Go-To-Market Tactics for International Partnerships
Using EAB’s Identification and Approach Tactics, you can devise a clear strategy on how to find your next international partner and receive a useful blueprint for approaching them.
International university partnerships are complex, and it can be difficult to know where to begin. Most universities maintain some international partnerships, either by study abroad or faculty research in a one-off agreement. However, most do not think strategically about who they partner with, the kinds of activities that take place, and how their partnerships advance their institution’s mission.
To help institutions think and act strategically regarding international partnerships, EAB compiled a tactic compendium for partner identification and approach strategies.
Using EAB’s Identification and Approach Tactics, you can devise a clear strategy on how to find your next partner and useful strategies for approaching them. Filter and sort through these tables by partnership expansion type or by key components to certain tactics.
Developing a tailored pitch for international partnerships
Deepen ties in existing market vs. enter new market
A prerequisite to meaningfully deepen ties in an existing market are high-quality faculty relationships. Whether originating from academic or research partnerships, engaged faculty are often the backbone of successful international partnerships. Using those relationships to identify untapped synergies between the two institutions can be a lighter administrative lift given the history of the partners working together. Established trust and regulatory familiarity are major perks in deepening ties in existing markets.
While entering a new market can be more challenging, it can be equally rewarding and achieve new strategic goals. For an institution to have a truly global footprint, geographic representation is key. You can still enter new markets without a completely blind eye. Whether it is identifying domestic peers working in that region or developing new relationships in virtual roundtables, successful partnerships can come from cold contacts as well.
Identification vs. approach
Institutions across the globe are in different stages of international partnership development. Some institutions are just ready to enter the international space while others may be ready to identify a potential partner. The two tables below are organized accordingly. If your institution is identifying potential partners, review the 10 identification tactics. Perhaps your institution is ready to proceed with a proposal but unsure how to pitch; consider the seven approach tactics to increase your chance of success.
Partnership growth areas and market breadth vs. depth
Each tactic is assigned one or more partnership growth areas. We assigned tactics specific growth areas for which they are best suited to operate based on our research. Similarly, we assigned a market goal of entering a new market or deepen existing ties in the market. In some cases, tactics could apply to both market goals. Tactics are tagged with one market goal for which they are also best suited to operate based on research calls.
Key components
Each tactic is accompanied by one or more key components. Key components are often prerequisites to performing the identification or approach tactic. Most institutions will likely have a majority of key components at their disposal. Filtering by key component will allow partners to choose tactics that play to their institution’s respective strengths.
Review the full tables
Primary Need: Tactics to approach new or existing partners
| Tactic | Achieve Breadth or Depth | Partnership Growth Area(s) | Description | Key Component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use Faculty Research Foothold | Enter New Market | Research, Academic, Study Abroad, Faculty | Use faculty research strongholds and agreements as a proxy for existing partnership investment. Research agreements are often the most labor-intensive and complex collaborations between international partners (involving faculty, compliance, legal, and financial stakeholders). Therefore, existing research collaborations can reduce your administrative and financial burden of expanded partnerships. As well, faculty familiarity and established trust can lead to quicker partnership executions and ease concerns with compliance. Consider research strengths and academic programming goals when using this tactic. | Research Strength Alignment |
| Follow a Peer’s Footsteps | Enter New Market | Research, Academic, Study Abroad, Faculty | Identify a peer institution’s successful partnerships in a region to find experienced and willing partners. Identifying a potential partner with this strategy gives insight into potential synergies with your own institution, and may help to alleviate potential concerns about mistrust and administrative barriers that frequently arise. This tactic is most beneficial when entering new markets or regions. Consider your specific partnership goals when identifying a potential partner to avoid overlap with the areas of strength already promulgated by your peer institution. | Peer with Successful International Partnerships |
| Find a Complementary Academic Portfolio | Enter New Market | Research, Academic, Study Abroad, Faculty | When deciphering your institution’s partnership needs, certain academic disciplines will be recognized as institutional strengths. These strengths can be used to identify potential partners based on a desire for shared academic strengths or supplemental strengths that fill your institution’s weaknesses. This pursuit will surface high opportunity partners that will also benefit from the relationship. This strategy may not generate copious amounts of geographic variability if disciplinary strengths are geographically dependent (e.g., oceanography). | Academic Disciplinary Strength |
| Leverage Diplomatic Network | Enter New Market | Research, Academic, Study Abroad, Faculty | Use diplomatic connections to gain intelligence and set-up introductions with potential partners in a region. This intelligence can include regulatory environments, political trends, research interests, funding mechanism, cultural considerations, and specific university context. Diplomatic connections can lay the foundational framework by increasing trust between potential partners and acting as a third-party to help establish conversations. The specific mechanisms and methods to work with your country’s diplomats will be nationally distinct and should be pursued at the discretion of your institutional legal or governmental affairs department. | Domestic Government Relationships |
| Check Existing Associations | Enter New Market | Research, Academic, Study Abroad, Faculty | Identifying potential partners from existing associations and consortiums which the institution belongs. These potential partners are more likely to share similar missions, institutional framework, and priorities due to their inclusion and activity within the association. Many institutions within consortiums already partner with each other in operational activities (e.g., procurement and purchasing, governmental lobbying) which may increase credibility and trust among stakeholders. This identification strategy is limited by the existing associations and consortiums your institution currently is a member. | Membership in Consortiums or Associations |
| Search for Economically Developing Regions | Enter New Market | Research, Academic, Study Abroad | Institutions specifically interested in capacity building should consider how their partnership proposals can bring economic growth to certain regions. Identify potential partners in countries with need for expertise or resource related to disciplines such as engineering, technology, medicine, and economics which align with your institution’s strengths. These partnerships can help the institution achieve both reputational gains as well as geographic diversity in their partnership network. These partnerships are often limited by the lack of developed partnership frameworks in certain regions, leading to a higher funding investment and greater involvement from compliance upfront. | Strategic Interest in Capacity Building |
| Use Student Recruitment Foothold | Deepen Ties in Existing Market | Research, Academic, Faculty | Build upon existing student recruitment footholds for deeper partnerships with pathway institutions or institutions within the recruitment region. The name recognition and reputation of your institution in the region due to enrollment and alumni efforts can significantly jumpstart partnership efforts. Identifying these regions in which students are attracted to your institution serves as a strong foundation to explore expanded partnerships, especially focused on academic and development goals. Institutional faculty and staff will also benefit from increased familiarity with the region’s norms and culture from student exposure. | Student Recruitment Foothold |
| Start with a Neighbor | Enter New Market | Academic, Study Abroad | If your institution is considering a partnership in a country associated with higher risks, first target a neighboring country with less known risk to gain regional expertise and improve regional reputation. Working in the neighboring country will eventually allow your institution to break into the original goal market by developing student and faculty relationships and establishing a physical presence. This strategy consumes large amounts of time and resources, but can ultimately achieve far-reaching geographic and disciplinary goals. | Strategic Interest in Lesser Known Market |
| Consider PhD Candidate Placements | Enter New Market | Research, Academic | Identify potential partners based on existing and future PhD candidate intake to build out future partnerships within specific disciplinary areas. PhD candidates develop relationships at both your and their previous institution, increasing bottom-up collaboration that will lead to further partnership opportunities. This tactic is limited by institutional PhD programming and specific disciplinary structures. | PhD Students; Faculty Relationships |
| Shoot for the Stars | Enter New Market | Research | Use verified international rankings to identify partners within a less familiar targeted region with equivalent or divergent institutional status. When entering a new market, the challenges of gaining access and pitching mutual benefit can be lessened by aligning targeted partners with your own institution’s relative performance and recognition. However, the most prestigious institutions in untapped markets add a layer of credibility and protection from the associated risks of entering international partnerships. And while these institutions may be eager to connect with other globally minded universities, they are also likely to hear proposals from many institutions. Institutions with lower rankings than your own may be eager partners, but potentially unreliable and risky without further verification. | Strategic Interest in Lesser Known Market |
Primary Need: Tactics to approach new or existing partners
| Tactic | Achieve Breadth or Depth | Partnership Growth Area(s) | Description | Key Component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leverage Transnational Education | Deepen Ties in Existing Market | Research, Academic, Study Abroad, Faculty | Transnational education investments (e.g., branch campuses, joint degrees) provide a strong foundation for expanded partnerships due to existing faculty relationships and collaborative infrastructure. Transnational education also requires a high level of administrative work from your institution and the partner, increasing the amount of existing efficiency and stakeholder familiarity from which to create additional partnerships. For example, a new research partnership with faculty already in communication over academic programming often is an easier expansion than attempting to begin a new relationship with a new institution. | Transnational Education Arrangements |
| Lead with Student Quality and Interests | Deepen Ties in Existing Market | Research, Academic, Faculty | Use students’ performance and geographic/disciplinary interests when approaching partners to communicate demonstrated buy-in and near-certain return on investment for the potential partner. Approaching the partnership through a specific student interest not only identifies a place of mutual benefit, but also signals the level of commitment and investment your institution has already established for the collaboration. Additionally, leverage the quality of your students (as measured through academic performance or success outcomes). This approach may be limited depending on the potential partner’s regional or disciplinary interests. | Student Interest in Region/Discipline; Strong Student Performance or Reputation |
| Pitch Economic Development Opportunities | Deepen Ties in Existing Market | Research, Academic, Study Abroad | Approach potential partners with opportunities for economic development in their regional community. This economic development pitch will likely be most effective in lower- and middle-income countries focused on capacity building, but may also help serve your institution’s mission and strategic goals regardless of region. Example of economic development opportunities include research commercialization, student humanitarian and internship programs, and faculty consulting. Due to the clear quantifiable results arising from economic development, this approach may set-up long-standing, impactful partnerships both presently and in the future. | Strategic Interest in Capacity Building |
| Pitch your Top Academic Disciplines | Deepen Ties in Existing Market | Academic, Study Abroad | Leverage your institution’s top academic strengths to pitch potential partners on the academic gains and prestige from a mutually beneficial agreement. Pitching a specific academic strength for collaboration also demonstrates your institution’s initial investment into the pursuit of the partnership. For example, an institution with a robust engineering division might consider targeting an institution with exemplar liberal arts programs to create a complementary interdisciplinary academic partnership. This strategy may limit the scope of potential partners due to the need for specific disciplinary strength; however, the prospective partners may be more likely to collaborate further in the future due to expanded disciplinary need. | Academic Disciplinary Strength |
| Distribute PhD Candidates | Deepen Ties in Existing Market | Research, Academic | Approach an institution by proposing PhD candidate exchange as the foundation of the partnership. This simple arrangement lays a foundation for greater future collaboration in academic and research endeavors. Your PhD candidates will network with existing faculty at the partner institution, develop relationships, and identify synergies likely leading to natural collaboration and partnership proposals. Also consider a PhD candidate exchange to gain familiarity with your potential partner’s research infrastructure, disciplinary strengths, and faculty without significant upfront investment. | PhD Students; Faculty Relationships |
| Mimic a Peer | Enter New Market | Academic | Approach a potential partner through the connections and framework of an existing partnership they have with one of your peer institutions. Emphasizing this mutual collaborator helps alleviate mistrusts, concerns about mutual benefit, and other implementation barriers. Piggybacking a successful partnership will also help target pitches for synergistic relationships, signaling mutual benefit from the start. However, this tactic could be limited if the peer institutions fulfill the potential partner’s geographic or disciplinary quota also represented by your institution. Consider a nuanced partnership proposal to successfully differentiate your institution from the existing relationship between them and your peer. | Peer with Successful International Partnerships |
| Lead with Research | Enter New Market | Research | Target new potential partners with research partnerships to communicate a serious level of commitment from the institution from the beginning of the relationship. As research partnerships are often the most labor-intensive and complicated type of partnership, the existing infrastructure and collaborations among faculty and staff will reduce barriers to expanded collaboration. While this tactic takes longer to develop and reap benefits, research partnerships often foster strong foundations for future collaborations. Consider your research strengths and potential synergies with the targeted institution. | Research Strength Alignment |
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