Following last June’s hugely successful Top Recruiters Workshop (TRW) 2022 event in Delhi, TRW returned to South Asia on February 2 and 3, 2023.
As the largest international education event in South Asia, TRW brought together over 1,200 education professionals from every part of the world, providing the chance for South Asia’s top-performing recruiters to connect in-person with university and college representatives, industry professionals, government officials, service providers, and ApplyBoard leadership.
Over the course of two days at the stunning Westin Mumbai Powai Lake in Mumbai, India, attendees examined trends, discussed strategies, explored innovations, and found exciting new opportunities for industry collaboration.
Keep reading for more exciting details and takeaways from the TRW experience!
This year, for the first time, TRW’s going global. To follow our massive South Asia event, we’re also hosting TRW conferences in Latin America, South East Asia, and Africa. Learn more and register right here.
The ApplyBoard team in black shirts on stage at TRW South Asia 2023.
Universities, Colleges, and Special Guests in Attendance
TRW South Asia connected recruitment partners and industry leaders with representatives of 43 premier institutions from around the world: Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland.
Some of the institutions attending included Conestoga College, Western Community College, Algoma University, Yorkville University, and Toronto Film School.
University and college representatives shared their many exciting program and course offerings, discussed the importance of a thriving international student population on campus, and led thoughtful conversations about the future of the sector.
As part of a destination panel moderated by Lord Jo Johnson, Chairman, International at ApplyBoard, key representatives from the US, the UK, and Australia shared their advice for recruitment professionals. Speakers included Peter Truswell, Consul General for Australia, Harold Brayman, Acting Principal Commercial Officer for the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Rittika Chanda Parruck, Director Education, British Council India.
“Consider why a particular student is going abroad and … set up a real expectation,” advised Chanda Parruck. “What works for the student is critically important. Students go abroad for more choices.”
Rittika Chanda Parruck speaking on stage as part of the “Future of International Education” panel led by Lord Jo Johnson.
Working Together to Educate the World
Over the course of TRW, the overarching feeling shared by attendees was a warm sense of collaboration and togetherness.
Recruitment partners, education professionals, and institution representatives examined the sector together, sharing solutions to set international students on the path to success. The event solidified the truth that there’s no better way to push forward, align objectives, and foster genuine camaraderie than to meet with peers, face-to-face.
Discussions at the event were strongly focused on how we, collectively, can improve recruitment best practices.
“At TRW, the bonding with both partners and colleagues was real,” said Venu Rajagopalan, Product Marketing Manager at ApplyBoard. “It helped give a face to a name that we’d usually interact with online. It made the world smaller.”
By attending TRW, our dedicated recruitment partners showed their commitment—to their business, to the success of their students, and to innovating and evolving international education as a whole.
Event Highlights
There’s never a dull moment at a TRW event, and this year was no different.
Energy levels were high from the very start, with opening speeches from ApplyBoard co-founders Meti and Massi Basiri. Attendees also heard from renowned entrepreneur Aakash Chaudhry, Managing Director of Aakash Education Services Limited (AESL), who shared some ways the sector can grow sustainably through innovation.
The first day’s events included impactful sessions about the recent hospitality boom, post-COVID learnings, Ireland’s potential as a student’s gateway to Europe, insider admissions advice, and English language testing with TOEFL.
During his breakout session, founder and Head of TrainHub Jimmy Battaglia shared the importance of training and professionalizing teams to better support students, and the role TrainHub can play in dramatically improving these processes.
“We have a big responsibility,” said Battaglia, “as we are guiding students to make a life-changing decision … make sure your staff is fully prepared to give the best advice possible, and you will create enough incentive for them to continue learning and improving.”
Day two of TRW featured an expert panel discussion led by Lord Jo Johnson, followed by several engaging presentations from college and university representatives, thought leaders, and members of ApplyBoard’s own Partner Relations and Sales teams.
In his closing keynote speech, legendary media mogul Dr. Subhash Chandra spoke about the importance of innovation in creating a brighter future. After some final exhibit browsing and networking opportunities, TRW closed out on a high note.
Innovate Now
The theme of this year’s event was a philosophy, a need, a prediction, and a call to action all in one: Innovate Now!
With international student recruitment evolving quickly, continued innovation is a must. ApplyBoard recognizes the need to stay ahead of evolving student and partner needs in order to propel the sector forward and strengthen student success.
Every session at TRW was linked to innovation. Attendees considered and discussed growing trends, avenues for sustainable improvement, and new tools and solutions for refining the international student experience.
To help recruitment partners future-proof their strategies, ApplyBoard’s Chief Revenue Officer, Scott Harper, and Product Manager Daryan Zycki highlighted industry innovations and the importance of “running a marathon, not a sprint.”
Recruitment partners also learned about the many facets of the ApplyBoard ecosystem, which takes them from application to arrival and beyond. Attendees got exclusive looks at new and upcoming services and product features, including the ApplyBoard Mobile App (for Apple and Android devices), Student Intake Form capabilities, and more.
Building on our success as a core platform, ApplyBoard is moving into the era of building an ecosystem. ApplyProof, ApplySolutions, and TrainHub are all additions to our ecosystem, introduced over the past few years, that innovate and transform the international education journey.
Scott Harper, Massi Basiri, and Meti Basiri showcasing the ApplyBoard ecosystem of products and services.
Focusing on Student Success
As always, TRW focused on the reason ApplyBoard exists: the students themselves.
To open day two of the event, ApplyBoard CEO and Co-Founder Meti Basiri emphasized the sector’s impact in South Asia and thanked partners for guiding students there.
“This is only possible with the support of so many recruitment partners and partner institutions,” Basiri said. “Thank you for helping make this happen. Know that at the heart of every innovation and solution, we are developing our focus on the success of your students.”
To help students fund their study abroad dreams, ApplyBoard also awarded four student grants worth C$2,500 each at TRW, with more grants to come in the coming weeks. These grants were available exclusively for students of recruitment partners who attended TRW South Asia 2023.
The grants will be given directly to deserving international students enrolled in a 2023 or 2024 program of study in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK, or the US.
Actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood with several key members of the ApplyBoard leadership team, awarding a C$2,500 TRW student grant.
Looking Ahead
Lastly, a heartfelt thank you to our generous sponsors, attending institutions, honoured guest speakers, and the hardworking members of our team who made TRW South Asia 2023 happen.
Now, we look ahead to what’s next.
In 2023, we’re making TRW truly global and expanding to three new destinations: Colombia (March), the Philippines (July), and Nigeria (October). We look forward to sharing new trends, insights, opportunities, and innovations with recruitment partners in these important regions.
Learn more and register to join us here. Don’t miss these opportunities to better support your students, future-proof your business, and raise the bar of international education.
See you next time!
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