Indian students lucky to have met

Four of the six Otago Polytechnic information technology students from India (wearing leis) celebrate with family at a function yesterday ahead of their graduation today. From left are Rahul Tiwari, Jeena Katharikuppam, Sudersan Katharikuppam, Meera Arakkaparambil Mohanan, Nathan Antony (2), Michael Antony and Akhila Antony. Photo by Gregor Richardson.

Instead, they discovered they were an enclave of six and became an instant support network for each other, even adopting the only other international student in their class of 12 - Vladislav Gladkikh, from Kazakhstan - as an "honorary Indian".

The six, who had never met before coming to Dunedin, have all completed a six-month graduate certificate in information technology and have enjoyed New Zealand so much they are seeking work here.

One student, Meera Arakkaparambil Mohanan, has already found a position with a Dunedin company.

All six left secure employment in India to study here, saying they were drawn by New Zealand's job opportunities and the polytechnic's small class numbers and "hands-on" approach to learning.

"In India, there would be 50 or 60 students per class.

There is a lot more theory . . . and the research resources you need are not always available," Sudersan Katharikuppam (47), who came to New Zealand with his wife, Jeena, said.

For Akhila Antony (29), travelling half way around the world to study was an even bigger wrench - she left her husband Michael and 2-year-old son Nathan behind.

They flew to Dunedin two weeks ago to join her for her end-of-year functions and graduation.

Finding other Indian students in her class meant she never felt alone, Mrs Antony said.

"Leaving India was hard, as it was my first parting from my family, but I managed."

The six-month information technology graduate certificate course was proving increasingly popular with Indian students, Information Technology head Lesley Smith said.

That was largely because the New Zealand Immigration Department listed information technology as an employment category with skill shortages, and overseas graduates completing a New Zealand IT course were automatically granted visas enabling them to stay in the country for another 12 months and search for work.

If they had found work, they could apply to stay longer.

Marketing communication and customer relations general manager Mike Waddell said yesterday international student numbers at the polytechnic had jumped by about 30% this year to about 400.

They were from 26 countries including Hungary, Germany, Vietnam, Japan, United Kingdom, United States and Mozambique.

allison.rudd@odt.co.nz