Two Decades of Transformation: Long-Term Partnerships Drive Success in International Education

As April 2026 unfolds, it marks a significant professional milestone for Brittany, Regional General Manager for Europe, Türkiye, RCIS, and Latin America at Navitas: her 15th year with the global education provider and the conclusion of her second decade working within the dynamic international education industry. Looking back across twenty years of career history, the landscape of global study has undergone seismic shifts, moving from regional recruitment fairs and paper-based applications to a highly digitized, globally integrated ecosystem of students, agents, counsellors, and universities.

Yet, despite the constant evolution of technology, policy, and student mobility trends, the bedrock of the industry remains fundamentally human. Reaching the end of 2026 surrounded by many of the same professionals and colleagues who started alongside her twenty years ago serves as a powerful reminder that partnerships in global education, much like the most enduring friendships, are ultimately a long game.

The Genesis of Global School Engagement

The seeds for one of Navitas’ most innovative modern initiatives were actually planted during one of the most isolating periods in modern history. In early 2020, as global travel ground to a halt and the world went into lockdown, Brittany found herself confined to her apartment in Istanbul, Turkey. Far away from campuses, recruitment events, and the usual whirlwind of international travel, she suddenly found herself with the rare operational space to think far beyond the immediate pressures of the next student intake.

During those quiet weeks of isolation, she began conceptualizing a longer-term strategy that would eventually evolve into the company’s dedicated global school engagement team. Fast forward six years to 2026, and that vision is a fully realized operational reality. Today, Navitas operates a specialized network of school engagement managers stationed strategically around the world.

These professionals are tasked with building and nurturing relationships across the entire ecosystem of educators who support young people throughout their K–12 education. To borrow a favorite expression from Lorraine Castanares, Navitas’ School Engagement Manager for Latin America, the focus is entirely on supporting the broader "ecosystem" rather than chasing transactional outcomes.

This type of institutional relationship building cannot be driven by quick wins or aggressive sales quotas. Instead, the work requires showing up consistently, listening actively, building genuine trust, and positioning Navitas as a reliable, valued resource for the high school counsellors, teachers, and school leaders who help guide young people through the daunting transition toward their global educational futures. While the team recognizes that there is still a long path ahead, the progress made over the past six years stands as a testament to the power of patient, relationship-driven outreach.

Crucially, these foundational school relationships are not measured strictly by immediate student enrolments, and the organization is entirely comfortable with that reality. The primary objective is to serve as a trusted, objective resource for secondary schools and the students they counsel, recognizing that true value extends well beyond any single recruitment cycle. Furthermore, this outreach is intentionally designed to avoid overwhelming already overstretched school counsellors with a constant stream of unnecessary marketing emails.

Celebrating Twenty Years at Simon Fraser University

While a six-year investment in school engagement represents a substantial commitment to long-term strategy, an even broader milestone being celebrated in 2026 places that dedication into sharp historical perspective. This year officially marks the 20th anniversary of the foundational partnership between Navitas and Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Canada.

For Brittany, the SFU collaboration holds immense personal significance. Simon Fraser University was the very first Navitas campus she ever visited early in her career. Fresh-faced, relatively new to the company, and still genuinely amazed by the idea that an employer would actually pay for international travel—wondering at the time if a better profession could possibly exist—she walked onto the campus with wide-eyed enthusiasm.

Her first visit took her inside the Fraser International College (FIC) building located directly on the SFU campus. She remembers being completely overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the enterprise. The facility was a vibrant, beautifully constructed hub bustling with administrative staff and more than a thousand students, representing a collaborative educational model far larger and more impactful than she had initially imagined.

Fifteen years after those initial impressions, that foundational experience continues to resonate. Today, the impact of the partnership can be measured in profound numbers: more than 13,000 students have successfully progressed from Fraser International College into degree programs at Simon Fraser University. It stands globally as a remarkable, real-world example of what a resilient, values-aligned institutional partnership can achieve over two decades of dedicated collaboration.

Professor Dilson Etcheverry Rassier, SFU’s Provost and Vice-President Academic—who is also scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the upcoming PIE High Brazil conference—reflected proudly on the milestone anniversary of the collaboration.

"SFU is deeply proud of our partnership with Navitas and Fraser International College, which has only continued to grow and strengthen over our 20 years working together," Professor Rassier noted. "International students are a core part of SFU’s community and contribute to the vibrancy of our campuses in so many ways. Thanks to this partnership, we have supported thousands of students to come to Canada and to thrive across the full length of their educational journey."

The Value of Long-Term Investment in Education

In the competitive landscape of international education, commercial realities remain front and center, and performance results undeniably matter. However, after spending two decades navigating the complexities of the sector, industry leaders increasingly recognize the immense value of working with organizations whose executive leadership understands a fundamental truth: not every meaningful institutional investment delivers an immediate financial return.

Whether it involves cultivating university partnerships designed to span multiple decades or nurturing delicate, multi-year relationships with secondary school counsellors, this institutional willingness to think long-term ultimately creates sustainable pathways and genuine opportunities for the students the industry is designed to serve.

On a deeply personal level, the longevity of these professional networks has frequently transcended business, giving rise to lifelong friendships. Across the vast, interconnected global education ecosystem—encompassing education agents, school counsellors, university administrators, and academic colleagues—building relationships that endure for years or even decades remains one of the most rewarding aspects of the profession. Along the way, professionals have collected shared memories, celebrated institutional and personal milestones, and watched time pass together, complete with the inevitable grey hairs and wrinkles accumulated over twenty years of dedicated service.

Brittany serves as Regional General Manager for Europe, Türkiye, RCIS, and Latin America at Navitas, where she leads international student recruitment and strategic partnerships across diverse markets. In addition to her regional leadership, she serves as Director of Global Schools Engagement, overseeing strategic initiatives designed to strengthen bridges between secondary schools and higher education institutions worldwide. With extensive professional experience spanning two decades in international education, she remains deeply passionate about expanding equitable access to global study opportunities and fostering meaningful, enduring partnerships across the entire educational sector.