Name
Decolonizing International Student Recruitment: Moving Beyond 'Markets'
Date
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Time
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (PDT)
Description

International student recruitment has increasingly focused on Africa due to significant student population growth. In our industry, terms like "market" describe recruitment efforts. This 60-minute session examines colonial-era terminology, particularly 'market', analyzing student representation data and brainstorming DEI-aligned alternatives. We aim to raise awareness of historical contexts and reshape terminology for inclusive global education, responsibly acknowledging historical legacies. The session explores how framing countries as 'markets' unconsciously commodifies people, hindering decolonization and cultural sensitivity.

Learning Outcomes
  • Gain awareness of the historical and cultural implications that make terms like ‘market’ harmful in recruitment, promoting sensitivity and decolonization efforts aligned with DEI mandates
  • Analyze data to evaluate the representation of international students from formerly colonized countries in North American higher education
  • Identify alternative terminology to utilize more inclusive language, fostering actionable change and embracing discomfort to improve ethical practices
Session Streams
2. Indigenization and Intercultural Perspectives, 7. Marketing, Recruitment, and Admissions
Sakura Hirata Kristianne Viher