Q&A with James Smurthwaite: Getting prospective students excited about studying abroad

At IDP, we are proud to have content experts who are not only driven by engaging with and understanding the perspectives of prospective students, but who are also fundamentally passionate about higher education and the impact it can have on individuals and communities. Embodying these mindsets is James Smurthwaite, our Content Director for Hotcourses International.

Based in London, James has been with IDP for 5.5. years and has enjoyed his role of bringing the student journey to life to our diverse audiences across the world. He says, “My role is about getting students excited about studying abroad.” We’re thrilled to share a short Q&A with James about his talents, passions and thoughts.

I wanted to be David Attenborough. While this didn’t turn out to be my exact path, I think that the spirit of curiosity, exploration and creativity are traits required for my role. The main advice I’d give my younger self is keep learning, keep exploring and you’ll develop and grow as a result.

I tend to be rather inquisitive and enjoy looking at new and exciting ways of doing things. I do also have a soft spot for research and analysis, which is important in what I do. Lastly, I really enjoy working collaboratively and having good chats with colleagues from all over the world, from recipes and cricket to UX and marketing campaigns.

For me higher education has the potential to empower and transform lives, from individuals to communities. This makes it both unique and special. It’s also dynamic and incredibly diverse, making it a great sector to work in.

I’ve been fortunate enough to be surrounded by great colleagues and teams from whom I have learnt an immense amount. This has led to a great deal of personal and professional development, including in areas in which I had previously only had brief engagement with, such as product design, technical development, data analytics, and automation marketing.

Diverse, supportive, insightful, energetic, and innovative. 

The privilege of being able to learn from the experience and knowledge of others.  

Discover more about our Hotcourses International websites, collectively attracting 44m visits per year and aimed at prospective students from key source markets. Talk to us to find out how we can help your institution engage with our global student audiences.

If you enjoyed this interview, read our other IDP expert Q&A with My Nguyen, our Senior Country Marketing Executive for Vietnam.