RNZ: NZ wants to double foreign student revenue by 2034 – but does it have capacity?
RNZ: NZ wants to double foreign student revenue by 2034 – but does it have capacity?
On the face of it, New Zealand’s push to expand international education looks like an easy win for economic growth.
Government targets, announced last year, aim to nearly double revenue to NZ$7.2 billion by 2034, lifting student numbers from 83,400 to 119,000.
International education exports – representing the total expenditure by overseas students on tuition and living costs – have climbed to $4.5b as enrolment numbers continue their upward trajectory.
Embedded in the new Tertiary Education Strategy, the goals have become a cornerstone of government policy, rather than simply a sector ambition.
Yet, numbers that work on paper don’t necessarily make for prudent policy.
Three risks in particular deserve closer attention: housing pressure in university towns, over-reliance on a narrow band of source countries and uncertain employment outcomes for graduates.
