Getting student feedback can be a challenge – especially from students returning from the experience of a lifetime. But their insights are invaluable for improving future education abroad programs.
The richness of insights from benchmarking surveys like miXabroad depends on two factors: high response rates from your students and the quality of demographic, academic and program information provided.
Here’s a list of sure-fire strategies to encourage your students to share their insights after their education abroad experience.
1. Highlight the importance of student feedback
Communicate impact
Show students how their feedback will help shape future programs and improve the international experiences for others.
For example, the University of Sydney has ambitious targets to increase participation in its outbound student mobility programs. But these targets are not just about numbers – it’s about impact (see right). Participating in miXabroad ensures they have a baseline to measure improvements year-on-year and ensure their education abroad programs meet students' needs and expectations.
Make a personal connection
Where possible, use real examples of how past feedback from students has helped lead to program improvements.
2. Optimise your survey
The great news for miXabroad partners? We’ve optimised our survey experience, keeping it as short as possible, while ensuring we collect enough data to produce comprehensive and comparative insights.
Optimisation
We’ve optimised the miXabroad survey and tested it across platforms, ensuring it’s mobile friendly. We’ve also included progress bars to enhance the user experience, set expectations and motivate participants to get to the end of the survey.
Preloading data
We highly recommend preloading information you already know about your students to streamline completion, increase participation and improve data accuracy. Preloading also creates a tailored experience for your students, avoiding unnecessary repetition and making them feel more connected to the survey experience.
3. Integrate your survey into existing channels
Learning portals
Embed survey links into student portals, making it easy to access alongside other post-return resources.
Email nudges
Use your institution’s CRM or education abroad platform to send timed email reminders, highlighting the survey’s short length and importance.
4. Consider the best timing
You’ll know better than us the best times to engage your students. We would recommend:
Survey in waves
Send reminders at strategic times, such as right after students return, before semester breaks, or during post-program debrief sessions.
Deadline awareness
Use countdowns or deadlines to encourage immediate action.
5. Promote widely
Social media
Share posts on university and program social media channels relevant to your survey cohort.
Targeted messaging
Tailor communications to different student groups (e.g. targeting students by program type), focusing on their specific motivations or interests.
6. Leverage student ambassadors to spread the word
Leverage peer influence
Ask student ambassadors to share their experiences and encourage participation. A quick video testimonial or a social media post from a peer can go a long way in boosting response rates.
Social proof
Where possible or appropriate, share participation stats from past surveys. For example, ‘80% of last year’s students completed the survey.’
7. Incentives work – here’s how to use them effectively
This is what we call, the carrot approach!
Financial incentives
Offer small gift cards, coffee vouchers, discount coupons or a chance to win a larger prize (e.g. travel vouchers).
For miXabroad partners, each year we offer an incentive of a return trip to a destination of the student’s choice (up to $2,000). Or if the student prefers, they can donate this to a selected charity.
Exclusive opportunities
Provide access to special events, career networking sessions or certificates upon survey completion.
8. Add your institutional weight
This is what you might call the stick approach!
These options may not be appropriate for everybody, but some institutions are using these approaches to ensure optimum survey response rates. Consider your own resourcing requirements as they may be difficult to administer.
Conditional benefits
Link survey completion to students receiving their study grant or final program completion certification.
Credit holds
Use the survey as a requirement for students receiving academic credit for the international experience.
9. Embed the survey as part of your re-entry programs
What better time for students to complete the survey? Consider dedicating time for students to reflect on their experience, and get them to complete the survey when it’s fresh in their mind, during your re-entry programs.
10. Engage faculty and staff
Encourage academic advisors, program leaders, practitioners and professors to emphasise the survey's importance during post-return meetings or lectures. Ensure staff understand the importance of engaging students in the survey and how it will benefit future program delivery.
11. Celebrate and share your results
Once the survey is complete, we encourage institutions to share positive stories and insights from miXabroad.
Acknowledge students publicly
Thank students for their participation via newsletters, social media or events.
Demonstrate action
Share how survey insights led to meaningful changes, reinforcing the value of participation.
At miXabroad, we work closely with our institutional partners to help get the best student engagement. A comprehensive approach that works for your context is best. We’ll also share case studies and good practice from our partners to support you.
Ready to boost your survey response rates? Try these strategies and let us know what works best for you! Our team is here to support you – reach out anytime. The miXabroad Team
+61 403 746 628