India and Otago came together at the recent three-city roadshow in India, showcasing the best of what Otago has to offer international students. MOU partners, agents and the Otago team gather for a group shot after a partner appreciation event in Mumbai.
In a first for Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, an academic roadshow spanning three cities and six events highlighted the best of what Otago has to offer to prospective students and partners in India – an initiative which has already proved its worth.
Across Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, the recent roadshow had representation from each of the academic divisions, Student Administration and the International team, and events including a student expo, networking and partner appreciation evenings and school visits for Teacher’s Day.
Otago University’s Regional Marketing Manager Victoria McEniery says the roadshow was covered by multiple Indian media outlets.
“We were fortunate to gain good media publicity across Indian newspapers. We also received very good feedback from the attendees.
“That combined with the social media push and our on-ground efforts with the roadshow is already bearing fruit through an increase in applications from India.”
The roadshow was a unique opportunity for Otago, having previously only participated with other Aotearoa universities at education fairs or university days, she says.
Victoria was part of the team that organised the event, alongside International Student Recruitment Coordinator Rakesh Banerjee and India-based Country Advisor Riddhi Khurana.
“A standalone roadshow gave us the opportunity to increase our brand awareness in a key market,” Victoria says.
“It was a chance for prospective students, parents, school counsellors, institutional partners and agents to engage directly with academic staff regarding study options.
“It also was a great opportunity for the academics to understand the market, and for the agents and our institutional partners to see that we take the India market seriously.”
The Otago team at the roadshow in Mumbai. From left, Student Administration Lead Administrator Louise Ross, Country Advisor Riddhi Khurana, Regional Marketing Manager Victoria McEniery, Recruitment Coordinator Rakesh Banerjee, Professor Miranda Mirosa, Associate Professor Christina Ergler, Professor Julia Horsfield and Associate Professor Aniruddha Chatterjee.
A focused approach was taken for student attendees to the expo, with nurtured leads receiving invitations to register.
Over a hundred students attended the events, while partner events also proved popular, with more than 100 education consultants and MoU partner institutions invited.
Student Administration Lead Administrator Louise Ross says the highlight of her trip was meeting and connecting with future international students in person.
“As admissions staff, we get a glimpse of their world and story when they submit their application, but their academics are often a small part of a bigger picture of what led them to consider Otago.”
There is a big difference between reading on paper the opportunities available at Otago and getting to speak to someone in real time about them, Louise says.
“It helps with getting those big questions answered before making the decision to move away from home.
“It takes a lot of courage to commit to a decision like this, so being able to connect with a friendly face goes a long way.”
Food Science Head of Department Professor Miranda Mirosa says the most valuable part of the trip for her was meeting the agents.
Miranda was one of four academics on the roadshow, with Associate Dean International (Health Sciences) Associate Professor Aniruddha Chatterjee, Head of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences Professor Julia Horsfield, and Humanities Associate Dean Graduate Studies Associate Professor Christina Ergler. Otago Business School Associate Professor Leah Watkins attended via Zoom.
“Gaining a deeper understanding of the crucial role agents play in our international recruitment strategy was a significant learning experience,” Miranda says.
“Meeting with them in person generates positive social media engagement in the short-term, but in the long-term it gives us the ability to demonstrate how exceptional our institution is.
“This personal connection builds strong relationships and empowers agents to confidently recommend the University of Otago to prospective students.”
As an academic, it was incredibly valuable to see this aspect of the internationalisation efforts firsthand, Miranda says.
“I learned a great deal and have a whole new appreciation for the difficult but vitally important work our international team does in-market.
“Also as is often the case, it was helpful to step away from daily work to be reminded of what an outstanding institution we have and what a great 'product' we have to offer the world.”