This move is intended to amalgamate the B2B activities of the two companies, with the client-facing arm of Hotcourses Group coming under the IDP Connect brand, while the student-facing operations remain as they were previously branded. The same division will be made at IDP, with client-facing teams coming across to Connect.

“The new division signifies our work to date to provide a seamless journey for our clients”

Since the acquisition of the Group by the ASX-floated IDP, the companies have aimed to “create a seamless journey for students”, combining “digital technologies with face-to-face support” around the world.

IDP Connect will comprise of the Hotcourses Group client relations and marketing teams, which will work with the existing counterpart teams in Australia and around the world. The UK and European teams have already merged. Further collaboration will take place globally over the coming month.

IDP Connect said in a statement that its creation came about from discussions IDP had with the international education sector, from which arose the realisation that a clear and united vision of the firm was needed, to avoid confusion with clients and the industry at large.

“Over the coming months, we’ll work together with our institution clients to better understand and enhance their capabilities using data, insights and our engaged student communities,” IDP Connect’s CEO Simon Emmett said.

“We’ve collaborated as partners to focus on the clear synergies between Hotcourses Group and IDP. The new division signifies our work to date to provide a seamless journey for our clients and students – whether online or face-to-face.”

At a launch event held at The Barbican Centre in London, the IDP Connect team – which is comprised of the same senior team that made up the Hotcourses Group management, explained the client-facing operation was changed thanks to much input from the clients themselves.

James Frith, Labour MP for Bury North, speaking at #fosr19 and turning a few heads, by pointing out that problems in HE go beyond Brexit and fees. But this is the room to be in, to answer these questions, he argues. #IntlEd
Pic @ThePIENews pic.twitter.com/dS1mtfxw4c

— Patrick Atack (@patricvk) January 31, 2019

“I would like to personally thank the clients and members of our advisory boards who have taken the time to be a part of this process. Their input has been invaluable and I hope that they see their recommendations and expertise has been taken onboard and adopted throughout this rebrand,” he added.

“We are excited about the next part of the journey in helping university clients achieve their marketing and recruitment goals and connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities.”

Among the speakers at the launch, which doubled as the company’s Future of Student Recruitment 2019, was Labour MP James Frith, who spoke widely on the issues facing the British HE sector – especially as the spectre of Brexit hung over the sector, and the Q&A session following his panel session.

Alongside Frith was UUK’s policy manager Steph Harris, Joy Elliott-Bowman of the APPG International Students’ and IHE, and Martha Longdon, who sits on the Office for Students’ board, with IDP Connect’s Aaron Porter chairing the debate. 

Longdon made a plea for the continuing prominence of diversity in HE agendas, while Elliott-Bowman asked questions, seconded by Tim Buttress of UK Naric in the audience, of the need for, or indeed understanding of, the government’s flagship “accelerated degree” program among prospective international students.