Strategies and Opportunities for Student Recruitment and Retention in African Universities: Lessons from Western Universities

Abstract

Student recruitment and retention are an important management and marketing strategy for higher education institutions such as universities. These strategies are increasingly becoming crucial terminologies in the education sector around the world today. Stakeholders, for example, parents and policymakers, see recruitment and eventual retention of students as both an effective part of measure and indicator of university performance and student success. While recruitment and retention strategies may relatively vary, such variation in most cases can inform a hallmark of management and marketing deficiency. This scenario typically characterizes African universities, where inclusive best practices of student recruitment and retention trends have been less receptive. This study aims to identify the gap existing between African universities student recruitment and retention strategies and that used at western universities. The study adopts a qualitative, analytical approach based on a review of existing literature, and a combination of the author’s experience of past involvement in a somewhat student retention process. Findings show that recruitment and retention strategies at African universities are lacking. Further, their marketing strategies are riddled by lack of commitment, professionalism, and student diversity principles. This situation has impacted the education sector adversely. The study provides a conceptual analysis of recruitment and retention, but re-conceptualizes the latter more broadly, in the context of manifest current realities. Furthermore, it proposes principles of student recruitment and retention. The study overall argues that African universities can tailor western universities recruitment and retention strategies as opportunities for sustaining international best practices to compete globally in the international educational market.