ICEF’s ANZA Workshop, which connects Australian and New Zealand providers with agents from around the world, grew by 13% this year despite the challenges facing the region’s international education sector.
In total, 97 education institutions, 7 work and travel providers, 51 service providers and 176 ICEF-screened agents gathered in Brisbane, Australia, for three days of networking, market intelligence exchange and business opportunities.
Despite falling overseas enrolments in both Australia and New Zealand (driven by factors such high currency and competition from rival destinations), 23% more agents attended than last year, including 42 operators new to ICEF events.
“This is very positive for our college as we want to increase our international student diversity”
Bronwyn Dempster, director of international students at Rodney College in New Zealand, said he had started or reaffirmed relationships with agents from Latin America and Asia – and won students.“This is very positive for our college as we want to increase our international student diversity,” he said.
According to ICEF, which runs similar networking events around the world, agents were happy with the range of institutions at the conference, with all education sectors well represented (university and vocational accounted for 31%, language programmes 31%, secondary and boarding 36%, and “multi-sector” 2%).
Educators meanwhile found the agents to be “very professional, knowledgeable about Australian and New Zealand visa processes, selectively meeting only with schools that fit their prospective student profiles, and asking the right types of questions”, said the organisation.
There was a bumper social programme, too, including manifold receptions and agent FAM trips. Councillor Julian Simmonds, chairman of Brisbane’s Finance, Economic Development and Administration Committee, officially opened the welcome reception. The Hon. John-Paul Langbroek MP, Queensland minister for education, training and employment and The Hon. Tim Nicholls MP, Queensland treasurer and minister for trade, then attended the farewell reception.
The 2014 ANZA Workshop will be held April 6-8 in Sydney, Australia at the Hilton Sydney.
