Background

In China, high school counsellors play an important role in guiding students through their overseas education decision-making process, including long-term and short-term courses. These counsellors are the front-line representatives for UK education, supporting the recruitment of quality Chinese students and they are closely in touch with market sentiments.

In response to the increasing number of students from China considering applying for UK higher education institutions after A-Level, the British Council and Edexcel in China have partnered to provide professional development training opportunities for high school counsellors in China. The training sessions will offer accurate and up to date information and resources to support counsellors in developing their knowledge of UK education and building their capacity to support their students who are interested in studying in the UK.

Edexcel in China will host their annual conference in Changsha, Hunan Province* from 8-10 December 2021. The audience will be management level staff of education groups, principals, and heads of academics/counselling offices of Edexcel schools. As well as providing professional development training opportunities for counsellors/academic teachers, this will be an opportunity to showcase the UK’s higher education opportunities to the management level of international schools who are key student influencers.

British Council Study UK China counsellors’ workshop

The British Council would like to invite four UK higher education institutions to participate in panel discussions and presentation sessions at the counsellors’ workshop.

The workshop will take place in the following time and location:

• Friday 10 December 2021, 0900-1200 Beijing time.
• Changsha, Hunan Province, China.

The workshops are designed to provide professional development training to Chinese high school counsellors and their leadership in Chinese and build trust between the UK and China.

The British Council in China anticipates 80-100 counsellors to join.

*Please note that the event is subject to change according to local government guidance on COVID-19. If Edexcel in China must cancel their annual conference or change to online, British Council Study UK China counsellors’ workshop will be canceled or changed to virtual accordingly.

Programme

Presentation: Educational concept

Presentation: Subject areas

• Objective: Help further counsellors’ understanding of one STEM subject area and how they can advise the right course for undergraduate students.  
• Please note that participating UK universities’ sharing should be from a general perspective, representing the whole of UK higher education, not only promoting the individual universities’ courses. Speakers are expected to cover the topics generally but can use examples from your own university to illustrate your broader points.
• Presentations should cover the below points (key points in BOLD):
  • STEM subject area trends
  • Course structure (taking the course in your specific institution as an example)
  • Entry requirements (using the entry requirements of your institution as an example)
  • What students will learn and what kind of skills they can get
  • Employment prospects
  • Alumni experience sharing from a student perspective*

*Alumni experience sharing session

Participating institutions should select one alumni speaker who graduated within five years to share their study experience, understanding of the subject area, employment experience and other key information that would help the audience to understand the subject area from student perspective.

Panel discussion:

Participating institutions should select one topic from below to share what policies or support your institution offers. There are seven minutes for each speaker to share the selected topic. And each speaker could share additional comments on the other topics within one minute. The speakers could include the key points below each topic that agents and counsellors are keen to know.

1. How universities determine ‘best fit’ for competitive programmes

What actually happens during an application review, including what admissions selectors are looking for when admitting students onto selective programmes. Data and insights provided from the ‘Admissions Desk’ will help agents and counsellors best support their students who are applying to programmes in competitive subject areas. What stands outs in an application including some of the most common red flags (or mistakes) that Admissions Selectors see and guidance on personal statements for selective programmes?

1. Changing trends in universities approach to international recruitment in China

What are universities digital / virtual recruitment activity plans – how could agents support? General trends in English language acceptances and ongoing flexibility for Chinese students etc. top tips for application cycle this year and how universities and agents and counsellors can best work together.

1. Beyond academic performance

The most common question asked by school counsellors is how UK universities judge non-academic performance. What stands outs in an application of competitive programmes/institutions besides academic performance? Is there any difference among subject areas? What kind of non-academic activities are recognised by UK universities?

Benefits to the speaker and institution:

• an opportunity to showcase your expertise with agents and counsellors in China
• an opportunity to raise your institution’s profile amongst agents and counsellors in China

As the aim of this workshop is to build counsellors understanding and facilitate connections through face-to-face communications, speakers from UK institutions who are based in China and speak Chinese are preferred.

The final speakers will be voted on by school counsellors in China. There will be one candidate on each session on a waiting list.

Please note that participating UK universities’ sharing should be from a general perspective, representing the whole of UK higher education, not only promoting the individual universities’ courses. Speakers are expected to cover the topics generally but can use examples from your own university to illustrate your broader points.