Strategies for International Student Recruitment

- The NUS Experience -

R. Rajaram Director

Office of Admissions

VISION

A leading global university centered in Asia,

influencing the future NUS will be a globally-oriented university, in the distinguished league of the world’s leading universities.

A key node in global knowledge networks, NUS will have distinctive expertise and insights relating to Asia.

NUS aspires to be a bold and dynamic community, with a “no walls” culture and a spirit of enterprise which

strives for positive influence and impact through our education, research and service.

Every member of our university enjoys diverse opportunities for intellectual, personal and professional

growth. Learning and working at NUS will foster quick, well-rounded minds, well-equipped to succeed in our

fast-changing world.

MISSION

To transform the way people think

and do things through education,

research and service

as of Aug 2011

SNAPSHOT

Students, Faculty & Staff Number

Undergraduate 26,742

Postgraduate 10,562

Academic Staff (Teaching) 2,609

Academic Staff (Research) 2,643

Executive & Professional Staff 2,084

General Staff 2,415

• 16 Faculties & Graduate Schools over 3 campus locations

• 3 Research Centres of Excellence & 22 research institutions

• 42 University Administration Offices

• 8 Halls of Residence & 3 Residences

• 3 residential colleges

SNAPSHOT

• IT-intensive Environment:

Notebook ownership scheme, Plug

& Play points campus-wide,

wireless & mobile services

• State-of-the-art Facilities:

Internet 2, Synchrotron radiation

setup, Laser microprocessing lab

• Global Classrooms:

Smart classroom, Integrated Virtual

Learning Environment, Web Labs

SNAPSHOT

World-Class Infrastructure

• International Recruitment

• Student Exchange Programme

• International Networking

• Global Partnerships

6

GLOBALIZATION

A LEADER IN GLOBAL EDUCATION

Take NUS students

to the world

Students and faculty from 100 countries;

50% undergraduates go overseas;

20% for >6 months

Reciprocal student exchange arrangements

with over 300 partner universities

Bring the world

to NUS

70 joint & double-degree programmes

with top universities around the world

7 NUS Overseas Colleges across

the US, Europe, China & India

STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Key Principles

• Diversity - Key countries identified for recruitment

• Compatibility - Geographically close to Singapore, with

education systems whose rigor and quality suitable for NUS

• Quality - Students must be in the top and able to add value to

the NUS environment

STRATEGIES

• Targeted Outreach

• Cultivating Top Talent

• Clear Value Propositions

TARGETED OUTREACH

• High School Outreach

– Identify reputable high schools in target countries

– Make direct visits and make presentations on

opportunities at NUS

– Involving currently enrolled students, faculty and

staff in recruitment activities

TARGETED OUTREACH

Personalised Engagement

• small group sessions with principals, school

counselors, parents and top students

• sponsor visits to NUS from counselors and teachers

• Outbound visits from student ambassadors at NUS

CREATING AWARENESS

Reaching out to the larger community

• Active participation in recruitment fairs e.g. Facon Fair,

Times of India Fair etc

• Advertisements in major publications in respective

countries

• Engaging the media. For example, appearing in local

TV and radio talk shows,

ATTRACT TOP TALENT

Actively leverage on scholarships & financial aid

• Number, range and attractiveness of scholarships

• Access to and comprehensiveness of financial aid

• Early offers of scholarships and financial aid, and where possible concurrently with admissions

Early offers of admissions

• Provide early offers to top students such as Olympiad medalists

Attracting Top Students

• Scholarship

Outreach

• Scholarship

Publications

Selection of scholars

• Scholarship

Application

• Scholarship

Interview

• Scholarship

Offer

Engaging our scholars

• Renewal of

Scholarship

• Scholar

Development

Framework

SCHOLARSHIPS

The scholarship connection

Scholarships Courses Eligibility Value of Award

ASEAN

Undergraduate

Scholarship

Any course^

leading to

a first degree

^ Limited places for

Medicine, Dentistry

and Law Courses

• Citizens & permanent

residents of an ASEAN

member country (Singapore citizens are not

eligible)

• Outstanding academic

results and

co-curricular activities

• Tuition fees

• Annual living

allowance of

S$5,800.00

SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarships Courses Eligibility Value of Award

SembCorp

Undergraduate

Scholarship

All courses

offered by the:

• School of

Computing

• Faculty of

Engineering

• Faculty of

Science

(excluding

Pharmacy)

• Indonesian National

• Polytechnic Diploma or high

school equivalent.

• Outstanding co-curricular

activities

• Tuition fees

• Annual living allowance

S$6,000

• Accommodation

allowance

• Settling-in allowance of

S$200

• Air passage at the

beginning and upon

completion of the course

of study

Singapore Airlines

(SIA)- Neptune

Orient Lines (NOL)

Undergraduate

Scholarship

• Indian National

• Polytechnic Diploma or high

school equivalent.

• Outstanding co-curricular

activities

Undergraduate

Scholarship for

Hong Kong

Students

• Hong Kong (SAR) citizen

and permanent residents

• Polytechnic Diploma or high

school equivalent.

• Outstanding co-curricular

activities

SCHOLARSHIPS

• No deserving student denied an NUS education because

of financial difficulty

• Needs-blind admission

FINANCIAL AID

TALENT MANAGEMENT OUTREACH

SCHOLARS DEVELOPMENT

• NUS Scholar Development Camp - Develop scholars’ personal effectiveness using “The 7 Habits of Highly

Effective People” model

• NUS Scholar Overseas Community Involvement Programme to Cambodia - Encourage giving back and international exposure

• NUS Future Leader Programme - Develop leadership abilities

- Inculcate social responsibility

- Self-initiated community projects

- 5-day workshop

• NUS Scholar Enrichment Grant - Grants to participate in local and

overseas enrichment programmes

VALUE PROPOSITIONS

• Enrichment Programmes – NUS Overseas Colleges

– University Scholars Programme

– Student Exchange Programme

• Accommodation

• Service Touch points

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMES

Student Exchange

• Learn other cultures, broaden outlook

an establish personal network

• 1 or 2 semesters at one of our 300

overseas partner universities. Credits

transfer back to NUS towards a degree

• international internships and research

attachments

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMES

University Scholar Programme • interdisciplinary academic programme

• 8 multi-disciplinary modules(Writing &

Critical Thinking)

• complements partner faculty curricula with

enquiry-led, small group teaching. taught in

seminar style

• learning beyond the classroom through

research, internship, and study abroad

opportunities

USP students are concurrently

enrolled in one of 7 faculties –

Arts, Business, Computing, Design

and Environment, Engineering,

Law <New in AY12> and Science.

NUS Overseas Colleges

• For students with entrepreneurial drive

• Immersion in leading entrepreneurial and academic hubs

• Internship in innovative, high-tech start-ups

• Study at prestigious partner universities

NOC Israel

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMES

On-Campus • 6 Residential Halls

Eusoff Hall

Kent Ridge Hall

King Edward VII Hall

Raffles Hall

Sheares Hall

Temasek Hall

• Prince George’s Park Complex

International students can stay on campus for

first 2 years of study

Off-Campus • Residential hall

• Rented rooms and apartments

ACCOMMODATION

NUS University

Town

UTOWN RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMME

• Multi-disciplinary academic

programme in residential setting

• Incoming freshmen apply for the 2-year

residential programme & stay in

Cinnamon (USP) College, Tembusu

College & Residential College 3

• 67,000

IVRS/Helpline (Total calls)

• 45,000

Total who chose option to speak to OAM officer

• 39,250

Email queries

OUR CUSTOMERS

NUS OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS

NUS SERVICE CLASS REPORT

KEY CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS

Admissions Convenient application and acceptance

process

Easy to communicate with OAM and

obtain clear/timely response

Timely & comprehensive offers /

product offerings

Scholarships

Financial Aid

MAJOR SERVICE TOUCH POINTS

• Website

• Publications

• Campus Tours

• Open House

• 24x7 Enquiries

MAJOR SERVICE TOUCH POINTS

• Admissions application portals

• Financial Aid application portals

• Scholarship application portals

• RightNow FAQ web query system

• RightNow email enquiry system

• IVRS phone enquiry system

• OAM Reception

Customer Care Portal

USING TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE DELIVERY

Admissions Website

Web Query System

(FAQs)

Customer Care Portal

Customer Care

Supervisor

CUSTOMER

(valued service)

RN Email System

Templates NEW

NEW

Checks

60,000

20,300

Customer Service/Contact Centre Team • Carefully selected (interview/written/scenario testing)

• Customised Training (OJT/draft replies)

• RightNow knowledge-based Web Query (FAQ) system (information

anytime anywhere)

• RightNow Email Enquiry System (using smart technology to ensure timely

& valued response)

TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN TOUCH POINTS

RightNow knowledge-

based Web Query System

Latest

enhancement

LOGIN Customer profile Statistics in RN Email System

Objective: Continual improvement (enhance reply templates/

FAQs to address more current customer needs)

RightNow Web Query System

(How to send an email query)

Online application portals with IT enhancements (facility to check application status, accept offer, retrieve application, upload of documents)

TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN TOUCH POINTS

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP

Measuring Best Experience

Service Standards/ KPI → Customer Satisfaction

• Emails (timely response/ KPI – within 3 days)

• Telephone calls (answer by 2nd ring)

• Reception desk (attend to customer within 10 minutes)

• Response to queries (valued – clear & accurate replies – 100% QA)

• Customer service (courteous and helpful; good listening and communication

skills)

Empowerment (admission advisory services, IVRS announcements)

How do we know our customers are happy with our

offerings/ service?

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

• Customer Feedback Forms

• Annual Student Survey

• RN Email Satisfaction Survey

• Financial Aid Survey

• OQM Student Perception Survey

Solicited

feedback

• Direct meetings with customers

• Outreach programmes

• Feedback from overseas recruitment agents, NUS faculties/departments

Unsolicited

feedback

NUS WORLD RANKING

• 40th among world’s top 200 universities

• Top 2 in Asia

http://www.nus.edu.sg/admission