New Zealand launches a new website for international students
While New Zealand’s gradual border opening had been postponed until at least February 2022 due to Omicron, overseas students interested in pursuing a New Zealand education can begin exploring their possibilities right now on a new website dedicated solely to them. It’s a natural continuation of Education New Zealand’s “Think New” branding drive and significant investment in developing international route programmes for students who can’t go to New Zealand yet.
The Global New Zealand Education Pathways Initiative, which is a collaboration between ENZ, all eight New Zealand universities, and the UK-based University Consortium (NCUK), went live last year, allowing students from all over the world to begin studying for a higher education degree from a New Zealand university. This comprehensive route initiative currently allows students from more than 200 study sites in more than 30 countries to enrol with New Zealand educators.
Education New Zealand (ENZ) has described the Study with New Zealand website as a place that highlights the full variety of alternatives accessible to overseas students, from studying in New Zealand to more efficient, flexible online and offshore course options, as well as pathways from these courses to onshore or blended learning programmes. It is replacing the Study in New Zealand website.
The new change in name also signals a strategic branding shift: the focus is now on studying “with” New Zealand at a time when most overseas students are unable to study “in” New Zealand. In New Zealand, there are now fewer than 20,000 overseas students. There would be more than 100,000 in a regular year (i.e., before COVID).
In late 2021, the government stated that 1,000 international students would be allowed to study in New Zealand in 2022: 400 pilot trainees, 300 degree students, and 300 non-degree students.
Students can do a more intuitive and complete search for a course, a school, an education agent, or a scholarship. They can also search the site to find a government-approved educational institution.
The agencies that wish to be recognised will need to apply to get approval and can do so as soon as the ENZ Recognised Agency programme reopens, in early 2022.
More information on how to become a recognized agency can be found here: https://enz.govt.nz/support/agent-engagement/enz-recognised-agent/
Meanwhile, education stakeholders in New Zealand are anticipating a greater dependence on agents as part of the recovery from the pandemic.
