6 December 2017 at 9:00 am

2017 ISB results: Universities and ITPs

International student satisfaction at New Zealand universities and ITPs remains high, according to the latest i-Graduate International Student Barometer (ISB) results.

The ISB is a global study that investigates the decision making, expectations and experiences of international students including their arrival experience, the support they receive from their education provider, the quality of education provided, and their living experience in country.

Universities sector

Among the 5,487 international students surveyed from six New Zealand universities, 90 percent were satisfied with their institution experience overall. This is the same percentage as the last wave of the study in 2015 and in line with the global benchmark.

International students in New Zealand placed higher importance on several work- and visa-related factors than the global average: 77% considered ease of getting a visa to study as important (8% above the global average), 65% considered opportunities for permanent residence as important (6% above the global average) and 73% considered opportunities to work while studying as important (5% above the global average).

Of the four major components of the survey, universities outperformed the global benchmark on three dimensions:

 

New Zealand Universities

Global Benchmark

Learning overall

88%

87%

Living overall

86%

87%

Support overall

90%

89%

Arrival overall

91%

89%

And 81% international students in New Zealand would recommend their university to others, which is slightly lower (-2%) than international students globally.

ITP sector

Some 3,470 international students from 13 New Zealand ITPs were surveyed, and overall satisfaction remains high at 89%, similar to the proportion in 2015 (+1%) and in line with the global benchmark.

International students who come to New Zealand ITPs place relatively high importance on employment and employability factors both during and after study: opportunities for permanent residence were rated 12% above the global benchmark, ease of getting a visa and opportunities to work while studying were both 11% above the global benchmark and opportunities for full-time work following their studies was 10% above the global benchmark.

Of the four major components of the survey, ITPs outperformed the global benchmark on three dimensions:

 

New Zealand ITPs

Global Benchmark

Learning overall

87%

87%

Living overall

90%

87%

Support overall

89%

88%

Arrival overall

92%

90%

Despite high satisfaction, students’ likelihood to recommend their institution to others has fallen to 76%. This is 5% below the global benchmark and a 3% fall since 2015, continuing the downward trend from 82% in 2013.

Each participating education provider in the ISB survey receives a customised report based on their own international student survey results, which they can use to make informed decisions to enhance the student experience and drive successful recruitment and marketing strategies.

ENZ, who funds the survey, receives overall aggregate results for each education sector but does not have access to individual provider results.

Click here for the summary Universities report.

Click here for the summary ITP report.

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