AR: The issue when a foreign university or language school enters the Russian market is first of all that geographically Russia is huge, and that can make it hard to meet the target audience. There are also many different student fairs in Russia and it’s difficult for schools to know which are actually worth going to as they are not based in the market.

Another issue is that most students search online for courses in their native language. Most of the websites are in English and even if the institution decides to have the web page in the Russian language, in most cases it doesn’t have the right impact. Marketing in another language is a completely different story.

“Russia geographically is huge and that can make it hard to meet the target audience”

The PIE: But won’t institutions save money if they go direct?

AR: Just because a student is recruited directly doesn’t actually mean they will reach their institution overseas. This is particularly noticeable with regards to the visa process, which can be very complicated in some countries. Agencies can make the process much smoother, making sure that all the documents will be filled in appropriately. So I feel that paying the commission will ultimately be a better outcome. They can be assured they will receive the students’ papers on time and don’t have to worry about visas.

The PIE: How does AREA ensure agents get the credit they are due?

AR: Well, we work in three main ways. Firstly we help foreign providers, for whom knowing that our agencies reliable and adhere to standards is important. Another target audience are the Russian public, because they know AREA agencies have a form of accreditation, because in Russia there is no official accreditation or licensing of this industry.

And of course we support the agencies, because we do a lot of work with the international associations and we try to lobby representatives of foreign embassies who can help improve visa processing for Russians, or keep us abreast in changes in visa rules.

The PIE: What are the biggest mistakes providers make when trying to break into the Russian market?

AR: I believe the main mistake applies to all markets, not just Russia, in that schools do not think enough about the peculiarities of the market. Russians care a lot about the quality of accommodation, homestays for example. Another issue can be that institutions don’t have appropriate marketing materials for the market. It can contain mistakes or omit information that would be important for students.

“Another issue can be that institutions don’t have appropriate marketing materials for the market”

That’s why it’s better to take advice from the agents who work directly with students and who know them very well. They can help with creating brochures and obtaining testimonials from students, for example, and ensure that the money spent on marketing isn’t wasted.

The PIE: Do foreign schools usually work well with agents?

AR: Yes, but a major issue is direct bookings. Agents can have an agreement with a provider and do a lot for marketing for them – promoting their country as a study destination, marketing the institution and its programmes. But sometimes clients come to us and then go directly to the institution. It’s obviously a lot of lost time and money for us as we don’t get the commission. We would like institutions to recognise this.

The PIE: You mentioned Russian education fairs could be hit-and-miss. [More>>]