Case StudyThe System Powering AECC GrowthThe system helping global education agents make a differenceWith a mission to support and counsel students through their international admissions journey, AECC Global currently spans 26 cities in 9 countries. But establishing this successful, global footprint meant shifting the status quo.

The first AECC offices, founded in 2008, were juggling multiple application processes for different universities, each with varying procedures and requirements. Valuable time was wasted filling out, scanning, and sending applications manually, while student futures hung in the balance – often waiting a long time to receive a response.

To achieve their commitment to students, they would need to find a better way of doing things.

The challenge of multiple admissions systemsIn 2014, AECC set out to overcome this admissions hurdle. Starting by pinpointing the main issues with the current process, they realised they needed to work with everything in one place.

“Because some universities had different online systems, it would often take a long time to submit one application because of the many details requested,” says Kakanang Kittikovit (Wahn), Senior Counsellor at AECC Global Thailand.

Agents were spending a large part of day logging into multiple university systems, often left with no choice but to scan

documents and send them as PDFs. This clunky process meant everyone involved had to spend days sifting through paper, manually checking each submission. “Sometimes we would have to send emails directly to the university, and the process took even longer,” says Ms Kittikovit.

To streamline the lengthy process, AECC decided to implement Studylink Connect. The benefits were clear from the beginning.

When your agents log on, make sure it’s with youFind out why more than a quarter of all Australian universities are already using StudyLink Connect.Email ingeborg.loon@studylink.com for more information or to book an online demonstration.

“Because some universities had different online systems, it would often

take a long time to submit one application because of the many details requested”

Ms Kakanang Kittikovit, Senior Counsellor, AECC Global

“It was very easy to use, and because the system had all the information in the same place, it saved us a lot of time in submitting applications to partner universities,” says Ms Kittikovit. Other benefits she saw include:

• Increased transparency and minimal errors

• Easy to track status of applications across all universities

• The ability to make payments, and accept offers through the portal.

The capacity to grow a global footprintWith a process that is much faster, effective and transparent, AECC Global has grown to become one of the world’s leading international education agencies. With 25 branches across the world, it works with more than 190 education providers in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK and USA. So the ability to submit applications through one portal has been revolutionary.

Since 2014, AECC have processed over 4,600 applications through StudyLink Connect. And because more and more universities are implementing Connect, more and more applications are being made every year. “For example, AECC Thailand represents 13 universities in Australia, and 10 of them are using StudyLink,” says Ms Kittikovit.

In the 2016/2017 financial year, AECC submitted 2,349 applications through StudyLink Connect – placing them in StudyLink’s top 10 list of agents by volume. And when you look at their year-on-year numbers, you can tell they’re picking up speed.

A safeguard for international education As more universities and agents use StudyLink Connect across the world, there is more protection for the industry against rogue operators. That’s why AECC is also benefiting from more brand visibility and trust.

Because StudyLink Connect provides universities with the ability to track the number of applications agents are making, there is more emphasis on quality and transparency. Audit trails ensure any issues can be easily identified and resolved, and as the process is so structured and easy to follow, errors are minimal.

Ms Kittikovit agrees. “We think StudyLink Connect is easy to use and intuitive. The system makes it very easy to understand university requests, and the fast process has sped up turn-around times,” she says. Since implementation, Ms Kittikovit says AECC Thailand hasn’t required any additional training to use the system, and any minor setbacks have been immediately resolved.

“It’s been time-saving, thorough and efficient.”

Connect now...Find out why more than a quarter of all Australian universities are already using StudyLink Connect.Email ingeborg.loon@studylink.com for more information or to book an online demonstration.

Case StudyAECC Global

“The system makes it very easy to understand university requests,

and the fast process has sped up turn-around times”

Ms Kakanang Kittikovit, Senior Counsellor, AECC Global

“StudyLink Connect has been great for building positive relationships between

agents and the best institutions and students”Mr Daryl Fong, Chief Strategy Officer, AECC Global

applications through StudyLink Connect

(Since July 2016)

3,600