COVID-19, the novel coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China, has had massive and disruptive effects on institutions of higher education around the world. The disease, though it is relatively unlikely to cause death or even critical illness, has resulted in the implementation of national and international measures aimed at limiting the effects and the spread of the disease. The most serious of these measures include quarantines and restrictions of movement within China as well as outright entry bans on travelers from China into countries around the world, including the United States of America and Australia, two of the largest markets for Chinese students studying abroad, and New Zealand, which also depends heavily on Chinese international students. Meanwhile, international recruiters are facing down recruiting for Fall 2020 amid economic uncertainty for students, partner universities operating online only, and with bans on recruitment travel in key regions like China and South Korea. As international institutions face the most challenging recruitment landscape in decades, many are turning to online tools such as recruitment webinars, social media marketing, online lead generation portals, and VR marketing campaigns.

The number of Chinese students studying abroad has climbed significantly over the past decade and in 2017 was more than 800,000, according to the the Sydney-based Centre for Independent Studies think-tank[1]. Most of these students enroll in universities in English-speaking countries[2], primarily the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The growth of wealth in China and its increasing integration with the world has created a massive market of students interested in studying abroad, and there is significant prestige associated with a degree from a foreign institution, further increasing demand.

Chinese appetite for study overseas has grown steadily over the years.

According to UNESCO[3], more than 300,000 of these students attend school in the United States, while more than 120,000 study in Australia. Most Chinese students at American universities were already on campus for the spring semester before travel bans were imposed. The Australian fall semester starts later, and universities there are suffering as a result of their country’s entry ban because many Chinese students are unable to travel to Australia and are considering canceling their enrollment for the semester. The ban has been extended to at least the end of February. One in ten students in Australia’s top eight universities is Chinese and, according to the International Education Association of Australia, the country’s higher education sector could lose between four and six billion Australian dollars this semester if Chinese students are unable to attend classes. Australia’s top eight universities[4] estimated that the travel ban would cost the economy more than one billion Australian dollars and put 7,500 jobs at risk for each 10% fall in Chinese students. The international education sector in Australia is worth around 35 billion Australian[5] dollars each year, making it the country’s second largest “export.” The coronavirus could have longer-term effects as well. The virus has caused delays or cancellations of examinations required[6] to attend universities outside of China as well as closing embassies and consulates where students must get visas, which might have an effect on application and enrollment numbers next year.

The situation is similar in neighboring New Zealand, a country in which one in five university students is international, and half of the international student population is Chinese. Chris Whelan[7], executive director of Universities New Zealand, estimated that the travel ban will cost the sector NZ$170 million in lost fees, which erases its entire surplus.

Universities in Australia have taken various measures to attempt to address this problem. They attempted to lobby the Australian government to allow an exemption on the travel[8] ban for students, but the government refused to make any exceptions to the policy. Some universities have begun using distance learning, including lectures through videoconferencing, to reach their students in China. Others, including the University of Melbourne, the University of Adelaide, and Western Sydney University have begun offering cash incentives (of up to 7,500 Australian dollars) to students to help them circumvent the travel ban by traveling to another country outside of China before continuing on to Australia. In general, however, these solutions are stopgap and it is likely that Australian and New Zealand universities will suffer substantially until the travel bans are lifted.

Air pollution is a bad thing, but it’s a strong indicator of industrial activity, particularly in North and Central China which specialize more in heavy industry.

More fundamentally, the coronavirus may cast a longer shadow on international university recruitment, because of the economics effects it will have on families in China and South Korea. Both countries are attractive recruitment territories, in no small part because student fund their own studies, and families view full-price tuition at a high quality overseas program as a valuable investment. Quarterly GDP grown in China has ground to a halt, and for almost 6 weeks the country has sat at about 20% of full productivity. Between 70-80% of small and medium sized enterprises have not resumed normal operations, and factory supply chains remain disrupted.

But problems are not limited to Chinese students seeking to go abroad. Universities around the world have canceled their study abroad programs for spring and summer 2020, first to China throughout January and February, and now many are cancelling study abroad programs to South Korea and Italy. This comes as a significant blow to Chinese universities, which attract more than 492,000 foreign students. Meanwhile, South Korea universities, which are ordinarily home to 66,700 foreign students, and Italian universities, which host 43,600 foreign students, each year stand to see a significant drop. Most if not all of these students have had to return to their home countries or have been rerouted to other destinations.

As institutions struggle to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on their international recruitment efforts, it’s an important time for universities to reassess their digital presence, both globally and in China.

First, share updates regarding your admissions policies on our unified page for Chinese students and counselors.
Second, join our virtual webcasts, in place of college fairs this Spring. Each three day series features six universities presenting to an audience of over 1000+ students. Spots are limited, so sign up soon.
Third, as many students have been prevented from taking Spring exams, consider test flexible policies. There has never been a better time to join the China Test Optional Initiative.
Fourth, Chinese social media offers a number of powerful platforms: Wechat, Weibo, Douyin, and Toutiao which allow universities to target relevant prospective students. Marketing on Chinese search engines like Baidu have never offered a better value proposition.
Fifth, visitors to campus will drop substantially this year, so it’s important to have a modern mobile-friendly virtual campus tour. Universities can upload 360 degree media onto the Campus 360 platform completely for free and can work with different providers to improve their VR campus tours.

If your institution is struggling to respond to the torrent of coronavirus-related disruptions or would like a second opinion on your updated marketing strategy or crisis response, please feel free to reach out to Sunrise International.

By Nick Caputo and David Weeks

Comments or questions? Email us at contact@sieconnection.com

Six weeks in, no end in sight for Coronavirus challenges on International Recruiters