Offshore staff keep international engagement ticking

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Stepping up: Macquarie International’s Regional Director for  North America Lea-Anne Allen. 

With COVID-19 travel restrictions putting a halt to much of the University’s usual international engagement activities, there is one group of Macquarie staff that have become even more critical to our operations – Macquarie International’s network of offshore staff.

Based in key regions around the world, this highly skilled team not only drives exceptional international recruitment outcomes for the University, but also undertakes strategic engagement with institutional partners, government, alumni and industry.

“Despite facing their own local COVID restrictions, our offshore team have really stepped up through the pandemic to ensure Macquarie stays engaged with our global stakeholders and maintains direct contact with students, parents and key partners,” says David Harrison, Executive Director of International. “Their work ensures we’re well placed to strongly bounce back international student numbers when border restrictions return to normal.” 

Lea-Anne Allen is our Regional Director for North America and is based in Los Angeles.  We spoke to her about the challenges of working in one of the world’s biggest COVID hotspots and how students there are feeling about studying overseas.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
Telling young Americans that they can study in one of the most beautiful (and safest) cities in the world for a fraction of the cost of studying in the state next door never gets old. The price of education in the US (and the student debt that goes with it) makes Australian education an incredibly affordable and attractive option for them.

I am also a firm believer in the benefits of studying overseas (I’ve personally studied in five countries and counting!) so I feel grateful to be able to assist US and Canadian students to navigate their way to these opportunities.

How is the COVID-19 situation where you are? How has it impacted your life and work?
It’s fair to say things are far from ‘normal’ here. Life in California is all but locked down again and masks are mandatory the moment you step out of your house. Businesses (for the most part) can only be open if they can conduct business outside, so it isn’t uncommon to see people getting their haircut or nails painted in the street!

All my work-related travel was cancelled on 10 March and most events went virtual. It’s now an interesting challenge to navigate Zoom-fatigue that students are feeling while getting a constructive message out to prospective students when you cannot meet face-to-face.

What are international students there telling you? How has COVID impacted their view of studying overseas?
Combining the USA’s pandemic response (or lack thereof) and the current political situation here, we are seeing a big increase in enquiries and applications. Students and families have seen how Australia has responded to the pandemic and this has made it an even more attractive destination for study.

Macquarie staff have had to adjust to working remotely, but our offshore staff have been doing it well for years. What’s your best tip for staying connected to your team when you’re so far away?WhatsApp has been a great way to connect with colleagues in Macquarie International on a social level and Microsoft teams has proven to be so helpful with staying in touch more often without clogging each other’s inboxes. 

What are you most looking forward to doing when travel restrictions are lifted?
Getting all the international students to Sydney!

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