ABSTRACT
The influence of agents on student choices and institutional strategy has been well documented. However, their impact on personal experiences can be just as resounding. This chapter highlights the experience of the author with an education agent in the early 1990s, which changed the course of his life by diverting his destination country of education, from initially wanting to go to Canada, to applying to Australian universities, where he subsequently studied and settled as a migrant. This experience propelled the author’s involvement in international education advocacy as an international student, followed by employment with an education agent, and subsequently as a faculty member who works with education agents internationally. This chapter highlights that his experience with education agents was highly impactful and important for success in other aspects of his responsibility as a senior higher education administrator. It shows the potential importance of education agents on the lives of international students. Additionally, the author outlines how his experiences with education agents, and his own research on the digital experiences of international students have shaped his ongoing collaborations with education agents internationally. Finally, some recommendations are made on educational institutions’ engagement with education agents going forward.
