- Education counselling for students and interns.

Keys to Success

Effectively attract prospective international students across all age groups. Successfully position ourselves as a flexible and open company to exceed customer expectations in the education space and related services. Communicate the competitive edge of our service through personal interaction and media.

Core Service Option

Clients are provided with the unique opportunity to select from a broad range of services across the AA Network and its affiliates. This option provides services to both institutions and students.

Country Specific Option

Country specific services are available through AA Education Network office where there is the demand and the capacity and resources to deliver such services. These country specific services may be purchased by clients to complement their promotion and marketing strategies. Clients can access the following services on a fee-for-service basis:

Participation in exhibitions
Representation at exhibitions
Advertising placement and advice - outdoor, on-line and print
Newspaper clipping services
School visitation programs
Quarterly market updates
Graduation management
Alumni services
Supervision of examinations

Customised Option
AA Education Network provides an extensive range of high-end services related to the development of marketing, positioning and branding strategies to suit individual client needs, Services are costed on a fee-for-service basis and negotiated between the client and AA Education Network.

Optional services include:

Commissioned market research and analysis
Strategic marketing plans and implementation
Establishment and management of alumni chapters
Offshore translation, printing, mailing and distribution of materials and brochures
Co-ordination of services for off-shore distance education providers, including student services, distribution of materials, assignment tracking and arrangements for tutorials and examinations
Organisation of promotional events in regional areas
Promotion of scholarship opportunities
Familiarisation visits to Australia for in-country providers, education officials and media representatives
Initiation of client linkages and on-going program management
Accompanied visitation programs
Client Business Managers in AA Education Network country offices to act as liaison points for clients in monitoring student interest, market intelligence and advising on potential opportunities
Organisation of client pre-departure seminars

AA Education Network offers institutions across all education sectors in Australia and New Zealand service options. Institutions may choose the most appropriate services to suit their individual requirements and to position themselves to best advantage in an increasingly competitive international environment.

Institutions that register for the Core Service Option may also select from a range of services in the Country Specific Option and/or Customised Option to complement their own business and marketing strategies in particular countries, regions or markets.

Market Analysis Summary

Based on statistics from The Australian Government International Education Networks (AEI), there is a steadily rising demand for International students to study in Australia.
There has been a trend of growth of around 42% the last two years of measurement (1999-2001).
We expect that this trend continues over the next couple of years as Australia will stay attractive for international students in terms of cost effectiveness and quality education.

Market Segmentation

AA targets prospective, international students and Working Holiday Visa Holder of all ages, of different educational backgrounds and with additional needs currently from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Southern Africa and South America.
We expect that the rising numbers of the above mentioned students will exceed the average growth trend of other countries due to an increased awareness about the high quality education product, which Australia delivers and due to the attractive opportunity for Working Holiday Visa Holder to come to Australia for travel, work and study purposes.

Target Market Segment Strategy

AA is located in Brisbane, Australia and provides a service at a location highly attractive to people of all ages. This facilitates the opportunity for all people to have face-to-face contacts.
The clients will be attracted by both: professional representatives in the represented countries and an outstanding homepage facility, which makes it easy to get to communicate to each other.

Market Needs

Many customers do not yet have the opportunity to get an education service meeting their specific needs including the education product, travel arrangements and all other related products.
On the other hand, there is currently no sufficient coverage for the additional needs of students, where Australia in general and the education system in specific is well prepared for.

Market Trends

There are several trends, which have been projected for the Australian education market.

The awareness of the Australian education product will be steadily rising.
There is an even stronger demand for education and training in the future
Australia offers a cost-effective and high quality education product compared to US and UK
Australia is politically stable
The general economic situation will continue to be good
The highly attractive standard of life and the wide range of leisure opportunities
Due to the size of Australia there are cosmopolitan and rural areas of high interest

Market Growth

The education market in Australia is expected to grow over the next couple of years continuously.
This is true for the observed sub-segments of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Southern Africa and South America. So, the number of international students of the target group climbed from 3.780 students in 1997 to 11.380 in 2001.
On-shore applications are expected to grow even faster due to the very attractive opportunity to come to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa for 12 months for travel, work and study reasons.

Distributing a Service

The education service is normally provided either directly from the education provider to the end-customer (student) or indirectly via one or several agents. The agents may provide value add services like application support and counselling services or may just use the contacts to attract students in their home countries.

Competition and Buying Patterns

Competition is widespread and covers the education product itself, which is marketed by the education provider and the value add services, which are offered by education agents, travel agents or any other agents.
The client is in general very selective and tends to prefer the most cost-effective way and often likes to organize the package by himself. In many cases, however, they do not succeed due to the complexity of the process. So, the customers are willing to contract with agents if they provide value add service free of charge to them.

STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION SUMMARY

Strategy and Implementation Summary

Establish AA’s reputation as a flexible, open-minded education agent with outstanding customer service. This will be accomplished through a diverse marketing communications program at AA’s target market, utilizing various media.
Provide high quality service to exceed customer expectations and individual needs. Promotion activities focus on people with additional needs and people of all ages.

Value Proposition

AA’s Value Proposition is derived from the experience of the business owner from the education systems in Australia and other countries and her unique travel experience that allows her to provide individualised travel arrangements and competitive rates.

Competitive Edge

AA has a couple of competitive advantages, which we believe outclass the market. We firstly offer services to all age groups (secondary school, ELICOS, VET, undergraduate and postgraduate) and to people with additional needs, which seems currently not to be covered in the market at all. We further provide an individualised customer service from planning to supporting the individual person.
From a functional perspective we offer educational and migration services and all related packages from travel arrangements to accommodation support. Australian education products are between one third and two third more cost effective (cost of living and cost of study) compared to related products of UK and USA and of a high standard as the recent PISA study revealed.

Marketing Strategy

AA promotes the strategy to attract and retain customers of all ages, educational backgrounds and with additional needs. This will be implemented by an individualised support.
By receiving this value-add service customers are likely to be attracted and retained.

Positioning Statement

AA is the premier education agent for people of all ages, educational backgrounds and with additional needs currently from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Southern Africa and South America. By providing high quality service at no cost for the applicant, AA is well positioned to enter the market.

Pricing Strategy

AA does not charge any fees to the applicants (end-customer). Sales are generated by the provisions gained from the education provider, travel agents, accommodation provider, car rental companies, mobile companies and others.

Promotion Strategy

AA will provide a promotion mix by advertising in internet search engines like Google, Yahoo, Altavista, Lycos, Netscape and MSN; and in the countries of focus through speaking media incl. student brochures.AA will send flyers to the home country based institutions, High Schools and Universities.
AA will advertise in the main student information centres and hub-sites. Personal selling is important and will be utilised as much as possible through the networks of the business owner. Local agents will be put in place to help multiply the business in different locations. In Germany for example, we have the opportunity to be presented in the TV. Local agents will be paid on a commission basis.
As AA’s services are free of charge, promotions are limited to people who have been recommended by former clients. Promotion activities may include free weekend car rentals, free dinners and free accommodation.All clients will receive a starter package about useful information including links. They may rent discounted mobile phones, where they could receive SMS from us about current events.
Public relations are important and will be fostered through regular attendance of important events, by participation in student conferences and parties, by maintaining professional relationships with our competitors and by keeping a good relationship with the foreign countries’ consulate and embassy.

Distribution Strategy

AA’s distribution strategy will focus on the target market in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Southern Africa and South America. Depending on the response of the target groups in other countries, AA may expand further.

Marketing Programs

Customers will be reached through traditional marketing communication methods. Research suggests that many of our target customers are Internet savvy and many purchase over the Internet or buy through agents. As such, the Internet will serve as an appropriate and effective medium of communication. AA will target the primary customer group initially. This group has been defined as persons of all ages and education backgrounds and with additional needs currently Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Southern Africa and South America. In addition to the Internet, methods by which we will communicate with customers will depend on the results of our marketing research. AA will likely use education or special interest magazines, mailing lists and direct mail, and personal selling. Sales will be provided to the global target market immediately. We promote services through frequent customer contact and through our own publication, most likely a monthly newsletter.

More about our International Education service