A university press release last month hailed a 36.3% increase in first-year international equivalent full-time students (Efts). That 36.3% increase represents 26 Efts.
There were about 70 first-year international Efts total this year, making up 6% of the university's 1125 total international Efts (which were down by 5% this year).
The small number may be partly because many international students are studying abroad - who tend not to be in their first year of studies - or postgraduate students.
The university's first-year international student numbers continue to fall short of other universities.
Auckland University has about 70% more Efts total than Otago, and nearly three times the number of first-year international Efts.
Auckland University of Technology - which has about 15% more Efts total than Otago - has had 796 new international Efts this year (although the number AUT provided was for intake, which, ''will not necessarily all be first years - though it's fair to assume the majority will be'').
In 2012, Otago University drew criticism from Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce for falling international Efts.
Otago University international pro-vice-chancellor Prof Helen Nicholson said things had changed since then.
''It's only been a year since we've started changing our strategies to change [international] student numbers,'' she said.
Since she took the position a year ago, she had implemented a series of changes designed to attract international students, and made an effort to ''integrate more closely with the academic divisions'' by appointing an associate dean international for each division.
But ''our growth hasn't been as much as other universities''.
''It will be a little while until we start to see the difference,'' she said.
Education New Zealand acting chief executive John Goulter said ''a large proportion of the international students who come to New Zealand do go to Auckland''.
''We do see that there's lots of potential for Otago to grow, and we're pleased that they're putting a lot of focus on international prospects at the moment,'' he said.
Prof Nicholson said the university was focusing on ''quality, rather than quantity'' in terms of international students.
''Obviously, the money [they bring in fees] is important, but we're more interested in the educational experience and getting good students who will contribute to the university,'' she said.
The university had a goal of increasing the international student numbers to be 15% of the total student body, she said.
At present, they stand at 6.5%. Auckland University is at 10.3%.
Mr Goulter was optimistic about the university's prospects.
''[The change] won't happen overnight, but it will happen,'' he said.
