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A Badge of Achievement: Recognising knowledge and awareness of the UK as a study destination
Setting the Scene
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. One element of its work is engaging with millions of prospective international students globally each year through its network of education agencies and school counsellors.
Powered by eNetEnterprise, the British Council uses a digital platform to provide accessible training and continuous engagement for education agents and counsellors worldwide, significantly strengthening the UK’s international student mobility ecosystem by ensuring agents and counsellors have sufficient knowledge and awareness of the UK as a study destination. To enhance transparency and quality in international student recruitment, UK universities, colleges and schools which recruit international students are required to work with trained agents.
The Challenge
Agents and counsellors who successfully complete the training and sign the National Code of Ethical Practice for UK Education Agents are listed in the British Council’s public database of certified counsellors. However, it was recognised that these achievements needed greater visibility to ensure international students could easily identify certified professionals who could provide them with guidance on studying in the UK. Furthermore, there was a need to help agents and counsellors stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
The Solution
To address this, the British Council partnered with eCom Learning Solutions to introduce digital badges to amplify certified counsellors. These badges serve as a clear, recognisable symbol of a counsellor’s knowledge and understanding of the UK as a study destination. They not only demonstrate completion of the British Council’s training, but also reflect the counsellor’s acknowledgement of the National Code of Ethical Practice and their inclusion in the global counsellor database.
The Benefits
The introduction of digital badges has been highly successful, with over 11,000 badges issued to date. Badges offer a modern and flexible solution which enables agents and counsellors to highlight their achievements across digital platforms like social media or professional websites. Doing so helps them attract attention in a competitive market and increase their credibility among students, parents, and education providers.
With a requirement to renew their badge every two years, agents and counsellors are encouraged to maintain high standards of professionalism and ensure their skills and knowledge remain current.
eCom Learning Solutions is proud to support the British Council in its mission to enhance the quality and transparency of international student recruitment. We greatly value this partnership and look forward to delivering innovative, impactful solutions together in the future.
What our clients have to say
eCom truly understands our important mission to ensure transparent and ethical practices in the international student recruitment ecosystem.
Jacqui Jenkins, Global Programme Lead-International Student Mobility at the British Council.
This ‘empowers students to make informed choices in identifying well-qualified agents to support them on their pathway to study in the UK.’
Charley Robinson, Head of Global Mobility Policy, Universities UK International
These resources help set the standard for all institutions recruiting international students.
Emma Meredith, Director of Global Engagement, Interim Director of Skills Policy Association of Colleges
