While voluntarily codes of conduct & #agent #training may be beneficial, it is through transparency (University World News article in comments) & accreditation (boots on the ground, references & financial oversight,) that progress will be made when it comes to agent regulation.
Right now a single agent working for a large agency, can undergo what is in some cases quite frankly elementary training, (I should know I passed a number with flying colours having never counselled an #internationalstudent!)
After which they can plaster so called “official” logos all over their entire agency’s websites & #marketing. This is while the vast majority of agents within said organisation continue with little of any training & or oversight!
In addition, to date there is nothing that provides assurance to the end users: students, parents & their sponsors.
Surely they are the most important people of all in all of this. In an ideal world students (& providers) would be able to check in real-time whether an agency is accredited or not & if a specific counsellor has in fact undergone any training.
“There has been a surge in international #studentmobility since the pandemic, & that rapid growth has certainly tested many of the existing quality assurance measures in place across the #internationaleducation sector.
Viewing this through a #student lens, we have to acknowledge as a sector that, amid that rapid growth there have been increasing reports of students having had a negative experiences including, shortages of affordable student housing, #mentalhealth concerns, poor integration into local communities, difficulty accessing support services, poor programme delivery, & [we would argue most importantly] sub-par #graduation & #career outcomes for some students.
If codes of conduct set a threshold of professional standards & training advances the qualifications & professional development of agency-based counsellors, the last piece of the self-regulatory puzzle would appear to be verifying the bona fides, good practices & compliance of the agency itself.
ICEF Agency Status (#IAS) programme reached a milestone recently, with the accreditation of its 2,000th agency across 125 countries. With another 1,000 agencies currently in the midst of a comprehensive vetting process that includes reference checks, operational audits, & extensive document verification.
Agencies are reassessed annually, & agent compliance with accreditation requirements, including the ICEF Code of Conduct, is overseen by #ICEF's global agent team, which currently numbers 26 staff across 16 countries.”
Asia Careers Group SDN BHD
AUIDF British Council BUILA Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) Innovative Research Universities (IRU) Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia Regional Universities Network The Group of Eight UCAS UKCISA Universities Australia Universities Canada Universities UK Universities UK International
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