This document provides an overview of the Ukrainian education market and tips for working with Ukrainian students. It discusses Ukraine's population, education system, target student groups, and cultural factors. It also offers practical advice, including working with agents, direct recruiting, marketing strategies, and cultural expectations when hosting Ukrainian students. Overall, the document presents Ukraine as an emerging education market with growing interest in studying abroad, especially in the UK.

1. Market intelligence: Ukraine EnglishUK Valeria Samborskaya, Business Link, Kiev

2. Ukraine: market intelligence Ukraine as a market of potential students Why Ukraine? Background, facts & figures Practicalities of working with Ukraine Ukrainian students – what’s to expect Working with agents and recruiting students direct Useful facts & tips

3. Is Ukraine my market?

4. Ukraine Succeeded by: Russia Georgia Ukraine Moldova Belarus Armenia Azerbaijan Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Turkmenistan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Estonia Latvia Lithuania

5. Ukraine Closer than you think! 5 direct flights a day 4 airlines 3 hours flight no visa for British citizens

6. Ukraine Key facts Population: 45.4 million (UN, 2010) Capital: Kiev 6 cities with population over 1 mln Area: 603,700 sq km (233,090 sq miles) Major languages: Ukrainian (official), Russian Major religion: Christianity Main exports: Metals, pipes, machinery, petroleum products, textiles, agricultural products

7. Ukraine Evaluating the market Statistics Target audiences Background info

8. Evaluating the market New, emerging market Country /market formed in 1991 First multinational companies set up in Kiev – mid 90s Post ‘iron curtain’ Nobody knows brands Nobody travelled Long term investment /effect (VS ‘Chindia’ effect)

9. Evaluating the market British visas issued between 19/10/09 and 20/10/10 1,299 - adult student visitors going for short courses 384 - PBS Tier 4 Child Student 800 - PBS Tier 4 General Student 5,185 (visit category) – approx. 4150 students - Child visitors

10. Evaluating the market English UK Stats?(not just weeks, income) ISC Stats– 1000 students from Russia HE Stats – 100 new studentsa year Visa Stats

11. Evaluating the market Can people go to the UK to study? The potential Psychologically – need to be persuaded Financially Technically (visas) – need to be informed

12. Target groups Juniors 100% study English at school 80% of short term student visas issued 1stpriority for parents 3 months summer holidaysboarding school preparation easy visas

13. Target groups Juniors Homestay English plus Football Summer schools based on boarding school campuses English plus Subjects Summer schools based on university campuses Academic preparation Groups VS individuals Young leaders etc. Russian speakers factor Home tuition

14. Target groups University students 2.5 million students 900 universities (July 2009) visas: more difficult * no personal income yet adults * if no travel history – problem * depends on how ‘official’ parents income is GE, BE Exam courses (IELTS, FCE) University preparation: Foundation, Pre-Masters, Pre-MBA English plus!!! Marketing, Law, Finance Specialised courses for people with good English?

15. Ukraine Coming out of Ukrainian system of Education Literacy rate: 99.7%, ranked 5th in the world Education: free to all, 97% enrolment/attendance Schooling system State education 99% Start school at the age of 7 Anything between 10 and 12 years of education ‘Atestat’ Academic standards Broad education Very demanding academically English Teaching style

16. Ukraine Average Ukrainian student Not very well-travelled / mobile Cultural awareness & expectations Academic Motivated European mentality Price sensitive, but valuing quality over price

17. Target groups Young professionals All multinational brands represented in Kiev Ambitions, able young people Understand the importance of English & communication skills Much depends on background Corporate sales to companies - B2B financially able to comfortably afford 2-4 weeks good employment – visa not a problem

18. Ukraine Different target audiences Executives: Business owners wishing to take their business to a multinational level Tired of using interpreters Government officials parents of children in boarding schools 50+ Teacher training: 99% state education no sponsorship

19. History: Spiritual & cultural heritage

20. Ukraine est. 862 KievanRus – ancient state est. 988 Christianity Mongol invasions Middle Ages: Grand Duchy of Lithuania Cossacks Early modern period: Russian Empire Habsburg Monarchy Independent states 20th c. 1917 Civil war 1921 Ukrainian & Western Ukrainian People’s Republic Soviet Era 1991 Modern Ukraine

21. Spiritual & cultural heritage

22. Spiritual & cultural heritage

23. Modern Ukraine 2004 ‘Orange Revolution’

24. Modern Ukraine European Integration WTO 2012 European Football cup

25. Modern Ukraine Modern vibrant business environment Legal framework for operation Interest towards world’s best practices: >> huge interest towards English language and integrating into the world infrastructure

26. Why Ukraine matters to the UK Reason 1 It is the largest country wholly in Europe, has a population of more than 45mn people and borders four member-States of the European Union. Reason 2 It is the most democratic country in the Commonwealth of Independent States, having held four free and fair national elections since 2004.

27. Why Ukraine matters to the UK Reason 3 It is a rapidly growing market. UK companies exported £545mln of goods and services there in 2009 and have invested $2.376 billion there since 1992. The UK is the 6th largest foreign investor in Ukraine. Reason 4 More and more Ukrainians are travelling to the UK, which continues to welcome genuine tourists and business visitors.

28. How to work with Ukraine - practicalities Market structure Agents: Education abroad agencies (business) Travel agencies (business) Individual/self-employed consultants Sub agents in other cities Schools / Universities Direct recruiting Which cities to target

29. Practicalities Opening a new market - tips Requires investment, investigation and time Scholarships/ famtrips Inward missions Demos Russian speaker

30. Practicalities Working with agents - tips Key agents or all agents Different motivation for different set-ups bonus % on reaching a number of student weeks sales target look at income, not just weeks free English course for a member of staff fam trips joint marketing Long-term partnership meeting in person seeing the school

31. Practicalities Working with agents – tips Terms & conditions (visas) Russian speaker Quick Communication Marketing updates ‘Special offers’ Availability Interesting programmes!! Direct recruiting: visas

32. Practicalities Working with agents – tips Education abroad agents in Ukraine: DEC Donstream Domar Travel Education (DTE) Business Link

33. Practicalities Visit Ukraine (please :) Get your brand name known Meet agents Meet students Meet Visa Section staff & ECOs Understand the market better Where to stay Travelling to and getting around

34. Practicalities Having Ukrainian students - tips Expect late bookings Teaching style expectations Accommodation & host family expectations Cultural differences: smile Brief them about cultural differences A small discount for returners works

35. Business Link Educational Agency, Ukraine 14 years of experience of linking UK and Ukraine 1997 - 2005 General English School for individual and corporate clients Education in UK Department 2005-2008 Business-Link is a Corporate Training Provider in English Education in UK Department 2009 Business-Link isEducation in UKAgency ONLY

37. UKonly

38. 500+ students a year

39. 2targeted fairs a year

41. Educating the market Demos & seminars First hand information

43. Crimea

44. Driving from Kiev to Odessa

45. Crimea

46. Castles around Ukraine

47. Crimea

48. Kiev architecture

49. Lviv – Western Ukraine

50. Carpathian mountains

51. Carpathian mountains