While visibility on platforms like RedNote (Xiaohongshu), Douyin, and Bilibili helps universities attract Chinese students' attention, awareness alone doesn't drive enrollment. Universities must nurture inquiries into applications and applications into enrollments—a process that requires responsive, proactive engagement on local messaging platforms, particularly WeChat.
Read MoreShort videos have become one of the most effective ways for universities to engage with prospective students—especially in China, where traditional email campaigns are increasingly losing their influence among the younger generation. Instead, today’s Chinese students are spending hours daily watching bite-sized video content on mobile-first platforms like Douyin (China’s TikTok), RedNote (Xiaohongshu), and Bilibili.
Read MoreOn April 15, Sunrise hosted a webinar focused on effective recruitment strategies for Chinese students in higher education. The session featured three seasoned admissions professionals—Pierce Golden from Suffolk University, Bayu Sutrisno from Pace University, and Rafael Alvarado from Kansas State University—who shared insights and lessons from their recent recruitment trips to China.
Read MoreThis April, the Sunrise 2025 Spring Undergraduate Tour brought together global universities and China’s rising student talent across a 14-day journey through six cities and 19 schools. From Hangzhou to Chongqing, Ningbo to Lanzhou, the tour spotlighted regional education hubs that are fast becoming essential to any successful China recruitment strategy.
Read MoreThe Chinese social media app RedNote, also known as Little Red Book or Xiaohongshu, was the #1 most downloaded iOS app on Monday. With the US ban of TikTok looming, many US TikTok users are looking for alternatives, global interest in RedNote has surged. This trend begs the question: Can RedNote become the next TikTok? And if it did, what would that mean for university recruiters and communicators? Will RedNote open a new avenue for recruiting students? We think that RedNote will continue to attract “TikTok refugees” in the short term, and it’s certainly worth using if your university actively recruits in China already. There is uncertainty as to whether it can step up to fill TikTok’s shoes as a platform for ads and organic engagement targeting US students, but it’s certainly worth watching.
Read MoreBilibili (哔哩哔哩), often referred to as "China's YouTube," has rapidly evolved from an anime-centric platform to one of China’s leading video-sharing communities. Founded in 2009, Bilibili now caters to a diverse array of interests, including gaming, education, and lifestyle content. As of the second quarter of 2024, Bilibili boasts over 102 million daily active users (DAUs) and 336 million monthly active users (MAUs), with the average user spending around 99 minutes per day on the platform—an impressive metric that underscores its user engagement.
Read MoreSunrise Tours embarked on an exceptional recruitment tour across China in April, providing international recruiters with valuable insights into the latest developments in the country's education landscape. Visiting 6 captivating cities and 22 international schools over two weeks, the tour facilitated meaningful connections with prospective students and equipped recruiters with up-to-date knowledge of emerging admissions trends.
Read MoreAt the NAFSA 2024 Annual Conference, held from May 28 to 31, Sunrise International had the honor of contributing to two impactful sessions focused on the future of US-China educational partnerships and the revival of student mobility in China. We were also privileged to have emcees for these sessions, Jiang Hongmin of the Chinese Embassy and Zhang Zhaotian from CEAIE. This piece summarizes the highlights of these significant discussions.
Read MoreSunrise International recently hosted a webinar on April 9th, focusing on essential strategies for navigating China's educational landscape. The session delved into the evolving dynamics of digital marketing in the country. Here's a brief recap, though we strongly recommend watching the full recording for detailed graphics and analysis of real business cases.
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