The new scheme aims for around 100 agents within the first year across 54 countries and hopes to foster long-term relationships with agents it has built up within its network across its 60 years of operation.

IH has a global network of 158 schools in 52 countries around the world, 50 of which are study abroad centres, and teaches around 220,000 students a year.

“It is essential for us that students see that we are working with good quality agents they can trust”

“A good agent ensures a high quality experience for a client before they even arrive at an IH Study Abroad school and so it is essential for us that students see that we are working with good quality agents they can trust,” Lucy Horsefield, COO at IHWO, told The PIE News.

“A negative experience with an agent can damage our reputation simply by association,” she added.

Horsefield explained that the introduction of the scheme was driven by IHWO’s schools. “They are the ones building relationships with agents and they felt it was so important to acknowledge this special relationship.”

In order to qualify for the scheme, agents must have sent students to at least three IH schools within the past 12 months, show willingness to promote the IH brand, have been in operation for at least three years and abide by the IH Partner Agent Code of Conduct and Licence Agreement.

Successful agent members will be able to use use the official IHWO Partner Agent logo on promotional material, be included in the partner agent’s directory on the IHWO website and if located near IHWO roadshows, will be automatically accepted to take part.

“In return I think an agent that joins our scheme will benefit from the trusted status that International House has within the industry,” commented Horsefield.

The scheme is being officially launched at trade event ICEF Berlin this week by IHWO representatives and staff from its various study abroad schools.