The Edvance team has been active in the Chinese education market since its very inception in the 1990s. As a business-to-business consultancy with a a combined 60 years of practical expertise and hands-on experience, we have supported many university partners in Europe develop a vision on a meaningful engagement with China and implement effective internationalization strategies since 2008. We assist universities, government departments and national education agencies identify opportunities and challenges, determine priorities, set manageable and measurable objectives, and design concrete strategies to achieve those goals. Through our extensive networks in China among universities, government departments, recruitment agencies and (social) media, we build partnerships and develop effective collaborations, with a focus on strategy and skills development, marketing and recruitment management, establishing joint programmes and university representation.
Meet our team
Robert van Kan
Co-founder, Director
Robert heads Edvance’s operations in Europe and is responsible for corporate strategy and business development. He has been managing higher education cooperation with China for 30 years, in government, semi-government and private sector functions. A historian and sinologist by training, he is an alumnus of Leiden University, Radboud University Nijmegen and Beijing Normal University. Robert is a fluent Chinese speaker and lived in Beijing for 25 years. At the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Beijing in the 1990s, Robert was responsible for academic cooperation, cultural exchange and media relations. He then served as Director China of Nuffic, the Dutch national education agency, during which tenure the Netherlands became a top-10 destination for Chinese students. He co-founded Edvance Education International in 2009. Now a resident of The Hague, he has presented at EAIE and ACA conferences and conducted workshops for universities and national education agencies in China and various European countries. .
Robert van Kan
Robert heads Edvance’s operations in Europe and is responsible for corporate strategy and business development. He has been managing higher education cooperation with China for 30 years, in government, semi-government and private sector functions. A historian and sinologist by training, he is an alumnus of Leiden University, Radboud University Nijmegen and Beijing Normal University. Robert is a fluent Chinese speaker and lived in Beijing for 25 years. At the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Beijing in the 1990s, Robert was responsible for academic cooperation, cultural exchange and media relations. He then served as Director China of Nuffic, the Dutch national education agency, during which tenure the Netherlands became a top-10 destination for Chinese students. He co-founded Edvance Education International in 2009. Now a resident of The Hague, he has presented at EAIE and ACA conferences and conducted workshops for universities and national education agencies in China and various European countries.
Vincent Gao
Co-founder, Director
As director of the Edvance Beijing office, Vincent is responsible for the company’s China operations, where he oversees the corporate strategy, marketing and recruitment efforts, and promotes university cooperation between China and Europe. Vincent worked at the Nuffic office in Beijing between 2005 and 2008, where he was responsible for education marketing, students counseling, and Chinese recruiting agency relations. He co-founded Edvance Education International in 2009. Vincent holds a dual MBA degree from Peking University in China and Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School in Belgium. He also holds a BBA degree from Inholland University of Applied Science in the Netherlands.
Vincent Gao
As director of the Edvance Beijing office, Vincent is responsible for the company’s China operations, where he oversees the corporate strategy, marketing and recruitment efforts, and promotes university cooperation between China and Europe. Vincent worked at the Nuffic office in Beijing between 2005 and 2008, where he was responsible for education marketing, students counseling, and Chinese recruiting agency relations. He co-founded Edvance Education International in 2009. Vincent holds a dual MBA degree from Peking University in China and Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School in Belgium. He also holds a BBA degree from Inholland University of Applied Science in the Netherlands.
Emily Zeng
Senior marketing and recruitment manager
Kathy Wang
Senior marketing and recruitment manager
Sam Xu
Senior marketing and recruitment manager
Joyce Jiang
Finance officer
Monika Tang
Senior marketing and recruitment manager