Why relationships with university reps matter

University counsellors’ role extends far beyond simply guiding students through applications – we serve as connectors between a network of institutions and professionals.

By actively building relationships with representatives from universities in our region and beyond, counsellors gain access to nuanced insights about academic programmes, campus culture and emerging opportunities that are often not found via a standard online search. These personal interactions – whether at conferences, on campus visits, during professional gatherings or online via Zoom or other platforms – allow for the exchange of the most up-to-date information, which can significantly benefit students.

Relationship building: what counselling is about

This relationship-building aspect is not just an added bonus; it is a core component of effective university counselling, enabling counsellors to provide students with informed, personalised guidance grounded in real-world connections, rather than surface-level data. And it also helps us to advocate for our students when tricky situations arise. Knowing who to get in contact with can be extremely valuable – and time-saving.

Such professional connections are not confined to a single school or region. Rather, they travel with the counsellor throughout their career, and often grow in value over time. When counsellors relocate to a new part of the world, the relationships they have already established with university representatives can provide an immediate support network, allowing them to quickly access trusted information and opportunities for their new student population.

Likewise, the field is highly interconnected, with many university representatives eventually transitioning into counselling roles themselves. In these cases, their existing contacts become an essential resource, helping them shift perspectives while maintaining strong lines of communication across institutions.

Hit the ground running

Whether changing regions or moving to the other side of the desk, these networks enable counsellors to hit the ground running, ensuring that students continue to benefit from informed guidance and well-established channels of support.

A personal example: having worked across Portugal, Vietnam and the UAE, I had built a large network of contacts across many universities and countries. So in 2023, when I moved to Spain to work in a brand new school, we were able to hit the ground running, offering university visits – because, as mentioned above, these connections travel with the counsellor.

As a way to offer a thank you to these universities for coming to our fair and for keeping up these relationships year after year, I decided to offer our version of a fly-in for the uni reps. In addition to the main university fair, we put together options where reps could fly in early and take part in different panels for families in the community the evening beforehand. Or they could take a tour of Madrid from our personalised Brewster recommendations, or participate in workshops for students. 

After the event, we hosted a networking social for the entire Madrid community: uni reps, international education consultants, counsellors and organisations – all coming together over food and drink to strategically plan future collaborations. We all went out to a great local restaurant-bar – which will now give us discounts for future events – and enjoyed some Spanish food while having some laughs and making new memories.

Bringing the community together

The reps were excited to have an opportunity to unwind in a more informal setting. While university fairs enable them to network with prospective students, it is equally beneficial for them to spend time with counsellors, too.

And while not all schools are able to host university fairs, most will take table visits from university reps, so this also was a way for them to meet other school counsellors and plan future visits. It was a way to bring the community together in new ways.

Because, fundamentally, we all work together – and we are stronger together. Everyone works very hard – we all know that – so adding in a personalised touch can go a long way to ensure that valuable connections keep forming and building for many years to come.