New Zealand has experienced its strongest ever start to the year with an 8% increase in international student enrolments resulting in an additional 5,100 students compared to the same January to April period last year.
Latest figures from the government’s snapshot report reveal almost all sectors have experienced growth on 2013’s first quarter. Most notably the Private Training Establishment (PTE) sector has had 3,113 additional international students enrol this year, an increase of 13%, and the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics have experienced a 9% increase in enrolments.
“Sustained hard work by the whole sector has halted a two year decline in student enrolments and resulted in record number of students choosing New Zealand as their study destination,” said Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce in an official statement.
“Our increased investment in Education New Zealand, the new ‘Think New’ marketing campaign, and the extension of student work-rights are combining with our first-class education system to attract students”
“This year, significant changes such as our increased investment in Education New Zealand (ENZ), the new ‘Think New’ marketing campaign, and the extension of student work-rights are combining with our first-class education system to attract students to enjoy the unique study experience this country offers,” he added.
International education is New Zealand’s fifth-largest export industry, generating NZ$2.6bn annually and supporting 28,000 jobs nationwide. Joyce noted that the upward trajectory of enrolments in 2014 brings an additional NZ$40m in fees revenue for New Zealand education providers.
Annual figures from 2013 showed an overall downturn in student numbers but strong growth in Canterbury and among higher education providers.
Visa applications were high at the beginning of the year and Rose O’Connor from ENZ said the the confirmation of interest through enrolments is spurring the sector to look for positive results from the rest of the year.
“For our part, ENZ continues to focus on raising awareness of New Zealand’s world-class education system in our key markets, with an almost 25% increase in awareness being seen in our priority markets of China and India,” she told The PIE News.
Enrolments in China and India are up, but numbers of students coming from the ASEAN region have also grown. “ENZ has boosted its presence in South East Asia to take advantage of the many business development opportunities in the countries that make up that geographical area,” confirmed O’Connor.
She also underlined ENZ’s continued investment in growth markets including Latin America and Japan, the most recent country where it has rolled out its Think New campaign.
