Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) announced on 5 August its plan to boost the country’s international education sector over the next three years. Its strategy aims to build the economic contribution of international education to NZ$4.4 billion by 2027 by growing and diversifying the region’s international student population.
A recovering international education sector
New Zealand’s international education sector has made a tremendous recovery, with over 69,000 enrolments in the first full academic year since reopening its borders. According to figures released last June, the number of international student enrolments across various educational sectors surged by 67% in 2023 versus the previous year. Universities have also since returned to 86% of pre-pandemic numbers, and enrolments in English language schools soared by 511% from 1,565 in 2022 to 9,570 in 2023.
“The government has a goal of doubling the value of export earnings in ten years and international education has its part to play,” said ENZ Acting Chief Executive Dr Linda Sissons, underscoring the massive contribution of the sector to the country.
Focusing on Asia
In its first year, the strategy focuses on injecting additional investment with huge growth potential. These include India, Vietnam, the Philippines and some specific sectors within markets like Japan and Thailand. ENZ aims to grow awareness of New Zealand as a study-abroad destination in these markets. Despite a move for diversification, the agency shall still maintain its strength in traditional markets like China and India.
As it commits to the government’s “export double” goal, ENZ measures its success through Scale, Impact and Leverage, especially as it works with a finite budget. “ENZ needs to be very smart and maximise every opportunity for New Zealand,” said Dr Sissons.
A productive year for ENZ
ENZ’s strategy is the result of extensive consultation with the international education sector and partner government agencies. It also comes on the back of a productive year for the agency in attracting foreign students to the country.
ENZ has effectively increased interest in New Zealand through various events, conferences, partnerships and networking activities on-shore and overseas. The agency’s offshore team particularly provides significant support to overseas visits by representatives of the sector and the government. Just this year, representatives from all local universities visited India and the Chinese Premier and Education Minister of China performed an education visit to New Zealand. ENZ also supported the education component of the Prime Ministerial Trade Missions to Southeast Asia and Japan.
“I am very pleased and proud of the results the team at Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao has delivered alongside the sector. We have more to do,” said Dr Sissons.
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