About AIRC

Founded in 2008, AIRC is a 501c3 non-profit membership association of accredited U.S. post-secondary institutions and student recruitment agencies which work together to establish quality standards for international student placement within the United States. AIRC is registered as a Standards Development Organization with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.

Our Vision

AIRC was conceived and created by accredited U.S. colleges and universities as a non-profit Standards Development Organization in order to address known deficiencies in the higher education marketplace through the adoption of ethical standards. Such standards are used successfully by a range of associations concerned with the intersection of business and professional practice.

AIRC believes that international students considering a U.S. education make an investment not only in their future, but also in the future of U.S interests when they return home, mature, and build new business and diplomatic partnerships. AIRC believes these students’ investment decisions should be made with the most in-depth knowledge available to ensure the investment is sound and objective.

AIRC also believes that the internationalization of U.S. institutions of higher education is a vital step to their educational missions. This process is best served by attracting students from other countries who are well matched to the institution and whose expectations are met by transparent knowledge of the institution’s strengths and weaknesses. Few institutions have the staff or budget to perform adequately this role and therefore in-country agencies with recognized standards and practices are critical to realizing this mission. Agency compliance with AIRC standards makes it possible for institutions to choose agencies that have adopted these recognized standards, are well trained on all aspects of U.S. higher education, and which have consented to periodic external review as part of a comprehensive certification process. AIRC professional development processes ensure that both agents and institutions can collaborate in ways which enhance the interests of the students while meeting the goals of both institutions and agencies.

Finally, AIRC believes that our strategic and economic interests continue to be served by attracting the best and brightest students into our higher education system. Our colleagues and friends in Australia and the United Kingdom share this belief. They have demonstrated that the creation of recognized and ethical standards in the recruitment agent industry is a highly effective means of ensuring an enduring match between students and institutions and that students are treated honestly and with respect, thereby improving both student mobility and the productivity of the educational process.