Overseas student enrolments rise

WIN-WIN: William Colenso High School principal Daniel Murfitt (left) says the region needs to unite its marketing effort to attract more students. He is pictured with international students and international director Robin Stewart. PHOTO/FILE

Strong marketing overseas is attracting students from as far afield as Mauritius to study at Hawke's Bay's Eastern Institute of Technology this year.

More than 400 international students from 60 countries around the world are soon to start the academic year at the institute.

Overseas marketing was paying off, international director Philippa Jones said.

There was a significant increase in applications from India, which she hoped would convert to enrolments.

Applications for this year's programmes were looking good but actual figures would not be available until enrolments were finalised in mid-February.

In 2014, international equivalent full-time students were up 9 per cent on the previous year and more students enrolled for longer programmes, she said.

Students from Mauritius will attend the campus for the first time this year. They opted to come to New Zealand because the UK and United States, their preferred study destinations in the past, were becoming increasingly expensive, she said.

The number of international students attending Hawke's Bay high schools has risen, but this year the number has fallen for the region's largest host school for international students - William Colenso College.

"Last year we started off the year with 37 students - this year we have 24," principal Daniel Murfitt said.

The drop was mainly due to fewer Germans and a faltering Brazilian programme.

"There has been a significant drop in German students to New Zealand over the past two years because they dropped the compulsory number of years German students have to attend school from 13 to 12. So their gap year is a year earlier. We were getting Year 12 and 13 students and now we are getting Year 11 and 12 students.

"They are younger and wanting to be closer to home so they are going to Canada and Scandinavian countries more.

"Also, because our dollar is so high, it is becoming costly to come to New Zealand.

"So the drop in the age, the high dollar and stress in the German economy is seeing quite a major drop in German students across New Zealand," Mr Murfitt said.

International students were "great" for school culture.

"We have 10 different nationalities. Many bring a different culture of learning with them, which is positive role modelling for our kids."

European students came to New Zealand for different reasons than Asian students. Asians sought qualifications and improved English, whereas Europeans sought "an experience".

Students from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Japan were enrolled at Colenso.

Europeans came for shorter periods and usually had excellent English, Mr Murfitt said.

"They are coming mainly for our outdoor education programme and a wide range of opportunities they don't get in their more traditional schools."

Colenso's number of students was closely followed by Havelock North High School and Taradale High School.

Hawke's Bay schools were competing against Great Britain and United States rather than each other, he said.

"We need a greater Hawke's Bay presence rather than a William Colenso College presence. When you are at a trade fair in Korea it is about marketing our region."