Kansas State University

Third Party Program Providers

What is a Third Party Program Provider?

In the field of study abroad, the term “Third Party Program Provider” refers to an entity which administers study abroad programs open to students from many various post-secondary institutions. These entities may be for-profit or not-for-profit companies, consortium comprised of several universities, or universities that market their study abroad programs nationally. More and more study abroad companies are collaborating with universities on the design of customized faculty-led programs. These Third Party Program Providers draw on their experience and in-country staff, business contacts, and facilities (classrooms, residence halls, etc.) to assist with program design, logistics, and marketing as well as health and safety risk management.

What Types Services Do Third Party Program Providers Offer?

Examples of services Third Party Program Providers may offer include:

• Assist with program design and development. Assist with marketing and recruitment
• Arrange program logistics such as renting classroom space, securing housing, arranging in-country travel, organizing field trips, excursions, etc.
• Conduct pre-departure and/or on-site orientation for students.
• Provide an on-site support staff
• Implement health and safety measures on-site and operate 24-hour emergency call service
• Provide risk management services related to currency fluctuation, safety risks, emergency protocols and resources, etc.
• Assist with transfer credit and transcripts
• Visa advising service
• Assist students in finding alternative funding sources.
• Provide re-entry services for students

When is the Assistance of a Third Party Program Provider Needed?

While faculty often utilize existing personal or departmental contacts abroad to develop a program, sometimes faculty wish to develop a program in a location where such contacts do not exist. In such cases, Third Party Program Providers can do more than just help with logistics; they can assist with program development and curriculum planning and provide local knowledge and resources.

Third Party Program Providers most often offer assistance in the cities and countries where they already have study abroad programs in place. This allows them to use their existing infrastructure to support a university’s faculty-led program. Third Party Program Providers also can provide many U.S. based services including program and budget development, publicity materials, web marketing, group airfare, and pre-departure orientations.

Advantages of Working with a Third Party Program Provider

Developing a program is a business-oriented process. K-State requires Faculty Leaders to negotiate and execute a written agreement or contract with each service provider (such as host institution, tour company, guest speakers, etc.).

There are several very important advantages of working with a Third Party Program Provider:

• One comprehensive contract with a single Third Party Program Provider can cover all aspects of the program, as opposed to needing multiple contracts, each with a different entity, to deal with various aspects of a program.
• Comprehensive logistical support for the program.
• Third Party Program Providers, particularly if they are based in the U.S., understand K-State’s concerns related to health and safety and usually offer additional health insurance, risk management services, and health/safety training.

Does Working with a Third Party Program Provider Cost More?

The cost of working with a Third Party Program Provider will vary depending on what services are negotiated and how important the Faculty Leader considers additional support to be in the planning process and on-site. Assistance does not come for free, but working with a Third Party Program Provider may relieve the faculty member from devoting excessive time and office expenses to the program.

Where do I begin looking for a Third Party Program Provider?

Occasionally Third Party Program Providers who specialize in a certain academic field will advertise or present at professional conferences. Networking with colleagues at other universities also is a good way to learn about the reputation and success of Third Party Program Providers.

Examples of Third Party Program Providers:

• International Studies Abroad (ISA)
  http://www.studiesabroad.com
• American Institute for Foreign Studies (AIFS)
  http://www.aifsabroad.com
• Cultural Experiences Abroad (CEA)
  http://www.gowithcea.com
• Academic Programs International (API)
  http://www.academicintl.com
• Education Abroad Network (EAN)
  http://www.educationabroadnetwork.org

I Know Which Third Party Program Provider I Would Like To Work With, What Should I Do Next?

• Contracts: The Faculty Leader is responsible for soliciting the proposed contract from the Third Party Program Provider. The Faculty Services Coordinator, Accountant for Faculty-Led Programs, and the Director of Study Abroad are available to review contracts and offer suggestions as needed. The finalized contract is made between the Third Party Program Provider and the Faculty Leader, who acts as a representative of K-State.
• Insurance: All agencies that contract with K-State to provide student services must have liability insurance in case K-State and the Third Party Program Provider are involved in lawsuit initiated by a student. In order to work with K-State, companies that provide overseas programming should carry at least $1,000,000 of liability insurance. If you already have established a Third Party Program Provider who can help you with the logistics of your program, make sure that they carry liability insurance.

Inciden Report (pdf)

When developing a faculty-led study abroad program, the most critical stage in the process is marketing and student recruitment. If enrollment is low, the program will become too expensive for students with financial needs and the program may have to cancel. On the other hand, having more students than the program can accommodate will make the selection process competitive.

Recruiting students must be a joint effort among the Faculty Leader, the Study Abroad Office, and the academic departments and colleges. As a professor, you have a wide sphere of influence and can generate a lot of interest in your classes. Students’ enthusiasm can spread among other students, working to your advantage. The Study Abroad Office talks with hundreds of students through information tables, classroom presentations, and individual student advising. Also, once the program has been approved, a program profile will be created in the Study Abroad Office online program search wizard.

To ensure sufficient numbers, it is wise to begin the recruitment process at least 9-12 months in advance of program departure; however, recruitment cannot begin until the program has been approved by the Study Abroad Office, which may take a few weeks from the date of the proposal submission. For example, for a summer program it is ideal if the academic department, Faculty Leader, and the Study Abroad Program distribute recruiting materials as soon as classes begin in the fall (if not earlier). The Faculty Leader should plan to publicize the program during K-State’s semi-annual Study Abroad Fair. The Faculty Leader should also inform other faculty and academic advisors in appropriate departments so that they can promote the faculty-led study abroad program in their classes and during advising sessions.

Although the Study Abroad Office is heavily involved in the student recruitment process, without strong academic department and faculty support, recruitment for even the best program can fail. Opting to participate in a faculty-led study abroad program is a major decision for most students, and they rely heavily on the advice and recommendations of the faculty members in their department.

In summary, the Faculty Leader should be prepared to:

• Recruit at the semi-annual Study Abroad Fair
• Host information sessions about the program
• Organize and attend classroom presentations to recruit students
• Identify and encourage individual students to apply for the program
• Collaborate with other faculty and academic advisors in advertising the program

The importance of academic department and faculty support for faculty-led study abroad program recruitment cannot be overemphasized.

Suggestions for Recruitment

• Talk about the faculty-led study abroad course in your classes and advising sessions
• Ask other faculty to help promote the course in their classes
• Ask academic advisors to help promote the course in their advising sessions
• Host an information table at the semi-annual Study Abroad Fair
• Host an information table at the Union along with a student who participated in the trip last year (if possible), and a study abroad Peer Advisor. The best time to set-up a table is between 11:30am-1:30pm. It’s a good idea to bring picture books, photos, brochures, sign-up forms (for more information), contact information, artifacts, etc.
• Network as much as possible
• Ask your academic department to advertise the faculty-led study abroad program on their webpage
• Host information meetings. Tip: providing food at information meetings is a bonus and is likely to attract more students
• Advertise to student organizations
• Advertise in Residence Halls – You can do this by sending 100 copies of promotional materials to the Housing and Dining Office, who will then approve and distribute the promotional materials in the Residence Halls.
• Chalk sidewalks across campus, especially near the Student Union
• Post flyers across campus
• Advertise on academic department and college listservs and/or newsletters
• Advertise through a Collegian article and/or ad
• Announce on K-State radio station
• Send student mailings
• Request academic departmental approval to have the program brochure attached to the course syllabi of all feeder classes
• Contact the Study Abroad Office for the assistance of an OIP Scholarship Student to assist with recruiting efforts

Marketing Materials

As soon as the program proposal has been approved, Office of International Programs graphic design student worker will create a program brochure, if the Faculty Leader does not have other means of developing flyers and posters. Before publishing the brochure, the Faculty Services Coordinator will send the template to the Faculty Leader for review. The Study Abroad Office is also able to design and order 16” x 20” posters for faculty-led study abroad programs. These posters are printed through K-State Printing Services and cost approximately $18 each.

Faculty Leaders should distribute the program brochure throughout their department and display posters prominently campus-wide, particularly in buildings where related courses are held or where student traffic is high. The Study Abroad Office also will also provide program brochures to student walk-ins, advisees, etc. in the Study Abroad Office. If possible, the Faculty Leader should obtain academic departmental approval to have the program brochure attached to the course syllabi of all feeder classes. This is an excellent recruitment method! Don’t forget to market your program on the web too.

Semi-annual Study Abroad Fair

Every fall and spring semester the Study Abroad Office hosts the Study Abroad Fair. It is strongly recommend that the Faculty Leader and others involved with the program, particularly student alumni, promote the program at the fair by hosting a table. Space at the Fair is limited, so if you are interested in participating, please notify the Faculty Services Coordinator as soon as possible so space can be reserved for your program. The Study Abroad Fair is most commonly held in the Student Union Courtyard.

Information Sessions and Class Presentations

Faculty Leaders should plan on holding at least two or three, one-hour Information Sessions to inform prospective students about their program. Two or three weeks before these sessions, the Faculty Leader, a Graduate Assistant, and/or students who participated in the program in past years should speak briefly to as many classes as possible to pique student interest. Two tips:

• Students love to hear students talk about how great a program is
• It is much more effective for the Faculty Leader to ask colleagues to donate five to ten minutes of class time for this presentation than it is for the Study Abroad Office to make the request

The class presentation usually consists of:

• A 10-minute pitch on the specific faculty-led study abroad program by the Faculty Leader. If possible, show a short video, Power Point, photos, etc.
• An invitation to attend the next Information Session

The Information Session should be scheduled at the best time for the students. The Faculty Leader should lead this session. It is also helpful to have students, who have participated in the program in past years, to present information and/or answer questions. The meeting agenda should include:

• A thorough description of the program, including the dates and itinerary
• An overview of academic objectives, including specific requirements the course will fulfill (i.e. academic major/minor, K-State 8, Honors, etc.)
• Description of application process and deadline
• Estimated program costs
• Availability of Financial Aid

Individual Student Meetings

The best way to excite a student about your faculty-led study abroad program is to tell them exactly how the program will meet his or her specific academic goals and what cultural/fun activities will be included in the program. The Study Abroad Office suggests that Faculty Leaders compile a list of 10-20 students who he/she thinks would benefit from the program. E-mailing these students individually or en masse and/or scheduling a time for you to meet with them to discuss the program are the most effective way of filling your program. Study Abroad Advisors and Peer Advisors also will meet individually with student walk-ins interested in your program.

The Faculty Leader (FL) is expected to carry a cell phone for the duration of the program so that in the event of an emergency, the FL can contact the Faculty Services Coordinator (FSC) easily via phone and vice versa. Exceptions can be made for programs conducted in rural areas or countries where GSM or CDMA cell coverage is not available. The Study Abroad Office urges faculty who are interested in conducting programs in countries where cell coverage is not available, to carefully explore the possibility of obtaining a satellite phone or working with a Third-Party Program Provider that can provide a satellite phone.

For descriptions of GSM and CDMA cell coverage, please visit the following websites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDMA