consultant, Communications Management & and IC Global Fellow, focus on the following questions and many more: What influences reputation? How do and should universities measure reputation? What is the role of partnership and global engagement on institutional brand and reputation?
Are you clear on your next steps to enhance your University’s international reputation worldwide? The IC Global can help with the International Influencer Index

The power of coaching and mentoring in Higher Education Leadership for Internationalisation and Global Engagement
This IC Café in conversation with Professor Abigail Gregory, Sirin Myles and Charlene Allen on the topic of coaching and mentoring, is designed to help you in your personal and professional role to achieve the right work-life balance, support you in transitioning to a new role, help with difficult conversions, build confidence, build your individual professional brand and manage upwards.

How to identify, establish and manage successful externally funded scholarship programmes
Our expert speaker Melissa Abache, Director of the International Office at Koç University in Istanbul, Turkey and an IC Global Fellow gives advice on how to identify and engage with possible scholarship providers; looks into why and how sponsored student/scholarship programmes are beneficial for universities; and shares lessons learnt in establishing and managing externally funded or co-funded scholarship programmes in your institution for undergraduate or graduate programmes.

EU TNE and student mobility: what are the research and on the ground observations telling us?
Our expert speakers Helen Etheridge, Higher Education and Science Lead for the EU Region at the British Council and Maria Tsakali, Head Thessaloniki office at the British Council Greece discuss student mobility, TNE, EU student numbers, British Council’s activities in Europe, and the Greece market.

What's the value and future of TNE?
At this IC Café we discuss with our expert speakers, Eduardo Ramos, Director of International and Professional Services, QAA and Janet Ilieva, Founder and Director at Education Insight, the following themes:
- Will TNE continue to expand?
- What are the drivers and benefits of TNE at the student, institutional, local and national levels?
- What is the direction of travel for TNE partnerships?
- What is the regulatory environment for the provision of TNE?
- How can the risks in TNE be managed?
- How can TNE be appropriately quality assured?

Regional Insights: TNE through the lens of India and Pakistan
Our expert speakers Kholah Yuraq Malik, Global Higher Education Professional (previously Dean of Academics and Internationalisation, The Millennium Universal College (TMUC), Pakistan) and Meena Saxena, Director International Linkages, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), India explore transnational education (TNE) partnerships with the UK, India and Pakistan, consider national regulations, share best practice and discuss case studies.

Creating Sustainable and Successful Partnerships in Latin America
Our expert speakers, Simon Terrington and Jamie Ash of EdCo LATAM Consulting have extensive expertise in the LATAM region. We discuss with them how to build and sustain long term relationships with stakeholders – including agencies and universities, two important recruitment channels within Latin America – to successfully enrol more students to your institution.

Are you ready to influence?
Learn from our expert speaker, Justin Shaw, how universities tend to address and measure reputation (outside of rankings) and how the International Influencer Index can help universities better understand, measure and monitor their international reputations.

Reconnect with Europe: What is the future of European Student Recruitment
In this IC Global Café our guest speaker, Helen Etheridge, Lead for Higher Education and Science for the EU at the British Council provides insights and data on current trends, increased competition, EU agents, employability, TNE and much more.

The Impact of Geopolitical Issues on Internationalisation
Discover how to support each other, our students, staff and partners and learn recent best practice examples from our expert speaker, Charley Robinson, Head of Global Mobility Policy, Universities UK International.

The Value of Alumni for International Education
Our expert speaker, Mario L. Gallo, highlights the value of alumni: with, in, for and through international education. Learn about the importance of alumni as partners, ambassadors, promotors, mentors, innovators, leaders and more.
