How ApplyBoard Monitors and Manages Our Recruitment Partner Network

As the world’s largest platform for international student recruitment, it’s important for ApplyBoard to have a transparent, dedicated process for vetting and auditing recruitment partners (RPs) when they apply to join our network. As a result of that process, around 30% of recruiters who attempt to register with ApplyBoard are not granted active access to our platform.

That said, due diligence and accountability doesn’t stop with the initial vetting process. Once an individual or organization joins our RP network, they’re monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure they continue to comply with ApplyBoard’s quality standards. That ongoing performance monitoring is what we’re looking at today. 

Strengthening the Sector

As part of our Strengthening the Sector series, we’re exploring the many ways that ApplyBoard pushes the international education sector forward. 

In this entry, we’ll look at how ApplyBoard conducts performance monitoring, including how we enable our trusted partners to set their students up for success—and, in rare cases, how we take action when partners don’t fulfill their contractual obligations.

Read the other articles in this series as they’re published:

• Recruitment Partner Vetting
• Sector Training
• Application Pre-Screening
• Document Authentication
• Study Permit Approval Advantage

Measuring Partner Performance

ApplyBoard’s commitment to providing students and partner institutions with the best experience possible extends far beyond the initial RP approval process.

To ensure our network of partners upholds ApplyBoard’s quality standards and properly represents our brand in every interaction with students, we use a unique recruitment partner scoring system. 

This scoring system is similar to credit scoring, and monitors metrics such as: 

• Response times
• Upload and payment cadence
• Conversion rates
• Engagement levels
• Student satisfaction

We monitor these metrics throughout the course of our partner relationships, with a constant focus on enabling student success.

All this real-time data enables us to analyze performance trends on a continuous basis. We can then use that information to rank RPs, identify areas for improvement, and tailor our training strategies. RPs who fail to meet certain standards are put on improvement plans, and may have their platform access suspended.

Personalized Support

ApplyBoard has over 350 account managers located around the world, directly supporting recruitment partners in 25 countries. Our dedicated team provides consistent, personalized support to our recruitment partners and the students they work with.

That support takes many forms. We share detailed information about the latest institutions and programs open to students, and provide technical support and training so RPs can make the most of ApplyBoard’s efficient, AI-powered platform. 

Account managers also provide RPs with the latest international education news. This includes sharing important trends and findings (often via the ApplyInsights blog itself), passing along unique sector training opportunities, and making themselves available to answer questions or directly assist our partners at a moment’s notice. 

Contract Breach and Blocklisting

All recruitment partners that work with ApplyBoard are required to sign and abide by a contract containing stringent terms and conditions that are carefully drafted by ApplyBoard. These terms are aligned to global codes of conduct and ethical standards, ensuring accountability to protect students and the reputation of all our partner institutions. 

ApplyBoard has comprehensive processes and policies to manage any situation in which an RP is suspected to have breached their contractual obligations or our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.

Depending on the impact and intention of the breach of contract, penalties imposed on recruitment partners may include, but are not limited to: 

• A formal warning
• Direct coaching from senior ApplyBoard leadership 
• Temporary account suspension 
• Permanent account termination

ApplyBoard has entire investigation teams and a two-pronged committee structure that is dedicated to determining the facts and circumstances surrounding any contractual breach. Investigators conduct an objective analysis to assess the facts, which also enables us to proactively improve processes and recruitment partner training. All breaches, regardless of impact, are documented in the recruitment partner’s file. 

Blocklisting

In the event that a recruitment partner’s contract is terminated with ApplyBoard on compliance grounds, they are placed on a blocklist. Those on the blocklist may be permanently prevented from working or interacting with ApplyBoard or its partner institutions on our platform. 

This blocklist can also be shared with institutions and industry partners to mitigate the impact of bad actors on the sector. Our list of blocked recruitment partners is available to anyone, online, right here. 

Sector Training

Any strong relationship takes work to sustain. One of the principles that has allowed us to build lasting partnerships with our recruitment partners is a commitment to continuous improvement. 

That’s why our next series installment will dive into sector training. We’ll detail how we encourage and incentivize our partners to stay informed on international education trends and destination country policies, and how to best guide their students through the entire application process. 

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About the ApplyInsights Team

FOOTNOTES:

1. All data courtesy of ApplyBoard unless otherwise stated.