Review of the Industry Wide Strategy on International Education
In 2004, Education New Zealand initiated and developed an Industry-Wide Strategy that provided an overall statement of strategic intent from the education export industry.  It was launched at the 12th Annual International Education Conference in Auckland. 

For a number of reasons, it is timely to revisit the Strategy.  These reasons include:

• the Strategy was always viewed as a medium term document, so revisiting its goals, objectives and actions after a three year period is appropriate;

• there has been considerable number of changes (both positive and negative) and challenges for the industry in the intervening period since August 2004.  Against this backdrop, strategies and actions need to be assessed to ensure they still have currency in 2007 and beyond; and  

• after two years as administrator, Education New Zealand is changing the way it administers the Education Export Industry Development Fund that is generated by the Education Export Levy.

Education New Zealand has prepared a discussion paper which will be used to shape discussion at a one-day workshop to be held in March 2007.

To view the discussion document, please click HERE

The discussion document includes:

• the list of discussion group participants;
• objectives and frameworks for the new Strategy;
• an overview of the current international education environment;
• critique of the current Strategy; and
• a proposed new Strategy, including an amended set of Goals and Objectives.

We welcome all comments in regard to this discussion document by close of business on Wednesday 7 March.  Please forward your comments to Education New Zealand’s Industry Development Programme Manager, Kathy Phillips kathy.phillips@educationnz.org.nz or your sector representative (listed on page 2 of the document).

On 22 February 2007, Education New Zealand facilitated a full day forum in Wellington with the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s five offshore Education Counsellors.  The Counsellors were in New Zealand last week for a series of meetings, including the full day forum for institutions to receive country specific briefings from the Counsellors on education policy, education trends, regulatory and diplomacy issues. 

Education New Zealand Chairman, Hon. David Caygill, welcomed the delegates and invited Hon. Dr Michael Cullen, Ministry for Tertiary Education, to open the forum day.  You can view the Minister’s speech HERE. Karen Sewell, Secretary for Education, also spoke.  The five Counsellors then each presented a 45-minute session, which included time for questions, some of which came from the floor and others were submitted via online form prior to the forum day.  Education New Zealand has made each of the Counsellor's biographies, including contact details, and their presentation notes available HERE.

The appointment of Tony Davies as Temporary Education Attaché to the Gulf States was announced at the Forum, and it was also noted that interviewing is currently underway to appoint permanent Counsellors to South Korea and Chile.

PACE 2007

• Taiwan Agents and Students Workshops, 14-17 April
  Taiwan Agents & Students Workshops registrations are closing shortly. These events are primarily Agent Seminars, for meeting with the top performing agents in Taiwan.  Agents are also invited to bring with them interested students, and allocated time slots are open to the public too.  The events will be held in Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taichung. For more information click HERE or contact Genevieve

• Indian Fair Series, 15, 18 and 22 April
  In 2007 two sets of New Zealand Education fairs will be held in India. The April fairs are in Mumbai, Cochin and New Delhi, with the September series having a much larger range of cities.  Registrations for the April fairs will be accepted up until 1 March.  Click HERE for more information. The contact for all Indian activities is Laurette.
  

• Hong Kong Agent Seminar, 20 April
  Agent Seminars are a good way of establishing contact with many reputable agents in one place. The Hong Kong market is suitable for all sectors, particularly tertiary as most Hong Kong students aim to achieve at least an undergraduate degree. For more information about the Seminar, click HERE or contact Genevieve

Just the Facts

In this new regular e-news slot, we will go through our stats archives to help address specific questions that you have.

This weeks question came through the Counsellors Forum:

"It seems to be harder to get a student visa from Russia than it used to be. What do the numbers look like?"

“The student permit application approvals and declines for full fee paying Russian students can be found HERE.

In summary, the decline rate for Russian student applications is very low, and has shown no particular trend up or down over the past 7 years. For the 05/06 year, the overall decline rate was 2.4%, and the offshore applicants decline rate was 5.8%. So it doesn't appear that decline rates have risen.

We next looked at the annual number of applications - if applications have gone down it may mean that potential applicants have not bothered to apply, perhaps because they perceive the process as difficult or unlikely to be successful. However, for the last 7 years there has been a modest but continuous rise in the number of applicants, and whilst the rate of offshore applications has not risen strongly in the last few years, it hasn't fallen either.

How many of these are first time applicants? The tabbed data indicates that the number of first time fee paying students rose steadily to 02/03, blipped down in 03/04, and rose again in 05/06. Whilst the market is not accelerating, it isn't declining.

Finally, we can track how many Russians with student visas/permits have stayed on to live and work in New Zealand. Over the last 10 years, 21.5% of all Russian students have transitioned to a work visa (this includes non fee-paying Russian students, who may transition at a higher rate - in addition to the 1,333 new fee paying students in that time there were an additional 287 non fee paying students). 32.3% have gone on to residency, although this may include those that first worked and then transitioned from that status. Similarly, we would expect a higher proportion of non fee paying students to transition to residency, as they may for example have been children of long term workers etc.

In conclusion, the data does not support the contention that it is harder to get a visa/permit from Russia".

If you want to find some stats to help with specific market queries, send your question through to stuart.boag@educationnz.org.nz