Educational Institutions

The marketing of education services overseas should be consistent with the maintenance of academic standards and the safeguarding of the interests of both institutions and international students.
Institutions should promote accurately and honestly educational programmes in terms of quality, standing and availability.
Institutions should have a clearly enunciated policy for all staffs, representatives and agents with respect to the promotion and marketing of education services overseas.
Institutions should acknowledge the need for good practice to ensure fairness in their promotion and marketing of educational services overseas with regard to…
- Other institutions.
- The interests of both local and international students.
- The perceived quality of the education.
- The cultural and educational relationships among the countries.
Differences among institutions should be portrayed in a comprehensible and accurate way so as to project a cooperative marketing image to the target countries. No false or misleading comparisons should be drawn with any other provider.
Selection criteria for international students should be such as to maintain the institution’s academic standards and to encourage high success rates.
Institutions should recognize on-going responsibilities for the education and welfare of international students, ensuring that the academic programmes, support services and learning environment offered encourage a positive attitude towards the institutions.
Institutions should establish an appropriate infrastructure to be the focal point for all enquiries and to ensure both the effective implementation of the institutions’ international students programme and the provision of all necessary support services.
Institutions should provide to prospective international students accurate and comprehensive information on the institutions admission requirements and procedures, the courses available, tuition and living costs, living conditions, accommodation and other services. Advertisements and promotional literature should not include misleading or ambiguous statements about the nature of the course, or the cost of the award offered.
Staff members representing institutions overseas should be carefully selected and be…
- Sympathetic, clear communicators with a thorough knowledge of their own institution’s courses and procedures.
- Sensitive to the culture and customs of the target country, and aware of its historical and political background and educational systems.
- Knowledgeable, experienced and competent in the administration of student policy and in face-to-face dealings with students.
To the extent that it is relevant the spirit of this Code also is intended to apply to institutions and their national and international partner institutions which offer courses through twinning arrangements, distance education or other modes.
Institutions should at all times conduct themselves with integrity and in a manner that will contribute to the image of a reliable and trustworthy provider of high quality education and training.
Institutions should promote themselves in a professional and ethical manner and should ensure that all marketing activities reflect best practice.
Institutions should behave toward other institutions, professional colleagues and other countries in a respectful and courteous manner.
Institutions should be aware of all other codes of practice and guidelines that may have relevance to international activities and international students and should ensure that they observe the requirements of these codes.