Navigating the competitive landscape of international student recruitment requires a deep understanding and mastery of digital channels. Asia, known for its rapid technological growth and high demand for quality education, presents vast opportunities for educational institutions ready to engage digitally. This webinar, a collaborative effort between HEM and Sinorbis, aims to arm you with essential insights and actionable strategies.

1. Master the Art of Digital
Recruitment in Asia

2. Why is Asia important?
Challenges in Asia
o Student profiles and preferences vary
o Channel fragmentation
o Tech challenges
o Regulatory challenges
o Cultural and language complexity
Systems and support
o China
o India
o Vietnam
o Japan

3. 3
Sinorbis…
Empowers international recruitment and
marketing teams to effectively engage prospective
students in Asia at scale, saving both time and
money while adhering to local regulations.
Desmond
Kohn
Director, Global Business
Development
Acquire students
& customers
Increase conversion through better
engagement with your audience,
while staying compliant with local
regulations.
Gain comprehensive performance
insights and maintain consistent
standards throughout the region.
Increase
control
Simplify your digital activities
across Asia within a unified
platform designed to overcome
any regional technical hurdles.
Streamline
operations

4. 4
Philippe Taza
CEO, HEM
HEM…
HEM understands the recruitment challenges
faced by today’s schools, language programs,
universities and colleges. We can help you
elevate your brand and connect with students
using customized, data-driven recruitment
solutions.
Digital
Marketing
Student
Portal
CRM
Consulting

5. 5
Sinorbis: Proud partner of universities, schools, and
education providers around the world

6. 6
HEM: Proud partners of schools and educational
providers

7. 7
Why is Asia important?

8. 8
Student market growth from Asia

9. 9
No. of students from China, India, Vietnam and
Japan studying in North America over last 5 years
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23
USA
China India Vietnam Japan
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
350000
400000
450000
2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23
CANADA
China India Vietnam Japan

10. 10
Challenges in Asia

11. 11
Motivations for studying abroad
Sources: QS (2022); British Council (2021); Open Doors (2021); OECD (2010)
Quality of Education
Career Opportunities
Cultural Exposure
Global Network
Immigration Aspirations
Language Proficiency
Educational Environment
Personal Independence

12. 12
Profiles and preferences: China
Sources: QS (2022); British Council (2021); Open Doors (2021); OECD (2010)
School & university rankings: Highly value the prestige and ranking of
educational institutions.
Teaching quality: Preference for faculty with notable achievements and
programs that offer a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum.
Safety: Looking for a safe environment in which to study.
Financial investment: Often willing to invest significantly in education for the
perceived return on investment in career opportunities.
Living environment: Desire a conducive and comfortable living environment
with good amenities, vibrant student life, and a supportive community.
Employability: Prioritize universities that offer strong job placement services,
career development programs, and have a high rate of employment post-
graduation.

13. 13
Profiles and preferences: India
Sources: QS (2022); British Council (2021); Open Doors (2021); OECD (2010)
Budget-Conscious: Generally, more price-sensitive, seeking affordable
education options.
Scholarship-Seeking: Actively look for scholarships, grants, and financial aid
to support their studies abroad.
Practical Skills and Employability: Prioritize hands-on experience and
practical skills acquisition that enhance employability, preferring institutions
with robust internship programs and industry links.
Graduate Outcomes: Value the long-term success rates of alumni, looking
for institutions with a strong track record of graduates achieving significant
professional milestones.
Living environment: While important, the quality of the living environment
may be a lesser concern compared to other factors like cost and quality
of education.

14. 14
Profiles and preferences: Vietnam
Sources: QS (2022); British Council (2021); Open Doors (2021); OECD (2010)
Value-Driven: Look for high-quality education that offers good value for
money.
Community Influences: Decisions are often influenced by the experiences
and recommendations of friends, family, and community networks.
Teaching Quality: Seek high standards in education, preferring institutions
renowned for their academic excellence and innovative teaching
methodologies.
Safety: Highly prioritize a secure campus and surrounding area, valuing a
sense of personal safety and well-being in their study destination.
In-Person Representatives: Value the availability of university
representatives who can provide guidance and personalized information
through education fairs, school visits, or local advisory services in Vietnam.

15. 15
Profiles and preferences: Japan
Sources: QS (2022); British Council (2021); Open Doors (2021); OECD (2010)
Cultural and Language Opportunities: Interested in destinations that offer
strong language acquisition opportunities and cultural experiences.
Scholarships and Exchange Programs: Prefer destinations where
scholarships or exchange programs are available to ease financial burdens.
Living Environment: Look for a study destination that provides a
comfortable and conducive living environment with amenities that support a
high quality of life and learning.
Global Networking: Value opportunities to build international connections
that can benefit their future careers, seeking institutions with a strong global
alumni network.
Employability: Prioritize institutions that offer career services and have a
good track record of graduates securing employment post-study, especially
with multinational corporations or in roles that have a global reach.

16. 16
Communication channels vary...

17. 17
Technological constraints vary...
Fastest to slowest by Mbps
Infrastructure
Firewalls

18. 18
Content sensitivities vary...
Most to least restrictions on political, social
or religious content
Cultural
Religious
Political

19. 19
Approach to Data privacy varies...
Data localisation
Global alignment
Consent
Data protection laws to no legislation
Fragmented

20. 20
Cultural complexities and strategies: Diverse backgrounds
Diverse Backgrounds Cultural Sensitivity
Understand and respect the cultural nuances of each region, tailoring recruitment
strategies accordingly.

21. 21
Cultural complexities and strategies: Cultural nuances
Use direct language Tap into local culture
• “Direct” can mean different things across cultures.
In some Asian cultures, being too blunt may be
seen as disrespectful. Hence, 'direct' in this
context should not forsake politeness and
cultural sensitivity.
• Simple, straightforward language can prevent
misunderstandings and convey respect by
showing that you value the recipient's time and
comprehension.
• The goal is to ensure the core message is not
lost in translation or cultural interpretation.
• Integrating local cultural elements into your
promotional material can create a deep
connection with the audience. It shows that you
understand and value their cultural context, which
can establish trust and credibility.
• Adapting your school’s image and messaging to
reflect local aesthetics, values, and traditions
can foster a stronger relationship with your
audience.
• Use local idioms, symbols, or storytelling
methods that resonate with local narratives.

22. 22
Translation transcreation
Translation Transcreation
Literal: Translates text word-for-word.
Precision: Focuses on accuracy and the preservation
of original meaning.
Factual Communication: Best suited for technical,
legal, and informational content where specific details
must remain unchanged.
Objective: Maintains the original tone, style, and
intent without adjustment for cultural nuances.
Linguistic Skills: Requires fluency in both the source
and target languages.
Adaptive: Reworks the original message to resonate
culturally and emotionally with the target audience.
Creativity: Involves creative writing and marketing
insights to reconstruct the message.
Cultural Alignment: Tailors content to reflect local
cultural nuances, values, and humor.
Subjective Interpretation: Often changes the tone,
style, or imagery to better suit the target culture’s
preferences.
Cultural and Linguistic Skills: Requires not only
language fluency but also deep cultural understanding
and marketing acumen.

23. 23
Literal translation leads to: “Eat your fingers off” in China!

24. 24
Language complexities and strategies: Web content
Adapting web content for languages that use logographic systems, like Chinese, requires
thoughtful consideration of page layout and structure due to their condensed nature.

25. Systems & support - China

26. 26
1 billion +
Monthly active users in China
Accounts for
1/3 of mobile data traffic
45 billion +
Messages sent on WeChat
WeChat...
≈
Sources: Businessofapps.com; Yimei Zhu (2019)

27. 27
WeChat and Chinese students
Source: QS (2022)

28. 28
Second: Build foundations

29. Systems & support - India

30. 30
The WhatsApp revolution
535 million +
Users as of 2024
15 million +
Monthly active WhatsApp
Business users
≈
70% of Indian students prefer
WhatsApp for communication
Source: Statista 2023, QS 2022, Singh Engage 2023, Worldpopulationreview.com

31. 31
Low-cost smartphone
compatibility
User friendly interface
Low data usage
Why is WhatsApp so popular?
WhatsApp enables
multimedia
communication
making it ideal for
universities to
showcase their
campuses,
facilities, and
student life to
attract Indian
students.

32. 32
The benefits of a WhatsApp Business Platform
(& via digital experience platform)
1. Automated Responses
2. Lead Generation
3. Personalised Communication
4. Broadcast Messages
5. Lead Scoring
6. Campaign Tracking

33. 33
WhatsApp Messenger & WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp Messenger WhatsApp Business Platform
User User User Businesses
Free
Regular profile
No automation
Basic messaging tools
No back-end integration
Regular account
No CTA button
Single user
No broadcast
Paid
Business profile
Full automation
Advanced messaging tools
API & Back-end integration
Verified account
CTA button
Multi-user
Broadcast: 100,000 per day

34. 34
WhatsApp Business Platform Conversation Categories
Marketing Utility Authentication Service
Business-initiated.
Related to offers
and promos,
product
suggestions,
abandoned cart
messages, and
updates that do not
fall under the utility
category.
Business-initiated.
Directly related to a
transaction:
updates,
reminders, post-
purchase
notifications and
billing statements.
Related to security
and authentication
purposes.
Uses: one-time
passwords, new
account set-up, two
factor
authentication.
User-initiated.
Inquiries, support,
sales-related
questions.

35. Systems & support needed
- India
Systems & support -
Vietnam

36. 36
73+ million
Active users in Vietnam
Usage rate
87%
2 billion +
Messages sent on Zalo per day
Zalo...
≈
Sources: Statistica September 2023, napoleoncat.com, techinasia.com March 2023

37. 37
Vietnamese website

38. 38
Using Zalo for student recruitment in 2025
Integration will be available in 2025 on the Sinorbis platform.
Account Creation Barriers:
Requirement: A personal verified Zalo account is needed first, which requires a
Vietnamese Citizen Identification Card/Identity Card (CCCD/ID card) and a
Vietnamese phone number.
Business Account Creation: The personal account is then used to create the
business account, posing difficulties for companies without a local Vietnamese
team.
Key Challenges for Western Institutions

39. Systems & support - Japan

40. 40
≈
The Line revolution
95 million +
Users as of 2024
80 million +
Messages sent on LINE each
day in Japan
85% of Japan’s population
use daily.
Source: humblebunny.com

41. 41
Japanese website

42. 42
Using Line for student recruitment in 2024
Integration will be available in Fall 2024 on the Sinorbis platform.
Account Creation:
Foreign companies can create LINE accounts to engage with audiences in
markets where LINE is popular, such as Japan and Thailand.
Verification Challenges:
At the moment, verified LINE Official accounts can only be created in Japan,
Taiwan, Thailand, and Indonesia.
Considerations

43. Support for services

44. 44
Enhancing adaptability in recruitment:
The benefits of partnering with a marketing agency
Access to
Expertise and
Insights
Customized
and Flexible
Strategies
Enhanced
Creative
Capabilities
Cost Efficiency
and ROI

45. 45
HEM: A one-stop shop for all your digital recruitment
needs
 Ad campaigns for student recruitment
 Creative design & branding
 Landing pages & microsites using the Sinorbis CMS
 Inbound content strategy
 Persona development (students, parents, agents, etc.)
 Blog & social media content development
 Multilingual SEO
 CRM system for lead nurturing
 Student application portal

46. 46
Why partner with HEM
Over 15 years crafting successful marketing strategies.
Trusted by 250+ education clients across North America, the UK, and
Europe.
A team with direct experience in the educational sector.
Catering to a diverse range of institutions: Colleges, Business Schools,
Universities, Boarding and Language Schools.

47. 47
Digital marketing in Asia
made easy

48. 48
Asia is difficult, Sinorbis makes it easy
01
Publish
02
Engage
03
Analyse
05
Monitor
04
Promote

49. Thanks for attending