Recruitment Policy for Agents

LIFFEY COLLEGE
Policy Area	Programmes of Education and Training
Policy Title	Recruitment Policy for International Educational Agents
Version: 1	Date: November 2024
Purpose: Liffey College engage the services of Educational Agent representatives (Agents) to fulfil a number of roles and responsibilities to support applicants on behalf of the College. This policy applies to the appointment of Agents acting on behalf of Liffey College. It outlines the criteria and procedures of appointing and managing Agents and delivering high standards of service and support to prospective international students for study in Liffey College. The policy aims to ensure Agents who represent Liffey College do so with professionalism, honesty and integrity, complying with the College and external policies and practice.
Policy Statement: This policy applies to the recruitment, admission, and orientation processes for all international educational agents offering courses on behalf of Liffey College. It also governs the conduct of any recruitment agents acting on behalf of the college. Recruitment of Agents: (i) Liffey College will only work with reputable Education Agents who have an appropriate knowledge and understanding of the international education market. (ii) Written Agreements: Liffey College develops and implements a written agreement with each International Education Agent that is engaged to recruit learners on its behalf. Written agreements will specify all of the following: – Liffey College’s responsibilities, including that Liffey College is responsible at all times for compliance with the standards required for international students and the local Irish education system. (iii) Liffey College requirements for agents who represent them, including the requirement to: – Declare in writing and take reasonable steps to avoid conflicts of interests with duties as an International Education Agent of Liffey College. – Observe appropriate levels of confidentiality and transparency in dealings with overseas learners or intending overseas learners. – Act honestly and in good faith, and in the best interests of the learner. – Have appropriate knowledge and understanding of the international education system in Ireland. – Liffey College processes for monitoring the activities of Education Agents in representing the provider, and ensuring the International Education Agent is giving learners accurate and up-to-date information on Liffey College services. – Corrective action that may be taken by Liffey College if an International Education Agent does not comply with its obligations under the written agreement. – Liffey College grounds for termination of the registered provider’s written agreement with the International Education Agent. – The circumstances under which information about the International Education Agent may be disclosed by Liffey College. *Policy Objectives: (i) Compliance with QQI Standards: Adhere to QQI’s IEM and English Language Teaching (ELT) standards, The London Statement. (ii) Transparency and Integrity: Ensure fair, accurate, and transparent recruitment practices. (iii) Agent Support through comprehensive information and orientation. Quality Assurance by establish standards for selecting and monitoring of agents. Eligibility Criteria for Appointment* (To be eligible for admission to the panel of International Educational Agents, they should meet the following criteria: (i) Meet ethical standards appropriate to Liffey College. (ii) Have professional integrity in representing Liffey College in International markets. (iii) Have the expertise of their local market with respect to the expectation of Liffey College requirements. (iv) Be financially viable. (v) Have the experience and expert knowledge to support international learners A list of Education Agents with whom Liffey College has a written agreement will be included on Liffey College’s website. As a minimum this information will include the agency name and website.
Responsible Sales and Marketing Director Centre Director QA Director	Evidence Recruitment and marketing materials Agent documentation Learner feedback forms Institutional review documentation
Monitoring Frequency	Bi-Annually

LIFFEY COLLEGE
Policy Area	Programmes of Education and Training
Supporting Policy Title	Recruitment Policy for International English Language Learners
Procedure Title	Recruitment Procedure for International Educational Agents.
Version: 1	Date: November 2024
Procedure: This procedure outlines the steps for recruiting and admitting international educational agents in compliance with Liffey College ethical standards, process and procedures as required by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) standards and the International Education Mark (IEM) guidelines. *Responsibilities: Sales and Marketing Director: (i) Develop and maintain marketing materials, including brochures, website content, and digital information for prospective international learners. (ii) Manage relationships with international recruitment agents and sales staff, providing them with accurate information and training on the college’s courses. Sales and Marketing Director & Centre Director: (i) Review International Educational Agents applications (ii) Ensure marketing and sales material is up to date and relevant (iii) Monitor and review new and existing International Educational Agents regularly (iv) Ensure International educational Agents comply with all standards in conjunction with the QA Director QA Director: (i) Oversee the recruitment process to ensure compliance with Liffey College guidelines and QQI and IEM guidelines. (ii) Conduct audits of international recruitment agents and internal procedures, ensuring all practices adhere to regulatory requirements. Process:* 1- Provide information to potential International Education Agents (i) Sales and Marketing Director email or post International Education Agents the Application form 2- Assess application from agent (i) Sales and Marketing Director in conjunction with and advice from the Centre Director shall: – Acknowledge receipt of completed application. – Review application for completeness. – Where the application is incomplete, inform the agent of the additional information required and the requirement to provide this within 60 days or that otherwise the application will no longer be valid. – Consider information in application and contact referees as required. – Assess application based on the responses from referees, the location that the agent will recruit from, the demonstrated understanding of laws in regard to learner recruitment and agent experience in the recruitment of international learners. – Approve or refuse application. – Notify agents in writing of the decision to approve or not approve the application and including reasons where the application is declined. 3- Confirm Agreement (i) The Centre Director and Sales and Marketing Director shall: – Send an online agreement form to the agent for acceptance, then click the “Send” button. The agreement will remain valid for one year for all new applications. – Upon receipt of the agreement, a copy will be emailed back to the agent along with a certificate as proof of registration with Liffey College. This certificate should be displayed in the agent’s office to show prospective learners that a formal agreement with Liffey College is in place. – Publish the approved agent/s on Liffey College’s website. 4- Renew existing international agent agreement (i) Sales and Marketing Director & Centre Director shall: – For existing Education Agents and subject to effective performance, provide copies of renewed agreements for signing. Existing agreements will generally be renewed for a further three years. 5 – Implement new agreement (i) The Sales & Marketing Director & Centre Director shall: – Provide an induction regarding The College’s course offerings. – Provide an overview of Liffey College’s current marketing. – Discuss student enrolment and selection process. – Provide approved marketing materials and discuss process for updating any revised marketing materials. – Discuss and clarify requirements and Liffey College’s Education Agent Policy & Procedures. – Email information regarding important information for agents, ensuring they are using the most current up to date material available. – Emails, phone calls, text messages or other informal communications regarding specific learner issues – Delivering seminars and marketing events with agents when Liffey College representatives are available in the agent’s region. – Publishing content on Liffey College’s website. (ii) The Centre Director & Sales and Marketing Director shall: – Provide up to date marketing information to agents each time marketing information is updated. – Send updated marketing information via email. Where the website is updated, email agents with a link to the updated web site and provide a summary of changes. – Check that emails have been received from all agents confirming that they are using new versions and have removed, taken down or destroyed previous versions. – Follow up agents who have not sent this email confirmation to ensure they send it immediately. 6 – Monitor International Education Agents (i) The Centre Director in conjunction with the QA Director shall: – Implement monitoring procedures as per written agreement including: Documented face to face meetings and/or teleconferences with agents at least every six months – Analysis of quality and quantity of applications on behalf of prospective learners – Analysis of conversion rates from lodging applications to studying at Liffey College. – Requirement for a quarterly report documenting the number of students interviewed by the agent either in their officers or at other venues such as education fairs. – Documenting on the agent’s file instances where learners’ claim to have been misinformed about their studies at Liffey College. – Documenting on the agent’s file instances where the agent has shown a lack of knowledge of student visa requirements or other matter relating to the student’s stay in Ireland. – Surveying current and prospective students about the information provided to them by the International Education Agent and the level of assistance given to the student to assist them in travelling to Ireland. If at any time, monitoring procedures show that the agent is not meeting the terms as specified in the written agreement, investigate the issue as shown below. Where an agent is meeting the terms as shown in the written agreement, provide written feedback to agent indicating such. 7 – Investigate International Education Agents who are not meeting the terms of their agreement (i) The Centre Director shall: – Seek feedback from the agent on the issue. – Discuss issue with QA Director and Sales & Marketing Director and decide on action as follows: . Where it is considered that there was no breech of the agreement, write to agent confirming this. . Where corrective or preventative action is required, inform agent in writing of breech and action required and timelines. . Where breech is considered to be major, inform agent of the reasons, terminate agreement and report to appropriate authorities. . Remove agent from website . Where an agent is required to implement corrective or preventative action, monitor agent to ensure that actions are implemented according to agreed timelines. If actions are not implemented, terminate the agreement as above. . Keep all documentation on file.

Responsible Department: Sales & Marketing Department
Telephone: +353 (0)1 444 4447 / Email: everton.tadeu@liffeycollege.ie