Fall in international student numbers in Otago

International student numbers declined by 2% overall in Otago last year, even as numbers countrywide climbed 13%.

The decline in Otago represented a loss of 129 international students, including a drop of 89 at primary and secondary schools, a recent Education New Zealand report showed.

The only sector in Otago that showed growth last year was the ''institutes of technology and polytechnics'' sector, which grew 10%, with 35 new international students.

Student numbers are generally measured by equivalent full-time students (Efts) rather than by the number of physical students on campus - the measure used in the Education New Zealand report.

While Otago Polytechnic may have gained 35 new international students last year - it is the only Otago ITP-sector institute with international students - communications director Mike Waddell said the polytechnic acquired only one Eft at its Otago campuses between 2013 and 2014.

The 35 students likely added up to one Eft because each was taking a short-term course, he said.

The polytechnic had seen much bigger growth at its Auckland campus, where it had gained 124 new international Efts between 2013 and 2014.

''That's certainly where the growth has come,'' he said.

''There is a challenge in terms of growth within [Otago], which is why we set up the export education strategy [with Enterprise Dunedin], which is about collaborative marketing of the city as an education destination.''

Mr Waddell said he was ''pleased'' with the 10% growth, but added ''we won't always get this type of growth''.

''It will fluctuate up and down.''

According to the report, the Otago university sector showed no growth between 2013 and 2014, acquiring only three new students.

In an e-mailed response to questions, university deputy vice-chancellor of external engagement Prof Helen Nicholson said, ''Otago is a long way from Auckland.''

Following a slump in Canterbury international student numbers after the earthquake, ''Education New Zealand has put a lot of support into Christchurch recently''.

The report showed Canterbury had at least marginal growth in every sector in 2014, except primary and secondary schools.

''[Education New Zealand] is now actively working with Dunedin and the wider Otago region, which will hopefully be beneficial to us,'' Prof Nicholson said.

The biggest losses for Otago came from primary and secondary schools and ''private training establishments''.

Export education co-ordinator Sarah Gauthier said the 78-student, 4% drop in PTE international students in Otago - the only region that showed a PTE sector decline - was explained by the ''very small [PTE] sector'' in Otago.

ICL Education Group chairman Ewen Mackenzie-Bowie agreed, saying the rest of the country's growth had been due to a ''boom'' in Indian students, which Otago had missed out on because it had so few PTE institutes.

''You mustn't underestimate the Indian effect of last year. It was absolutely massive,'' he said, speaking from Auckland.

But he thought the boom had ''peaked'' in 2014, and PTE sector numbers of international students would level out from now on.

Ms Gauthier said the dip in primary and secondary international pupil numbers reflected an inherent difficulty in attracting international students below the tertiary level.

''International education is a challenging and competitive environment - and this plays out in particular for the schools sector,'' she said.

Otago Secondary Principals' Association secretary Gordon Wilson said schools sector international education was ''a very cyclical business''.

''There won't be just one reason [for the decline].''

He was not concerned about the 2014 decline per se, he said, but ''we would be concerned if that decline continued and it wasn't just cyclical''.

Prof Nicholson said the university had noticed ''low'' numbers of international students coming from high schools in 2014, but said there had been an increase in the 2015 numbers.

This week, Education New Zealand also launched the Schools International Education Business Association, which regroups schools from around the country - 15 from Otago have joined so far - in an effort to promote New Zealand schools internationally.

Countrywide, the only other region to show a decline in international students was the West Coast, which posted a significantly bigger percentage decline than Otago - down 27% instead of down 2% - but a smaller decline in student numbers - down 20 international students and down 129, respectively.

carla.green@odt.co.nz

 

 


International students

• Education New Zealand reports international student numbers in Otago went down 2% from 2013 to 2014.

• Otago Polytechnic was the only education institution in Otago where international student numbers grew: 10%, or 35 new students.

• Despite its growth, the polytechnic says international student growth in Otago remains a ''challenge''.

• University of Otago saw neither growth nor decline from 2013 to 2014; three new international students enrolled.

• The West Coast, which posted a 27%, 20-student decrease - was the only other region to show a decline in international student numbers for 2014.


 

 

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