Search

Showing 10 of 1007 results for gabrielaaa06302 of

  • Around the world in five: News round-up 3 March 2016

    THAILAND 

    The Bangkok Post reports on the pace of progress to reform the education system in Thailand, the impact of this on Thai people and the Thai economy, and the flow on effects of intense competition for international schools in Bangkok. The article states Thailand may now be ready to increasingly look to foreign partners to make progress; the Education Ministry is reported to be working with Cambridge University to reform English language teaching and assessment and talking to education officials in Finland. 


    GLOBAL

    Research in to the regional differences in motivations, goals and behaviours of students seeking to study internationally culminated in FPP Edu Media producing a report that provides insights in to which messages and education offerings resonate in which markets. Download the report here.


    JAPAN 

    This month the Japan Business Federation, Keidanren, has brought forward the national start date for its companies’ rigorous graduate hiring processes, with mixed views to date on the impact for Japanese students studying abroad. From this year the association has advised members to begin interviewing students from June for job offers in October. Encouragingly, Keidanren’s guidelines have suggested companies make allowances for students abroad when hiring. The PIE News provides more detail.


    SAUDI ARABIA 

    The recently appointed Minister Mohammed Al Isa has signaled that the Ministry [link in Arabic] will review a long-standing ban on foreign universities being established in Saudi, and commented that private education will ‘drive the future of the education sector’.


    MALAYSIA

    The Malaysian government has reported that it is on track to meet its goal of attracting 200,000 international students annually by 2020. Earlier this month it announced that all university students will be required to pass English language, currently taught as a second language, in order to graduate from university. The government expects a focus on English languages skills at all levels of its education system will make Malaysia a more attractive international education destination. Read more in The PIE News.

  • Student visa approval rates available

    The list of approval rates for student visas is updated every year by Immigration New Zealand and relates to the change to Rule 18 of the Programme Approval and Accreditation Rules, which was implemented in October 2015. Only relevant student visa categories are counted to produce this list, which covers offshore student visa applications only.

    The rule change brought in to effect different programme entry requirements for international students from countries with a student visa approval rate below 80 per cent. English language entry requirements for international students from countries with a student visa approval rate of 80 percent or above remained the same.

    Organisations have until 2 March 2016 to reflect the updated approval rates. 

  • Meet the Brazil expert

    Ana took the opportunity to clarify the recently-introduced – and then removed – tax on international education fee transfers and gain insights from Maura on New Zealand’s competitive advantage in the Brazil market.

    Ana: What is the Brazilian Educational and Language Travel Association (BELTA) is and what does it do? 

    Maura: BELTA is a non-profit organisation that works across Brazil. Launched in 1992, it was the first association working in the field of international education in Latin America. Today, BELTA agencies represent 75 percent of Brazil’s international education market. These agencies are committed to promoting, facilitating and delivering education and exchange services (educational and cultural programs of all kinds and for all ages, courses, internship and volunteer work programs), in Brazil and overseas. BELTA is often asked to share its experiences with other countries to help them organize their own associations.

    Besides promoting Study and Exchange Travel, BELTA monitors the standard of services offered by its associated companies, evaluating their performance from both a student and international partner organisation perspective. Only agency partners of the highest integrity and who agree to abide by the Association’s Social Statute and rigid Code of Ethics are allowed to join BELTA.

    Along with the Board of Directors, I am responsible for ensuring BELTA functions correctly, and for representing the Brazilian market to international government and education entities. BELTA is a member of the Federation of Agencies Associations, and I am its president for the next four years.

    The income tax on international transfers relating to educational purposes (such as student exchange programmes) has recently been in the news. The Brazilian government has now announced that it will not charge those transfers. Would you clarify and comment on that? 

    At the start of January the Brazilian government decided to end the tax exemption for payments due abroad. The proposed rate for the new tax was between 6.38 percent and 33 percent. Fortunately, on 26 January 2016, the Department of Federal Revenue published that study abroad programs would be exempt from the new tax.

    Brazilian students are now able to plan their international exchange programs with the knowledge that they will not have to pay this tax. This good news for our New Zealand partners!

    We know the weakening of the Brazilian Real in relation to the American dollar and the Euro has had an impact on the demand for education abroad to those destinations. Do you believe that New Zealand may be a more desirable study destination in the current economic scenario? 

    New Zealand has a big market in Brazil because of the favourable exchange rate and the high quality of the education. The opportunity to work while studying is also very appealing for Brazilian students. All of these conditions combined places New Zealand in a special position as a destination for the Brazilian student. 

    Brazilian students are looking for qualifications that will help them succeed in the challenging job market. They are looking for postgraduate and specialized programs that will position them well in the job market, when the Brazilian economy is back on track. New Zealand is well-placed to fulfil this demand.

    What’s your connection to New Zealand? What’s your view of New Zealand as an education destination for Brazilian students and what advice you would give to NZ institutions wanting to attract Brazilian students?

    I have visited New Zealand as part of my job, visiting a range of education institutions. I have also had the opportunity to visit the country with my family as a tourist. It offers great education and lifestyle opportunities for students and fantastic tourism experiences.

    Students are able to live in a very safe environment, can choose from a great variety of high quality institutions and subject areas, in all kinds of cities or towns. And all within a country with beaches and mountains, fields and farms, with very hospitable and well-educated people.

    New Zealand is a top education destination and I love its people! This is my very personal opinion!

    Institutions wanting to receive Brazilian students should:

    • offer high quality academic programmes and excellent facilities, including accommodation

    • work with high-quality agencies

    • promote the school regularly throughout the year

    • offer good advice on visa processes

    • be open and understanding to the cultural differences between New Zealand and Brazil.

    Find out more about BELTA at http://www.belta.org.br/

  • Upcoming VAC openings in Jakarta, Singapore and Bali

    From 18 March in Indonesia, and 25 March in Singapore, Immigration New Zealand offices in Jakarta and Singapore will no longer receive visa applications.

    All applications that were previously received by these offices should be sent by mail or courier to the New Zealand Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Jakarta from 18 March, or Bali from 22 April, and from 25 March in Singapore.

    Applications can be submitted to the relevant VAC by mail or in person.

    INZ has more information, including contacts and fees, here.

  • Another 100 Chilean students to arrive in July

    The 100 students will arrive in New Zealand in July and will study at schools around the country.

    Prime Minister John Key, who was in Chile leading a trade mission of New Zealand businesses, says there is the potential for the announcement to “lay the foundations for a regular study programme in New Zealand for high-achieving Chilean students”.

    Education New Zealand’s Santiago office helped secure New Zealand’s place as the country of choice to pilot the “Penguins without Borders” programme and its extension. The programme’s name comes from the traditional black and white Chilean school uniform.

    Last year New Zealand was the first country to be selected by the Chilean Government for the programme.

    Mr Key said “New Zealand’s selection as the pilot country for this programme speaks volumes for the high regard in which our education system is held”.

  • Sports education opportunities opening up in India

    India’s Delhi University women’s football team training with the Asia Pacific Football Academy at Lincoln University is an early example of growing activities between India and New Zealand sports education providers.

    While the Delhi University project is helping building connections at institutional level, there are opportunities emerging across a range of sports education and related disciplines.  

    According to one recent industry report, sports spending in India is outpacing the country’s relatively high economic growth rates.

    India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has a focus – and a NZ$370 million annual budget – to develop sports in India.

    Every Indian school with more than 100 students is expected to employ a part-time physical education (PE) instructor. When this legislative requirement is fully implemented, millions of physical education instructors and teachers must be trained or up-skilled.

    The Indian government has also said it will setup sports institutes, with private sector support, in every district of the country. Private sector involvement in sports education is on the rise.India is also broadening the types of sports it plays.

    The first edition of the Elite Football League of India (EFLI) kicked off late last year - matches were beamed to 70 million homes across India.

    Based on the current trends in India, and interest from the Indian system, the following disciplines and areas could be explored for opportunities in India:

    • Sports management

    • Physical education in schools

    • High performance centres

    • Sport science and medicine.

    Education New Zealand’s New Delhi office helped Delhi and Lincoln universities and the Asia Pacific Football Academy get their partnership underway.
    For more information contact: Dr Shruti Jain, Project Coordinator, Education New Zealand, New Delhi.

     

  • Latest levy data released

    As many expected, the 2012 figures confirm a decline in international student enrolments since 2011. Although enrolment numbers fell by 6 percent (5,665), the report also shows that tuition fees from international education increased by $13.4 million, up 2 percent.

    While these are the headline numbers of the report, a more complete picture is revealed by looking at the report in more detail. For instance, while there has been a 5,665 decrease in enrolments, certain sectors have been impacted more than others. Private Training Enterprises (PTEs), mainly non-funded, experienced a drop in enrolments of 5,102. However, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) saw a 4 percent increase in enrolments, although the numbers, 434, are modest.

    Canterbury is suffering reduced student enrolments due to the earthquakes, an important factor in explaining the national numbers. There were 2,979 fewer students – a 31 percent drop – enrolled with Canterbury education providers in 2012.

    The ongoing effects of the rising New Zealand dollar are also hurting the industry, and it is important to note that other providers of international education are experiencing similar trends. Australia, for example, has experienced a similar decline in international student enrolments, with their numbers down by 7 percent in 2012.

    We need to improve our understanding of what factors drive student choices in our key markets. To this end, much of Education New Zealand’s current work is focused on how students and their families decide on where to undertake their course of study, and the factors that influence their decision.

    This research will allow Education New Zealand to provide you, the industry, with detailed information that is current and relevant. We can then work together to develop programmes and initiatives to increase the demand for what New Zealand has to offer.

    There is much work to be done. A willingness to take a different approach is essential if we are to grow our industry.

    We will provide more analysis of the data in next week’s edition of our e-news, International Education News. Some of the key information from the report is included below.

    Kind regards,  

    signature

    Grant McPherson

    Chief Executive Education New Zealand    

    Enrolments: There was a 6% drop (from 98,660 to 92,995 in international student enrolments) in 2012. The main results were:

    • Schools (down 3%), universities (down 2%), funded PTEs (down 6%), non-funded PTEs (down 13%)

    • Canterbury numbers down 31% (a reduction of 2,979)

    • Chinese enrolments up 5% (now 27% of all international students)

    • Japan (number 4 market in 2012) enrolments up 3%

    • Saudi Arabia (number 5 market) down 26%

    • South Korea (number 3 market) down 19%

    • India has overtaken South Korea as our second biggest source of students

    • ITP enrolments up 4%

    Tuition fees: There has been an overall $13.4 million (2%) rise in international education tuition fees in 2012, but the results varied according to sector:

    • Universities (up 6%), ITPs (up 5%) and funded PTEs (up 7%)

    • Schools (down 19%) and non-funded PTEs (down 9%)

    graph3210314

    graph1210313

    graph2210313

  • More analysis of latest international student enrolment data

    280313graph2

    The 2012 Export Education Levy data contained mixed news across sectors, and from some of our key international markets. While the number of international student enrolments is down overall, importantly the value of the industry, as measured by international fees earned, has increased by 2 percent and this is a significant result.

    Education New Zealand is committed to working with each sector of New Zealand’s international education industry to support institution’s needs and priorities to enable industry-led growth. We have a strong programme of work underway in 2013 to achieve this.

    Schools

    280313graph3

    For all schools, international student numbers declined 0.3% to 15,643 students in 2012 compared with 2011

    • Primary and intermediate enrolments were down 3.3%

    • Secondary, composite and special enrolments fell 0.3%.

    • But value has remained more or less static over the past five years

    • South Korea and China make up half the international education market for this sector

    South Korea was down 15% for schools in 2012. Why?

    • South Korean Government moves to provide more English language tuition in Korea

    • Foreign providers setting up in Korea

    • Christchurch earthquake

    • Economic factors in markets

    • High NZ dollar.

    China shows strong growth

    • In 2012 there was a 20% increase in Chinese school international student numbers

    • Chinese first-time visa applications are up, particularly for contributing, composite and special schools.

    Japan is emerging as a growth market

    • Japanese school international student numbers rose 23% in 2012

    • ENZ regards Japan as a market worth further exploration, particularly for school partnerships.

    Universities

    280313graph4

    Universities earned $308.9 million in international fees in 2012, an increase of 5.5%

    • There are fewer international students, but they are higher value.

    International university student numbers fell 5.2% - a decline of 980 students

    • Indian international students accounted for more than 40 percent of the decline.

    • There was a small increase in numbers of Chinese international students (universities’ biggest and most valuable market). This suggests that New Zealand’s most important international education market is performing well

    • Japanese international student numbers almost doubled

    • Saudi numbers are falling due to a halt in new intakes for Saudi scholarship students in 2012

    • Universities have seen overall international student numbers fall since 2004 despite ongoing growth in the global market for international students

    • Capacity exists and there is scope for recovering market share in the university sector.

    Figures for individual universities are not yet available but we believe about a quarter of this decline can be attributed to a fall in enrolments at Canterbury and Lincoln Universities due to earthquakes

    Universities have strong commitment to internationalisation, partnering with institutions in a variety of markets.

    Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs)

    In 2012 ITP fee income was up 4.9% from 2011 - overall revenue for the sector has increased almost 50% since 2007

    International student numbers rose 7.1%; EFTS were up a corresponding 3.4%. ITPs was the only sector to see a rise in numbers and EFTS  

    India and China make a combined 57.6% of all ITP international enrolments:

    • Numbers are up or holding for all major markets

    • There were small declines in South Korea and Saudi Arabia

    • Saudi numbers are falling due to a halt in new intakes for Saudi scholarship students in 2012

    • China remains relatively strong

    • ITPs are encountering strong competition in India from traditional competitors Canada and Australia

    • ITPs want to diversify their exposure to India and China with new market development in the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia and the Philippines.

    Private Training Establishments (PTEs)

    280313graph5

    PTEs (non-SDR)

    Enrolments at non-SDR PTEs (mostly English language schools) fell 13% in 2012

    • English language schools down 17%.

    • Tuition fees were down 9 % to $105.1 million

    • The decline in English language schools likely to be linked to the rising value of the NZ dollar. International language travelers are known to be price sensitive; also an area of intense international competition.

    This fall, which has been happening for two years, is of concern because ESOL students often move on to further academic study

    Why down:

    • Affordability – the high NZ dollar

    • Greater provision of English language tuition in South Korea

    • Saudi Arabia – fewer new Saudi scholarships

    • New immigration policy – changes to work rights for L5 and 6 diplomas introduced in April 2012

    • Competition from other our key global competitors.

    PTEs (SDR)

    • Enrolments at SDR PTEs (mainly vocational education training institutions) were down 6% in 2012

    • Tuition fees were up 6.4% to $99 million

    • Internationally, demand is growing for high quality vocational training

    • Some of our competitors (eg. Australia) have tightened up student immigration criteria for vocational training.

  • Los Angeles VAC opens next week

    All applications that were previously received by this office should be sent or delivered in person to the New Zealand Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Los Angeles.

    For more information on the Los Angeles VAC, visit the Immigration New Zealand website.

  • EdTech conference a great success

    Education New Zealand (ENZ) supported the conference, alongside Learning Media and Grow Wellington, as part of ENZ’s wider strategy to build the capacity, capability and scaleability of the international education export industry.

    ENZ sees a vibrant and successful EdTech sector as critical to the success of New Zealand’s educational offerings, domestically and offshore.

    ENZ Education Business Development Manager Melonie Pitkin says “One of our key goals for the conference was providing an opportunity for a sector to begin to self identify and find opportunities to make business connections that might not ordinarily occur as part of business as usual.

    “On that front we would certainly view this inaugural conference as successful. We're pleased that it was so well attended and well received. We're looking forward to feedback from participants that will help inform and shape how Education New Zealand can work with the EdTech sector.”

    The EdTech for Export website will become a hub for EdTech news and information. Videos and slides for some keynote speakers and breakout sessions have been posted on the site.

What's in it for me?