New Zealand

A new report from New Zealand has found a very high correlation between overall international student satisfaction and the quality of a student’s learning experience—and that “living and support” services play a much smaller role. University students who were “very satisfied” with their teachers, facilities and course were 27 times more likely to report higher overall satisfaction than those “very dissatisfied”.

Education New Zealand, the official agency for international education in New Zealand, has held its first pan-industry conference since it was established last year. 450 delegates from education institutions, businesses and organisations attended.

Education New Zealand has developed a promotional campaign in China that will include a factual TV series broadcast in Mandarin featuring interviews with real students and stories of alumni success. The shows will be broadcast next year and followed up with social media campaigns aimed at students.

New Zealand's ERO report on schools' provisions for international students has endorsed the school sector's capabilities – the report found that 90% of assessed schools successfully seek out and respond to aspirations of international students..

Less than half of language schools worldwide said their enrolments grew in the second quarter of 2012 compared with last year, according to the latest language travel survey from the Association of Language Travel Organisations (ALTO). Inversely, business was up for agents with 45% reporting growth over 41%.

All English language students studying in the Canterbury region of New Zealand will now be able to work part-time to supplement their income, as the NZ government moves to shore up the local industry, which suffered a 37% decline in business last year. Industry operators strongly endorsed the decision.

Auckland, New Zealand, has unveiled an ambitious plan to attract more international students by 2025, elevating its status as New Zealand’s number-one study destination. It is keen to take a cross-sectoral partnership approach in building the city’s appeal, which fits with NZ’s wider growth plans for the industry.

Education New Zealand has published its latest international education manifesto, in light of its bid to raise NZ$5 billion in international education revenue by 2025. It has unveiled plans for a new brand image, greater focus on educational outcome, welfare and a drive to build education agent loyalty.

Authorities in New Zealand have uncovered immigration fraud in 279 Chinese student visa applications through routine random sampling of student visa applications through Immigration New Zealand’s Beijing branch. Two agencies are thought to be the source; some students already identified in the Auckland area.

In a bid to boost international numbers, New Zealand has agreed to speed up visa processing – but only if prospective students use government endorsed agents. From the end of July, international students who use a New Zealand Specialist Agent (NZSA) will have their visa applications processed within 10 working days, as opposed to 30 days.

A landmark statement on ethical recruitment by education agencies has been issued by four countries: the UK, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. While the Statement of Principles will largely be used for informing best practice and has no actual policy ramifications, the fact that four countries have agreed on quality principles for education agencies is in itself quite a milestone.

New Zealand’s tertiary education minister, Steven Joyce, is visiting the Gulf states of Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to raise New Zealand’s profile as an international study destination. He will also support education companies as he meets with local ministers and attends IECHE, a major international education fair in Saudi Arabia.

New Zealand announced yesterday that it is scrapping the requirement for international students to have full medicals from July. They will only need to be screened for tuberculosis. Immigration Minister Nathan Guy says it will save potential migrants NZ$17 million a year and help attract low-risk, high-value students.

In New Zealand, the Joint Council of Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec) and Whitireia Community Polytechnic, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Whitireia NZ Ltd., has agreed to take over all students and courses of Computer Power NZ Ltd. The three-campus IT training provider is in liquidation.

International student enrollment fell by 37% last year in the Canterbury region of New Zealand, due to the fallout of the earthquakes. However, across the rest of the country, numbers increased by 6%, resulting in a decrease of just 0.5% nationwide for 2011. The government will spend NZ$5 million helping rebuild the industry in Christchurch.