There is wide recognition within the government that international students play an important role in New Zealand through the contribution they make to the economy, the diversity they bring to New Zealand and its education system, and the lifetime links that are created between their country and New Zealand.
International education is country’s fifth-largest export earner, and the government has been working to double the economic value of international education to $5 billion over the next 15 years.
Towards this goal Ministry of Education regularly conducts various studies and research to explore ways to offer our international guests a fulfilling experience while they remain in the country.
Recently a new report titled Moving places: Destinations and earnings of international graduates had been released by the Ministry of Education to enhance their understanding of international student’s behaviour in New Zealand.
A clear understanding of student’s behaviour and motivation for choosing New Zealand as their preferred destination for international education could go a long way in setting right expectations for the students much before they arrive in New Zealand.
It has long been felt in some quarters of the Indian community that there could be some gaps between government’s expectation about ‘international education experience’ and their targeted customers - international students.
While Indian Weekender is still studying this 70-page report in detail, some key findings of the report deserve immediate attention.
Like everywhere else in life, the international student is a wide category depending upon their age, gender, the level of study and country of origin, which also determines their international education choices including that of remaining back in the country after successfully completing their education.
One significant finding that would curb some anxiety around the international education system in the country is that two-thirds (66 percent) of all first student visa (FSV) holders in 2009 had returned overseas five years after they obtain their FSV.
Another important outcome of this report and relevant for the Indian community is the revelation of the fact, that Indian graduates are less likely to return overseas when they have completed their studies, and are more likely to stay in New Zealand and work.
The study captures the return rate of Indian students at different levels of studies such as Level 1-4, Level 5-7 certificate or diploma level, and postgraduate level.
The percentage of Indian students going overseas after their completing their education in New Zealand was on an average 10-12% lower at all levels in comparison to graduates from ASEAN and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries who are more likely to return overseas.
In contrast, the percentage of young, international Indian graduates who work in New Zealand and do no further study after completion of their qualification is considerably higher than the rate for all young, international graduates, at all qualification levels and in all eight years after completion of a qualification.
The rate is 20 to 30 percentage points higher, on average, three to eight years after completion of a qualification.
The rate is also considerably higher than that for Chinese, ASEAN or GCC international graduates. These results all strongly suggest that many Indian students come to New Zealand to study with the intention of gaining work in New Zealand after they complete their studies.
This fact was largely known to the community that for a large number of Indian students choice of international education destination is not independent of opportunity to work and permanently settle in those host destinations - a revelation that may come as surprise to the government, if not a shock, as they have chosen to remain in denial for a long time about any such expectation among the Indian students.
It will be interesting to see if ENZ will “re-position” New Zealand in any manner in the Indian student market after this new insight on Indian student behaviour.