Big boost for marketing of international education

New Zealand's new international education agency will start operations with nearly double the budget of its predecessors, and with most of the increase directed to marketing.

The new agency, which is scheduled to commence operations on 1 September will have a total operating budget of $84 million over four years, compared to the $44 million that was previously split across the Ministry of Education, NZTE, and the Education New Zealand trust.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce says the big increase recognises the very significant contribution that international education makes to New Zealand’s economic growth, and its potential to contribute further over the next fifteen years and beyond.

“International education contributes at least $2.3 billion to our economy. It supports about 32,000 jobs. And the sale of our education expertise overseas is estimated to be worth at least $100 million annually,” he says.

The new funding will be used for strategic promotion offshore and building on our bilateral education relationships with key trading and education partner countries and regions.

“As the industry moves to recover from the Christchurch earthquake, this extra funding will help reassure students that New Zealand is a safe place to get an education,” says Mr Joyce.

"The extra funding, together with the merging of the efforts of the three agencies, will provide a much sharper focus in our national-level international education marketing and representation. I'm expecting higher visibility and better value for money.”

The additional funding was set aside in last week's budget, and will be ongoing.

“Taken together, the new international education agency and the additional funding included in Budget 2011 means that this is an exciting time for the New Zealand international education sector,” says Mr Joyce.