As part of its ACAdemy training series, the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA) continues to deliver bespoke professional development activities for higher education practitioners and administrators working in internationalisation. Drawing on its extensive expert network and in-house expertise, ACA supports national agencies and higher education institutions in strengthening strategic capacities across a range of international higher education topics.

In this context, ACA delivered an ACAdemy training webinar on “Marketing and Promotion in Higher Education” for Croatian higher education institutions, commissioned by Study in Croatia and the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (AMPEU). The training focused on international student recruitment trends, strategic approaches, and practical lessons for institutions navigating a rapidly changing global environment.

The first part of the training, led by Raul Ranne, Senior Adviser at ACA, outlined key trends shaping international student recruitment, including intensifying global competition, the rapid growth of English-taught programmes, and continued expansion of international student mobility. The session also addressed evolving student expectations, the growing link between international education and labour market outcomes, and the need to build trust through clear and authentic communication. Particular attention was given to the impact of digitalisation and artificial intelligence on recruitment practices, both as an enabler and as a rising quality benchmark.

A core theme of the webinar was the distinction between marketing (awareness and positioning) and recruitment (conversion and enrolment). Participants were encouraged to analyse their recruitment funnels, identify bottlenecks, and improve conversion through clearer positioning, better-structured content, reduced process friction, and more systematic use of data.

The second part of the training featured Péter Árvai, Deputy Director and Head of International Recruitment at the University of Pécs, who shared practical case studies and strategic lessons from institutional practice. Key points included the importance of leadership engagement, realistic prioritisation, data-driven decision-making, and addressing student needs beyond the classroom, particularly in relation to employability and support services.

Across both sessions, participants were encouraged to adopt a holistic and evidence-based approach to international marketing and recruitment, highlighting the importance of continuous monitoring, and collaboration within institutions and with trusted partners.