Discover some reasons why Iran could be your next big market for student recruitment.

1. International Student Recruitment in Iran
Presented by:
Higher Education Marketing

2. 1. Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International
Student Recruitment
2. The History of Higher Education in Iran
3. Iran’s Postgraduate Surplus: An Opportunity for International
Recruiters?
4. Developing Web Content for Iranian Students
5. Social Media Marketing in Iran
6. Iranian Government Policies on International Student
Recruitment
Overview

3. Iran is fast emerging as a major market for
international student recruitment, as a number of factors have
combined to contribute to its growing importance:
„ Iran possesses a growing, intelligent and highly motivated student population
„ Recent easing of international trade sanctions has increased student mobility
„ Government officials estimate as many as 60,000 Iranians studying abroad
„ The country has experienced a recent surplus of applicants for postgraduate
study
So how can schools gain a foothold in this exciting market? Read on
to learn more!
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
1. Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for
International Student Recruitment

4. A major factor behind Iran’s rise to prominence as an
international recruitment market has been the growth of
higher education in the country.
2. The History of Higher Education in Iran
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
In 1970, just 67,286 students
were enrolled in university study
in Iran. Today, there are
4,367,901 students, a 6,500%
increase!
Source: Brandeis University

5. Prior to 1984, Iran also had just 84 universities, but
government intervention led to the creation of two important
institutions:
„ Islamic Azad University established over 400 campuses across the
country, often in remote regions. Today, it has over 1.7 million students
„ Payam Nur University, a state-owned institution offering distance
learning programs, now has an estimated 800,000 students.
These two schools account for over 50% of the Iranian
university student population. Over 304 other institutions have also
been established since 2005 with government assistance.
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
2. The History of Higher Education in Iran

6. While Iran now offers plenty of opportunities for
undergraduate study, the rise in university graduates has
created some issues:
„ EDUSTAT estimates that 12.85% of Iran’s workforce now have
university degrees, more than any other Middle Eastern country apart
from Israel
„ The growth has made the employment market extremely competitive
„ Demand for postgraduate study has grown as a result
„ The Washington Post reported that just 60,000 of 900,000 Master’s
applicants in 2011 were accepted
„ That same year, just 6,000 out of 127,000 PhD candidates found
suitable places
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
3. Iran’s Postgraduate Surplus: An
Opportunity for International Recruiters?

7. Recruiters seeking to target Iranian students should use direct,
personalized tactics. Creating a dedicated section on your website
for Iranian applicants will help you attract potential leads.
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
Example:
The University of
Hertfordshire’s
dedicated page for
Iranian students
includes details on
entry requirements,
student visas, and local
agents
4. Developing Web Content for Iranian
Students

8. Highlighting any existing Iranian presence at your school, such as
student societies and services, will help make applicants feel more
at ease about starting school in a new country.
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
Example:
The University of
Sheffield highlights
various student
societies which cater to
Iranian nationals within
its
student recruitment
pages
4. Developing Web Content for Iranian
Students

9. Inviting current Iranian students to contribute to your website will
also help you engage potential recruits. This can include student
and alumni profiles, blogs, and testimonials.
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
Example:
The University of
Sheffield also invites
Iranian students to
contribute blogs, even
translating some posts
into Farsi
4. Developing Web Content for Iranian
Students

10. The social media marketing landscape in Iran is complex. Here
are some things recruiters need to know:
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
Ø Many major sites, including Facebook and Twitter, are banned
Ø Despite this, Facebook is the 9th most visited site in Iran, as
Iranians access the site using VPN services
Ø Many Iranian public figures also keep Twitter accounts
Ø Instagram is not banned, and around 7.5 million Iranians aged
16-35 use the site
Ø Local sites also serve as substitutes for banned international
platforms
5. Social Media Marketing in Iran

11. Schools looking to engage Iranian prospects on
social media will find Instagram is a good starting point.
„ Highlight the presence of current students, Persian cultural
events on your campus, and Iranian student societies.
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
Example:
This profile of an Iranian
student on MIT’s Student Life
Instagram attracted over 220
likes and a number of
comments from Iranian users.
5. Social Media Marketing in Iran

12. Recruiters can also consider using local sites as a way of
engaging with Iranian students on social media:
5. Social Media Marketing in Iran
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
Ø Facenama boasts over
7.3 million unique daily
visitors—and a similar
interface to Facebook—
but requires an Iranian
IP address
Ø Aparat is the Iranian
equivalent of YouTube,
and many international
schools are already
active on the site

13. If you’re looking to establish a student recruitment presence in Iran
for the first time, there are a number of things to be mindful of:
6. Iranian Government Policies on
International Student Recruitment
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
Ø International institutions need to be accredited by the Ministry of Science,
Research, and Technology to legally access the Iranian student market
Ø Accredited schools are evaluated and grouped into different categories
based on their quality
Ø Many international institutions also make use of Iranian recruitment
agencies
Ø Agencies are only authorized to recruit students for a maximum of 3
countries, and tend to specialize in specific regions
Ø Recruitment agencies are regulated by the Iranian Society of Student
Recruitment Initiatives (SSRI), which currently has 191 members

14. Many schools can find linking up with
international student recruitment agents beneficial in Iran
6. Iranian Government Policies on
International Student Recruitment
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment
Example
St. David’s Catholic Sixth
Form College, a private
secondary school in Wales,
uses a licensed Iranian
education agent

15. While the government is keen to establish more international
education links, it remains very conscious of a ‘brain drain’ effect,
which has been an issue in recent years:
„ Many of the educational links initiated by the government have been co-
operative partnerships for doctoral programs
„ Students divide their time between Iranian and international universities
„ Agreements have already been reached with schools in France,
Switzerland, Slovakia, and Sweden
Iran is still new territory for international student recruitment, and schools
need to work hard to keep up with changes in the market. But with a
potential market of over 800,000 highly qualified candidates, the extra effort
could well be worth it!
6. Iranian Government Policies on
International Student Recruitment
Source: HEM – Why Iran Could Be the Next Big Market for International Student Recruitment