Students bring cultural diversity to Tauranga's classrooms

Mention the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and it may conjure whimsical thoughts of magic carpets and genies but there’s nothing whimsical about fresh opportunities for the region through a new collaboration between Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and the Saudi Arabian King Abdullah Scholarship Programme.

In total 22 Saudi students are currently enrolled at the Polytechnic and last week a group of diplomats from the Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission visited the region to see how their students were settling into life as Kiwi students.

In attendance were His Excellency Dr Sattam Alotaiby, Cultural Attaché, Mr Mohammed Yaghi, Director of Academic Affairs and Mr Bahaa Elmohands, Student Advisor for TVTC (Technical and Vocational Training Corporation) students. All were pleased with the students’ progress, some of whom are now into their second and third years of study.

Anne Young, International Manager at the Polytechnic, said economic benefits to the region were significant, both in terms of the dollars the students contributed and the greater opportunities for tourism with students’ families also visiting the region.

“In addition to the financial benefits, there is also the intangible value of having culturally diverse students in our class mix,” says Anne. “They contribute to diversifying our student body and helping us to meet our internationalisation goals. As they are spread among different classes and subjects they bring a different perspective to class discussions which give all students (domestic and international) a more global view of their subject and better prepares them for a globalised workforce.”

Eight of the Saudi students are studying Fashion with the Polytechnic; four are in the third year of the Otago Polytechnic Bachelor of Design (Fashion) while the other four are in the second year of a Diploma in Design (Fashion). A further six students are studying Applied Computing, five Tertiary Studies and the remaining three Business Studies.

“It was important to have the opportunity to host the Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission and discuss ways of enhancing our cooperation and to accept more Saudi Arabian students in the future,” said Dr Alan Hampton, Polytechnic Chief Executive.

“Increasing the number of international students at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic is strategically important in further internationalising the campus, student experience, Tauranga city and our region.”