The Education New Zealand operating under the New Zealand High Commission to India, aims to focus more on new collaborations with known Indian institutions in its efforts to attract more students from India. For New Zealand, the country claims that India is the second largest students’ resource after China. Not to mention, approximately 15,000 Indian students have studied in New Zealan in the year of 2019. New Zealand, despite being a small country, has heavily invested in forging a relationship, with our India office being the largest among the 17 offices worldwide, Lisa Futschek, general manager international, Education New Zealand, told FE Education. “ I oversee our global footprint, with a particular emphasis on strong people-to-people links. India, being a substantial source market of students, is gaining increasing importance. Hence, our delegation’s focus is on fostering partnerships, particularly in the joint research and collaborative space,” she added.
To fulfil the requirements of the interested students, from creating profiles and suggesting suitable institutions to assisting them in scholarships, the organisation claims to work with students across all areas. The Education New Zealand further claims to have several partnerships with the Indian institutions for student exchange and joint research initiatives. Some of those partners include IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, OP Jindal Global University, TATA Institute of Social Sciences, University of Delhi, University of Mumbai, among others. “In FY24, 15,000 Indian students studied in New Zealand and we aim to double this number over next two academic years. India is important for us because there’s a lot more partnerships we can form here. Also, the recent government’s moves are making it much easier for us to find ways to collaborate well within institutions in a broader range than before,” Brett Berquist, assistant vice-chancellor engagement, University of Canterbury, said.
Additionally, Education New Zealand claims to create more affordable opportunities for Indian students through the provision of numerous scholarships. For instance, the organisation claims to have launched the ‘New Zealand Excellence Awards’ in 2016, a scheme exclusively created for Indian students. This programme supports in- 200 students every year with an overall package of NZ$ 320,000 to study in New Zealand since the launch. As per the organisation, in 2023, the award was relaunched with joint funding by the Education New Zealand and New Zealand universities amounting to NZ$ 320,000. About 27 students were awared for the February 2024 batch. . “Apart from that, various institutions offer additional incentives in the form of scholarships. For example, the Monarchy New Zealand Scholarship Programme, which provides full scholarships. New Zealand occupies a middle ground when it comes to affordability. We do impose international tuition fees, which can be up to 10 times the cost of studying in India, depending on one’s background. We are conscious of the financial implications for students, as most who come to New Zealand are self-funded,” Futschek added.
Moreover, Education New Zealand claims to assist international students in finding suitable employment opportunities during or after their studies. The organisation further claims that apart from undergraduate and postgraduate students, it provides job opportunities for PhD students, as well . Additionally, PhD students with families can benefit from sending their children to New Zealand schools without incurring international fees. “We conduct service exams and press conferences, emphasising employability initiatives that begin even before their arrival. Many programmes, especially in STEM fields, involve industry advisory boards and mandatory company placements, like the 800-hour requirement for engineering degrees. While outcomes aren’t guaranteed, we boast high employability rates overall at the end of the degree,” Berquist said.
The organisation claims that it is in process of exploring an education cooperation with the state of Karnataka, specifically with the Higher Education Department. “The state of Karnataka has shown eagerness for collaboration and building a strong relationship with us. There have been no notable challenges, and the national education policy has served as a catalyst, providing motivation and incentives for fostering such relationships. We are actively exploring the possibilities that lie ahead,” he added.
