Work rights easier for English in NZ?

New Zealand's Immigration Minister, Jonathan Coleman, has asked for the ban on part-time work rights for English language students - until they have proved an Ielts proficiency level of 5.0 - to be reviewed. This follows claims by industry body, English New Zealand, that the sector is not seeing growth, while other areas of the country's education export industry are posting an upturn in business. However, this claim was disputed by Education New Zealand, which represents the entire sector. Its Chief Executive, Robert Stevens, said that the amount of education export levy - directly proportional to the amount of tuition collected by private providers - increased by 21.5 per cent in 2009 over 2008.

Despite contrasting views of current business trends, Rob McKay of English New Zealand said his members were positive about the future, and hopeful about "long awaited good quality government policies". He told the NZ Herald that "offshore education consultants report up to 25 per cent of students seeking to study English in New Zealand are diverted to competing countries because of this [current] discrimination." 


Navitas links with Edinburgh's Napier University

Global education company Navitas has announced its latest partnership with Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland, UK. The deal will see Navitas establish Edinburgh International College (EIC) on campus and operate and market academic pathway programmes to students keen to progress on to full university programmes. Under the agreement, Navitas will have access to the university's teaching and other facilities, as well as accommodation and administration facilities at the campus.

Edinburgh Napier University's Principal, Joan Stringer DBE, said the deal would strengthen the university's focus on international markets. "We currently have around 2,500 international students from more than 100 countries studying [here] and are proud of being one of the top 10 universities in the UK for graduate employability," she said. "Partnering with Navitas will allow us to increase our international cohort through a supportive learning environment that will ultimately ensure integration with our mainstream courses." The agreement, announced on March 18, marks the establishment of Navitas' 28th University Programmes Division college and its seventh in the UK.


International education policy proposed for Ireland

Fine Gael, the largest opposition party in the Irish parliament, has announced a new programme that would bring greater numbers of international students into Ireland and would create 6,000 jobs.

The plan, which was announced at a press conference, would establish an International Education Office within the Department of Education and Science, appoint a Minister of State with direct responsibility for the sector, create a student friendly visa information website and a new fast track visas system in key student markets. If elected into government, Fine Gael would also issue automatic green cards to PhD graduates in sectors of the economy where shortages exist such as sciences, engineering and technology.