Consultancy
Background
The University of Twente experienced a strong increase in the number of international students. To manage this growth effectively, the university decided to map out the entire journey of international master’s students. The aim was to gain insight into all stages, from recruitment to deregistration, and to future-proof the process. BPM Consult was asked to guide this analysis and improvement programme.
The university’s ambition to welcome 640 international master’s students in 2020 required a structured approach. Existing processes were fragmented and not sufficiently aligned with the needs of international students. Due to demographic developments and the need to internationalise, the University of Twente needed to remain competitive. This required a clear overview of the end-to-end process and concrete improvement actions to ensure a smooth intake of students.
Process insight
BPM Consult supported the University of Twente in analysing the entire internationalisation chain. This included recruitment, admissions, visas, housing, introduction and student support. The approach was participative, with staff from different levels of the organisation contributing input. The results were presented visually, which helped to make the process clear and easy to discuss. This visualisation proved crucial in creating support and awareness within the organisation.
The analysis led to concrete insights and a shared understanding of the process. At the same time, the University of Twente launched a project focused on international recruitment, including agreements, scholarships and a foundation year for international students. Efforts were also made to improve collaboration between academic programmes and support services. The Eligibility Check, a digital self-assessment for admissions, was developed. Eight follow-up projects were defined to implement further improvements.
Results
The intake of international master’s students increased by more than 50% compared to the previous year, reaching 470 students. This made the ambition of 640 students by 2020 seem achievable. The project primarily delivered clarity and structure. “People feel their contributions are taken seriously and recognise their input in the final result,” said Sabien van Harten. The visual representation of the process proved to be a powerful communication tool within the organisation.
Although students did not immediately notice the improvements, the internal organisation changed noticeably. Staff began to think differently about their role in the process and started to come up with their own improvement suggestions. There was a growing awareness that international students benefit from a consistent approach. The University of Twente now takes a more student-centred perspective, leading to better alignment and collaboration between departments.
Coherence
The implementation faced challenges, such as the pace of internal follow-up. Nevertheless, the project significantly improved insight into the interdependence of bottlenecks. The University of Twente took further steps in areas such as admissions, collaboration and process improvement. The approach made it clear that internationalisation requires ongoing alignment and engagement. The first results of new initiatives, such as the Eligibility Check, are now visible and contribute to a more efficient and transparent admissions process.
Sabien van Harten looks back on the project positively, despite its complexity. “I am pleased with the direction we are taking, but there is still much work to be done.” The University of Twente continues to work on further integrating processes for international and exchange students. BPM Consult’s approach, with its attention to detail and strong use of visualisation, has contributed to a widely supported and forward-looking improvement of the internationalisation chain.
