SERVICES

At present, more than 20 Australian universities, about 10 Canadian universities, 50-100 American universities, and 35-45 British universities have opened their China offices in the culturally and economically developed cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen to exploit the Chinese market. Nonetheless some universities have chosen other cities like Wuhan, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Chengdu, Ningbo etc. as their destinations. In addition, universities in many other countries, also set up their regional office in China

1.A Better Understanding of the Local Market, Followed by an Increasing Number of Students Recruited

The only method to understand a particular market is to be in that market conducting research. A university cannot genuinely appreciate an overseas market and the needs of local people without actually having been there and spoken to them – it has to send staff to undertake research and to regularly monitor any changes that take place. A local office, in which the university’s marketing staff may be based, as a result, becomes necessary.

 When it comes to understanding Chinese students, it is important to know that, in addition to any staff from the university, engaging local Chinese people is extremely useful for the success of the office’s business. Local people are familiar with the region where they live and work, have extensive local contacts and are actively involved in social networking. It goes without saying that the more contacts one possesses, the more possibilities that they get to know the people who can potentially be their students. Moreover, Chinese people tend to be skilful in handling all sorts of relationship network, or interpersonal relation which will greatly help with the university’s business in the Chinese market.

2. Swift Response to Local Cases

A China Office works simultaneously in time frame with their target customers and partners in China, which avoids any troubles that would otherwise arise. The China Office will be more efficient to provide service and advice to students according to China timetable. And a Chinese partner of the university wishing to discuss their collaboration may want to speak to their countrymen first.

Global CBE’s past experience in running China Offices for oversea universities has shown that the ability of the Office to reassure the applicants by promptly producing their offers has beaten other oversea universities which the applicants had applied to but were not able to provide responses as soon as the Office could – this was mainly due to the fact that those universities did not have an office here in China.

3. The Ability to Regularly Organize and Attend Activities and to Manage Local Programs on Behalf of the University

The China Office staff may regularly organize internal English tests (if agreed by the university), candidate interviews, agency training events, promotional activities and attend meetings or events on behalf of the university, without staff from the international office frequently taking flights to China to do so.

With respect to discussing partnership or collaboration with Chinese institutions, the China Office staff will be expected to carry out any initial tasks, such as liaison, initial meeting, followed by any visits by the high-level staff from the management or academic team of the university. The university will likewise have their own management team here in China after any collaborative projects are implemented with the university’s Chinese partner institutions.