New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Minister, Michael Cullen, has announced plans to reallocate NZ$1 million (US$0.66 million) in Export Education Levy funds to support the additional promotion of New Zealand education overseas for the next two years.
Minister Cullen made the announcement during a speech, detailing the government’s five-year agenda for international education, at the annual Education New Zealand International Education Conference in Auckland. The new agenda has been developed in response to a decrease in international student numbers over the last few years – from 121,000 in 2003 to 90,000 currently – and a need to protect the country’s fourth-largest export earner, currently worth NZ$2 billion (US$1.3 billion) a year. An extra NZ$200,000 (US$131,000) will also be provided this year from Vote Education, to support more promotion and marketing work in India.
“The recent marked drop in international students, alongside a growing concern that we are serving fairly narrow sections of the market in terms of country of origin and the type and level of courses, has, I think, provided a helpful wake-up call,” said Cullen.
The government wants the ongoing development of international education to incorporate four goals: that New Zealand students are equipped to thrive in an inter-connected world; that providers are strengthened academically and economically through international links; that international students are enriched by their experiences in New Zealand; and that direct economic and social benefits to New Zealand from international education activities continue to grow to their full potential.
The education sector in New Zealand has been the subject of criticism recently over rising visa and tuition costs. A recent decision by the University of Auckland to raise international student tuition fees by five per cent for 2007, to an average of NZ$20,000 (US$13,000), was greeted with condemnation.
“There’s a common feeling among international students that they get treated by the university like ‘cash cows’ or revenue generators, used to fill budget shortfalls in the university’s finances,” said Dan Bidois, President of Auckland University Students’ Association.
The fee for a Limited Purpose Further Student Permit, required by students extending their stay, also increased in July this year from NZ$70 (US$46) to NZ$120 (US$79).
Hong Kong looks to be global hub
The Hong Kong government has established a steering committee to look into ways to best promote the city as a global hub for international education.
The committee, headed by Chief Secretary for Administration, Rafael Hui, will formulate policies in areas such as immigration and employment and aims to boost Hong Kong’s competitiveness in the global battle for international students. Secretary for Education and Manpower, Arthur Li Kwok-Cheung, said, “[Creating an education hub] can help Hong Kong attract talent, enhance its competitiveness and help broaden the horizons of local students.”
Li added that the government would be looking at easing visa restrictions for students and also allowing them to work in part-time jobs during their studies. The government also promised in February to provide an additional 1,840 hostel places for non-local students.
The quota for international students at universities in Hong Kong was raised from four to 10 per cent last year but universities themselves would like to see this figure raised to 20 per cent.
Singapore enhances education opportunities
Malaysian students will soon find it easier to study in Singapore due to a change in visa policy, which will allow students from Malaysia to apply for multiple-entry visas. Presently, Malaysian students can only get single-entry visas that have to be renewed yearly or whenever a student returns home.
There are currently 2,500 registered Malaysian students studying at 13 accredited universities in the country.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) has announced plans to spend an extra S$1.5 million (US$0.95 million) to promote its courses overseas and increase its international intake. The institute plans to double its number of international students by 2009.
Other plans by the institute include investing S$10 million (US$6.4 million) to build a new students’ hostel near to its Queenstown campus, and offering scholarships to a number of international students as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.
“With our excellent infrastructure and multiple student care programmes for international students, MDIS will help in the national Singapore effort to attract and retain more foreign talent to Singapore and build our nation into a vibrant global city,” commented President of MDIS, Dr Eric Kuan.
Ontario students to be given scholarships to study overseas
Students in Ontario, Canada, will be able to apply for a new Ontario International Educational Opportunity Scholarship, worth up to CAN$2,500 (US$2,267) from the 2006/2007 academic year.
In all, 250 scholarships will be available for students from next year as part of the Ontario government’s plan to increase the international exchange between home and overseas students. “Our government supports students who want a diverse learning experience,” said Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities in Ontario. “That’s why we are encouraging Ontario students to pursue part of their studies abroad through new scholarships that will also help our province remain competitive in the global economy.”
The Ontario government is also planning to invest CAN$1 million (US$0.9 million) in 2006/2007, CAN$3 million (US$2.7 million) in 2007/2008 and CAN$5 million (US$4.5 million) in 2008/2009 as part of its Higher Reach plan to assist in the internationalisation of Ontario’s post-secondary education system.
Plans include negotiating exchange agreements with other countries, supporting initiatives to increase international student numbers in Ontario and creating an award to recognise the international education experience of students.
UK students head down-under
Increasing numbers of UK students are choosing to study in Australian universities, according to the latest statistics. Since 2002, UK students on undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Australia have increased by more than a third as they seek to take advantage of low living costs and favourable living conditions.
Kathleen Devereux from the Australian Trade Commission said, “You’d think of the UK market as being a fairly mature market, but we have had 12 per cent year-on-year growth from 2002 to 2005, which is extraordinary.”
With average tuition fees at an Australian university averaging between US$9,160 and US$19,058 a year, course costs in Australia are higher than in the UK where they average UK£3,000 (US$5,717). However, when lower living costs are taken into account, studying in Australia is becoming a more appealing option for many UK students.
Last year, 6,250 UK students enrolled at an Australian university and this year five Australian universities are offering scholarships to UK students in an effort to draw them to their shores.
Association corner
Full name: Perth Education City
Year established: 1987
Organisation’s main role: to raise the profile of Perth, both as a destination and a provider of high quality educational services. Currently 32 member institutions enrol over 96 per cent of all international students recruited to study in Western Australia
Full contact details:
Perth Education City, PO Box 6429, Perth, 6892, WA, Australia
Tel: +61 892223596
Fax: +61 892223500
Email: info@pertheducationcity.com.au
Web: www.pertheducationcity.com.au
What activities have you been involved in over the last 12 months?
PEC activities include the development of the Perth image and PEC logo, distribution of PEC and Western Australia (WA) marketing collateral, website marketing, funding and organisation of inbound familiarisation visits, funding and organisation of WA education roadshows, exhibiting at international education conferences and exhibitions and promotional branding campaigns in targeted media.
What particular challenges do your members face?
The major challenge is for Perth to remain visible in a crowded market. Although competitors within the industry, PEC members come together in a spirit of collaboration and synergy to market Perth’s educational services by pooling resources – including promotional ideas, marketing funds and market intelligence – to penetrate and hold markets. PEC often liaises with local, state and federal government agencies to raise and lobby issues on behalf of its WA institutions.
What do you think Perth offers international students?
Perth has a well-earned reputation as an ‘Education City’, offering courses every year to over 36,000 international students seeking university degrees, vocational qualifications, secondary and primary education, foundation and pathway courses and English language skills. Perth is also one of the most affordable places to study in the English-speaking world. Its tuition is comparable with the world’s best and the city has high living standards and low living costs.
News in brief
Turkish scholarships to study in New Zealand
A new Turkish government sponsorship programme is to allow up to 100 Turkish students to study at a New Zealand university. The programme follows visits to New Zealand by Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Ergodan, and Education Minister, Husseyin Celik.
The new scholarships are available in 32 subject areas and the first Turkish students are expected to arrive in June 2007. New Zealand’s Higher Education Minister, Michael Cullen, said, “The fact that 10 per cent of Turkey’s total global allocation of scholarships have been awarded to new Zealand is a real boost for our profile.”
Green scheme at University of Essex in UK
International office staff at the University of Essex in the UK have introduced a novel scheme designed to reduce the carbon emissions created by international students travelling to their university.
The university has teamed up with Tree Appeal in the UK and pledges to plant one broad-leaved tree for every long-haul flight made by their international students. The students receive a certificate as well as information about how to offset their own air travel in the future.
Korean students can gain more credits abroad
Korean students no longer have to gain half their university course credits in their home country, according to a new ruling from the Korean Ministry of Education and Human Resources. Previously, students wishing to study abroad in exchange programmes had to acquire half their credits from their registered home university.
Ministry official Jeong Bong-chul said, “Previously, some universities had difficulties in making exchange programmes with foreign schools because of the current regulations. Now the universities will have total control of the credit system and we hope to see more exchange programmes in the near future.”
Change to work rights in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is planning changes to its immigration policy that will allow international students more opportunities to look for work in the country after they finish their studies.
The policy is expected to come into effect in 2008 and will include five residence categories that will have their own package of rights and obligations. Current plans have announced that international students will have more time in which they can look for work.
US graduate students up
The number of foreign students admitted to American graduate schools rose in 2006 for the second year running, according to the results of a survey conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools. Overall, international admissions at graduate schools in the USA increased by 12 per cent on the previous year.
The most popular courses with international graduates included engineering, with enrolments numbers increasing by 26 per cent, and business, which saw enrolments increase by 12 per cent. Admissions from India increased by 28 per cent this year, while admission from China were also up by 20 per cent.
Chinese language newspaper in Canada
Nova Scotia in Canada has gained its own Chinese language newspaper after the expansion of the East Coast Newspaper of St John into Halifax and Wolfville.
The number of residents claiming Chinese as their mother tongue has increased dramatically over the last few years due to the influx of language and education students coming to the area. The newspaper itself was started by a former Chinese international student, Tao Tao Liu, who studied at the University of New Brunswick.
|
