Can you tweet in Hindi? Know the difference between simple and traditional Chinese? If you are recruiting for a university, get ready to expand your language skills.

There are few universities that can say that their students only come from the town or city they are immediately situated in. International students bring dimension to university campuses – offering new insights, viewpoints and a global setting for all students.

Because studying at a university in North America almost always requires proficiency in English (there are some campuses in Canada that are French-language based), you may think that institutions should only recruit international students, whether already in the country or not, in English. But providing content in their primary language provides students with both comfort and ease in finding information. It is also accessible to their parents, key influencers in their decision of where to apply. The multicultural makeup of our cities and the transient nature of today’s students make international students a portion of a market that can’t be ignored.

However, there’s something overwhelming about doing exactly what you do now, in a completely different language. Where do you start? Here’s some key questions to answer:

In what language do I need to communicate?

Sometimes you think the answer is easy: In India, you may go with Hindi. But that only works for some regions or cities. Learning about dialects and local versus authentic translations takes some time to wrap your brain around. It helps to talk to trained translators and native speakers alike to get a full understanding of what your text really says in its new language. A translator may recommend wording that is stiff and formal, while a native speaker will be quick to point out “this is how we really say it.” You’ll need to consider the tone you want for your university and hire a translator or native speaker (often a student employee) to be able to update your social media outlets online.

How will we communicate?

In-country research is key. In some places, like much of Africa, internet access is limited so you’ll need to consider the costs of bilingual printed brochures instead of an internet campaign alone. In other countries, options abound. In China, the internet is pervasive, so social media is an option (though you’ll need to use RenRen since Facebook is banned). In general, the tactics you use in English will be the same but with a twist. YouTube may be banned or not as pervasive in other countries, so you may need to get local counterparts. In other countries, local advice from agencies or government offices can save you from picking the wrong route (like the “un-cool” social network) and damaging your brand.

How do we protect the university?

Before any university takes on a new project for a local market, particularly for social media outlets, staffers pour over protocols and editorial calendars ensuring that brand presence is well maintained and the privacy and sharing settings are understood. The same must be done for various language outlets. Even though translating a terms of agreement can seem like a colossal task, it is the only way to protect your institution from unexpected surprises (not surprisingly, it’s really Facebook that throws out the most surprises). Approach your legal department about trademarks and agreements before proceeding to ensure the brand, logo and privacy information for your university upheld in North America is still being maintained abroad. Who has ownership of social media and who is ultimately responsible is just as valid a question in Arabic as it is in English.

How is my job going to function in many languages?

The short answer: it will be interesting. Expect to work with multiple translators and copy editors, printers and contacts in other countries, layout artists that specialize in foreign characters, and a long list of staff within your institution for quick reviews. The good news is that much of the work you do in English is relatable to all these new ventures: the social media protocols you might have, how you review content, even how you hire. It will just take extra steps and a bit longer to get the processes complete – so make sure you leave time to review.

The end result is that university staff and prospective students are both surprised and pleased to see multilingual communications. It not only showcases your university as a multicultural and global one but shows that your university understands students for their unique views and what they bring to their programs.

Working in different languages never fails to provide surprises and learning opportunities. The only thing to watch out for: expect to suddenly see inbox spam in Turkish, Swahili, Japanese or whatever language you choose to dive into first.

Photo Credit: Heads! by Scorpions and Centaurs

This post was written by Laura D’Amelio