Welcome
Kia Ora,
In this edition we bring you the latest international education news from New Zealand and around the world..
Shanghai Jiao Tong Rankings 2009
New Zealand continues to do very well in the Academic Ranking of World Universities results. Again this year there are five New Zealand universities in the Top 500 list released by Shanghai Jiao Tong University. This translates into 63% of our universities falling into the Top 500 category, as shown on the graph below.
In 2007, The Netherlands were just ahead of New Zealand in terms of percentage of universities ranked, but as they have slipped slightly in the rankings New Zealand is now in the lead.
Newspapers around the country have reported this result. You can read our press release about the rankings HERE.
Fresh Numbers
The popular Summaries of Statistics by Market on our industry website have been updated to reflect Immigration New Zealand data from the beginning of November 2009.
All market summaries have been refreshed with this data, and two new market summaries have been added. The new markets are France and Switzerland.
The summaries can be accessed on our Statistics page.
PACE 2010 Update
Organisation for the February to May 2010 PACE events is underway, information below introduces the events that we’re seeking early registrations for. Registrations submitted by early December will help us estimate the required capacity.
New Zealand Education Fairs, Malaysia, 28 February – 7 March
Registrations for the first round of New Zealand Education Fairs in Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Penang and Petaling Jaya have opened.
Marketing in Malaysia is particularly relevant for the tertiary market. Universities, ITPs, Foundation Providers and Private Training Establishments are encouraged to participate. Almost 1,650 visitors attended the New Zealand Education Fairs held in March 2009 across three locations; we expect to attract a similar number again. The number of Malaysian students coming to study in NZ is on the rise with November 2009 Immigration New Zealand statistics showing approximately 2,000 student visas issued.
For each event to go ahead a minimum of 10 registrations for Petaling Jaya and 8 for the smaller cities is required. Registrations must be received by Friday 11 December. More information can be found HERE or by contacting Laurette.
CIEET Fairs, China, 13 March – 28 March
The CIEET China Fairs are another early set of events. CIEET are commercial fairs approved by the Chinese Government, the fairs offer New Zealand an opportunity to showcase and promote our country, education system and institutions alongside our competitors. The fair cities are set as Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Qingdao and Guangzhou. A New Zealand only Agent Seminar is being planned for Chongqing in conjunction with the CIEET Fairs.
The registration deadline is Tuesday 1 December to enable us to make decisions around the level of promotion in each of the cities. The first of the Chinese deadlines falls early in January so early planning from New Zealand is vital for this event. For further information including registering for the events, please click HERE or contact Rahael.
North Asian Mission, 22 March – 1 April
Education New Zealand is leading a Mission to North Asia early next year. This is an ideal opportunity to promote your school in Asia to New Zealand’s top-performing education agents. Made up of six Agent Seminars and two student workshops in four key markets for international students, the full trip will run for eleven days. The complete itinerary includes Hong Kong, Tokyo, the Taiwanese cities of Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taichung and Seoul, a shorter trip is an option for those who wish to select less cities.
This is an ideal event for those new to International Education Marketing or looking to update their agent contacts. There’s no better way to establish new agent relationships than with face to face meetings. The group will be led by an Education New Zealand staff member, and will receive marketing advice in advance to aid preparation and further market briefings and assistance along the way.
Ideally we would like registrations to be submitted by Tuesday 1 December to enable us to make decisions, especially regarding venue size. Many of the cities were filled to capacity this year, meaning some institutes missed out, so register early to avoid disappointment. For more information about the North Asian Mission, please click HERE or for the 2009 Event Reports and other information please click HERE - you will need to be logged in to the site to view this page.
For further queries, please contact Rahael.
South American Mission, 9 April – 17 April
Education New Zealand is organising a Mission to South America early next year. This is an ideal opportunity to promote your school to our top-performing education agents in South America. Made up of Agent Seminars in São Paulo and Bogotá and the two day Expo Ingles Expo in Santiago, the full trip will run for 9 days. A shorter trip is an option for those who wish to visit fewer cities. An ENZ staff member will be on hand during the Mission and the group will receive marketing advice in advance to aid preparation and further market briefings and assistance along the way.
Relevant for all sectors (except for junior schools) the Mission is ideal for those wanting to expand their contacts in South America. There’s no better way to establish new agent relationships than with face to face meetings.
The registration deadline is Friday 29 January, for more information about the Mission please click HERE or for the post event reports and other information please click HERE - you will need to be logged in to the site to view this page. For further queries, please contact Rahael.
New Zealand Education Virtual Fair, Germany, May
The first New Zealand Education Virtual Fair will be held online for German students during May 2010. This online format is a new approach for PACE, the event looks and feels just like a normal fair, but it is all online, no international airfares or accommodation are required. Participants are able to speak to fair visitors in real time, as usual, but all discussions are held over the internet. Over 3,000 German students studied in New Zealand during 2008 and first time student visa’s almost reached 2,500 during the 2008 to 2009 period.
Germany is a market already well adapted to online tools, social media and high internet usage.
The expo will run for the entire month of May, with three live 3 hour sessions on Tuesday 11, 18 and Thursday 20 May.
Hosted by Virtual Expos NZ’s experienced staff, you will be given all the technology assistance needed to hold a successful virtual fair, including all of the features you would expect to find at a physical expo. A minimum of twenty registrations is required by Friday 29 January. More information about the event or booking a demo can be found HERE or by contacting Laurette.
Canada Announces Three Year Graduate Work Visa
(via University World News)
A programme that allows international students to work for up to three years after graduation just might increase Canada's recruitment competitiveness. Foreign applicants for a university place have discovered that employment of that duration puts them on an immigration fast track so choosing a Canadian university now offers more than just a degree.
The Canadian Post-Graduation Work Permit Program has already proved popular and is attracting a flood of applications. International students, immigration advocates, student advisers and universities have long called for more attractive post-graduation working conditions and welcomed the scheme.
"This has definitely made Canada more competitive," said Anna Done Choudhury, an international student adviser at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.
Choudhury said that allowing students to work three years after graduation "has closed the gap between international students and Canada wanting qualified immigrants". Having taught immigration studies, she said many students who previously wanted to increase their eligibility for permanent residency had to go to the US to work and then return to Canada to apply.
Canada uses a points system in deciding who best qualifies to be a citizen and a simple university degree, without post graduation work in Canada, earns few points. The new programme takes those who have worked during the post-graduation period out of the points system and either passes or fails them although an overwhelming number, more than 95%, have passed.
According to the 2009 Survey of International Students, half the students surveyed said post-graduation work opportunities in Canada were an important factor in choosing to study in the country.
Read the full article HERE.
Austrade Taking Over International Student Marketing
In a move that surprised many Australian educators, the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) will take over AEI’s marketing and promotion functions as of July next year.
Stakeholders were expecting AEI’s marketing and regulatory functions to be separated as a result of the recommendations in the Bradley review. However, they have expressed surprise and distress that they were not consulted over who would take over the marketing side.
Austrade already promotes Australian education in 11 countries in Europe as part of an agreement with AEI. Yet transferring the entire responsibility to Austrade was not what the Bradley panel had recommended.
The panel said “the future of the industry would be best served by a marketing and development model that establishes a separate organization to promote the sector’s international student activity. The body would have considerable independence and a whole-of-government approach.”
The Bradley review had cited both the British Council and Education New Zealand models as examples of a better approach for Australia.
Australia Raises the Financial Bar for International Students
(via Not-So-Foreign)
The Australian government has raised the amount of money students must prove they have to support themselves from $12,000 to $18,000 per year.
The $12,000 requirement has not changed since 2001 and was widely criticized for misleading students on the cost of living, particularly in larger cities like Melbourne and Sydney.
From next year, students will have to prove the increased requirement. Immigration minister, Chris Evans, said the requirement has been increased to better reflect the cost of living. "International students can supplement their income through part-time work in Australia, but the primary focus of a student visa is to study and students shouldn't rely on part-time work to meet their expenses," he said.
The move is a bid to crackdown on poor international students, mainly from India, entering the country after being recruited by unscrupulous education agents. There has already been a steep drop in visa approvals in the wake of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship cracking down on fraudulent agents in India.
New Zealand Post-China Post Direct Mail Services
New Zealand Post has received several inquiries regarding their direct marketing services in China as seen in the October 28 edition of E-News.
Anyone interested in a more detailed description of the services offered can find further information HERE.
ACG takes management contract over Sunderland Colleger
The Board of Academic Colleges Group (ACG) recently announced that it had agreed to take a management contract over Sunderland College, West Auckland's only private school, offering both primary and secondary education.
Located in pleasant grounds and with 220 students currently, the School is well placed to grow, according to ACG CEO Ian King.
Ian sees great opportunities ahead. “Like all ACG Schools,” says Ian, “the Sunderland students are achieving very well via the University of Cambridge International Examinations. With the added resources of ACG now available, many more young people will be able to benefit from a world-class education in a central West Auckland location.”
Kent Favel, Principal of Sunderland School, says: “The Sunderland community is delighted to be joining ACG. It is an exciting time to be at Sunderland as the benefits of being an ACG school are enormous for our students and staff. We are all looking forward to a very positive future.”
Sunderland College Principal Nathan Villars agrees: “Sunderland is a traditional school focussing on academic achievement balanced with a holistic approach to education. Sunderland is excited to be associated with the ACG brand, which is already well recognised in West Auckland. With ACG taking over governance, the School is now poised to grow even stronger. Parents, staff and students all see the significant benefits of the association and experience that ACG brings to our school.
E-news is a newsletter for the Export Education industry, compiled by Education New Zealand. You can access previous E-news newsletters on our website at www.educationnz.org.nz .
With Regards.
Education New Zealand
www.educationnz.org.nz