President’s Letter
The Internationalization of Education Markets
Are
we ignoring some major education markets? Speaking at a WCET meeting 18
months ago, Terry Hilsberg, CEO of NextEd, demonstrated how very slowly
North American education providers have capitalized on the growing international
market. Essentially, Hilsberg said, his Australia-based company has been
able to offer quick response to the growing education needs of China and
other nations. American universities—as well as content companies—have
neglected that market, either because they were too busy serving the home
market or because they could not mobilize resources rapidly enough. In North
America and Europe, many education organizations have been satisfied to
play out the market in their own respective geographic territories. Several
factors conspired to keep those institutions close to home: The home market
was sufficiently robust; state or local education governance policies kept
them focused on the local needs; few incentives were available to reward
world-market education delivery.
It now appears that learning and technology providers are paying more attention, not only to China, but also to many other education-growth regions of the world, including South Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. The inhibitors have not disappeared by any means. What has changed is the imperative to expand the organization’s market presence, simply to compete with peer organizations; that is, to offer learning products more widely, to internationalize the market presence and to gain a foothold for the future of worldwide e-learning.
Expanding to international markets, though attractive, can seem a daunting challenge. We have a few suggestions to help you get started, and Hezel Associates is offering some tools to build your international presence. Initially, we are helping American and European technology companies form partnerships with each other to facilitate the exchange of ideas, information, products and revenue. For more than 15 years we have been recognized among the leaders in distance education and technology consulting. Now we have laid the groundwork for these connections by developing relationships with educators, government agencies, consultants and business owners around the world.
Hezel Associates is encouraging providers to consider Europe as a prominent gateway to the world market. In particular, Germany is an excellent gateway, not only to other German-speaking countries, but also to markets in Europe and other continents. We have had the privilege to become partners with LEARNTEC, one of the largest e-learning conferences in Europe. At the most recent gathering in February 2003, we hosted a German-American Business Forum for companies looking to create partnerships in Europe and the United States. There, Hezel Associates provided businesses on each side of the ocean a deeper understanding of the markets across the Atlantic. The Forum helped the American attendees understand the parameters of the European market, specifically the German economic situation, as well as the nature of the competition from German companies in the same industries.
Another aspect of LEARNTEC 2003 was the International LEARNTEC Forum, sponsored by UNESCO, which provided the opportunity to discuss information and communication technologies in education in various parts of the world, further adding to participants’ knowledge of the global marketplace for technology.
Obviously there are obstacles for companies to expand into markets where languages, tax laws and customs may be different. We are prepared to help North American companies find learning technology resellers in Europe, and do the same for European companies expanding into the United States.
Hezel Associates is situated, though our research experience and international contacts, to expand this naturally emerging part of our business. We look forward to using our contacts from LEARNTEC to help facilitate European-American business relationships into the future. The emerging markets in Europe present opportunities for Hezel Associates’ clients to use the research and due diligence we provide to expand and grow their businesses. Hezel Associates will continue to play a critical role in partnering with LEARNTEC, February 10-13, 2004, in Karlsruhe, Germany. In 2005, the U.S. presence at LEARNTEC Conference and Trade Fair will be highlighted, as special attention will be paid to the United States as a market and the U.S. capacity for education and information technology.
Please call us to find out more.
Richard Hezel, President