For a life-changing experience, head to Kiwi land

Updated on: Monday, February 06, 2012

Indian students, who aspire to pursue their higher education in New Zealand, have the advantage of the British system of education in English. A modern democracy, the universities here are governed and controlled by the government. Therefore, quality of education and academic programmes offered by the universities are exceptional. In the current knowledge age, students need to know how to solve problems, synthesize information, work with others, create and innovate. These goals are at the heart of New Zealand's education system.

Jugnu Roy, Education Marketing Manager - India and Sri Lanka, Education New Zealand, New Delhi, says, “New Zealand's approach to higher education combines consistently high quality and traditional principles of education with innovation, creativity and fresh thinking to prepare students for the modern world. This combination attracts students from around the globe who are looking for education that will help them make the most of their future.”
Why New Zealand

As Ms. Roy points out, “In New Zealand, every student is treated as an individual. Using this personal approach to education, students are able to develop their potential along a variety of possible pathways, academic and/or vocational. With a population of just 4.4 million, nobody in New Zealand is ‘lost in the crowd.'”

Popular courses among Indian students in New Zealand include business and commerce, marketing, hospitality, computer science and design. However, Indian students study a huge variety of subjects in New Zealand from completing doctorates in chemistry or biology, to architecture and engineering degrees, to diplomas in cookery and everything in between.

“A number of students from India enrol themselves in various courses in horticulture, hospitality, 3D animation and other special effects techniques and film editing as well. We also have students who study engineering and health-related courses,” says Mr. Sabesan of Global Reach. Whether one studies PG diploma or master's degree, finding a suitable job is possible in NZ. The university has a rigorous selection process and they pick and choose the students based on their merits. Also students who have studied there have the choice of opting for permanent immigration. Those students who study in NZ and get their PR can also migrate to Australia and work there and vice-versa. This is one of the strong reasons apart from high quality education that many Indian students want to study in NZ.

The International Education Agenda New Zealand aims at achieving an internationalised education system that can be fully integrated with the global economy. The strategy goes beyond the traditional focus on hosting international students. It provides a framework for the wide variety of international education providers, including primary, intermediate and secondary schools, universities, polytechnics, private training establishments, English language schools, and other organisations involved in intercultural learning and exchange.

New Zealand welcomes a variety of students, from those looking to make the country their home to those who want to gain some international experience before launching their careers in their home countries. The students who tend to succeed in New Zealand are those who take a lot of initiative and work hard to make the most of the opportunities on offer.

“New Zealand benefits from having top students (and faculty) from around the world to make our institutions more internationalised, improve our global connections and add new perspectives to our research and programmes of study,” says Ms. Roy.

Foreign students can seek admission in university, polytechnics or institutes of technology. There are also private institutions. The range of courses and secondary qualifications is as comprehensive as those available anywhere in the world.
Universities

In New Zealand, there are eight universities. All of them are research-based and funded by the government and owned by the government. These universities offer a wide range of subjects and qualifications, but each university has areas of specialty where they excel. All universities offer programmes from diploma through doctorate level.

Apart from this, New Zealand has eight Centres of Research Excellence which bring universities together to work on common projects and goals. These collaborative organisations enable researchers to work together to produce truly innovative, ground-breaking research, as well as train a new generation of scientists.

“New Zealand's universities are performing very highly on a global level, and New Zealand has a higher percentage of its universities listed in the Times Higher Education Top 500 and the Shanghai Jiao Tong Top 500 world universities than any other English-speaking country,” informs Ms. Roy.

Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics in New Zealand also offer high quality programmes from certificate through degree level, with some offering postgraduate qualifications. These programmes are practical and career-focused so that students become graduate-ready to enter the workforce. New Zealand's National Qualifications Framework makes it easy for students to progress from one level of education to the next, and to have their earlier learning credited towards a higher qualification.

India is New Zealand's third-largest source of international students. New Zealand is also keen on Indian students continuing to choose New Zealand for their education. “We also work with the government in India to ensure a strong relationship between our two countries in the area of education. New Zealand has a lot to offer Indian students, but unless we find ways to let them know about us, they will miss out. So we find creative ways to reach out to Indian students. These have included online competitions, a T20 cricket tournament, targeted education fairs and more,” she says.
Campus & culture

Vishnu Selvaraj of Chennai, who opted to study in New Zealand in the field of hospitality, and got admission in Eastern Institute of Technology, says he chose this country because it is safe, citizens are well protected and life is peaceful as well. World-class education that is recognised globally is the reason why Vishu decided to go to New Zealand.

There is also a group of New Zealand specialist agents working in India to represent New Zealand institutions. These agents are experienced and have had special training on the New Zealand education system, visa regulations and other relevant information to assist students in enrolling in New Zealand institutions. They are also trained by Newzealand Educated.com. They must abide by an ethical Code of Conduct so that students can be assured they will get honest assistance from these agents.

When it comes to campus life and cultural experience, New Zealand can be quite different from what international students are used to. The cities and towns are smaller and less crowded and there are lots of protected natural areas. Campuses are open, with areas for quiet study, relaxing with friends, or for getting a bit of fresh air outdoors.

New Zealanders, or Kiwis as they're better known, are relaxed and welcoming. People rarely use surnames or titles to address each other, and casual dress is acceptable in most places. Teachers and lecturers are generally available to speak to students about their courses and answer questions.

Campus life can be very social, and students will find there are a range of sport and cultural clubs where they can meet people with similar interests. Some even have clubs just for Indian students. Students can live on campu

For a life-changing experience, head to Kiwi land

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