Alana Pellow, Business Development Manager, Education New Zealand
Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, international education (both inbound students and education products and services) was New Zealand’s fifth largest export sector. After tourism, it is the sector that has been hardest hit by the pandemic and subsequent border closures.
As we enter year three of the pandemic, the education sector has had time to develop, test and enhance new hybrid modes of learning and encouragingly for New Zealand, our international relationships are still alive and well at all levels (government, institution, partners and student), and demand for New Zealand’s education remains.
As part of New Zealand’s International Education Recovery Plan, ENZ has led on the workstream, “transforming to a more sustainable future state,” which moves to a broader, more diversified set of education products, services and approaches that will rely more on blended and online delivery.
ENZ has focused on implementing two multi-year workstreams: 1) new products and services to bring more New Zealand products to global learners, including the development of new products that speak to New Zealand’s unique points of difference, and 2) diversification of delivery modes to complement in-bound student mobility with new and different ways of learning (online, partnerships, offshore delivery, and pathways).
The recovery for international education in New Zealand depends on re-opening borders, building on long-term reciprocal international relationships, and shifting to more diversified education products, services and modes of delivery.
Recent border announcements mean New Zealand will welcome small numbers of international students for semester two 2022 and the Government’s plan to “reconnect New Zealand to the world” provides a clear signal that New Zealand will be formally reopening later in 2022.
— Alana Pellow, Business Development Manager, Education New Zealand
Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is the crown entity that takes the lead in marketing New Zealand’s education industry around the world for enduring economic, social and cultural benefits.
