Chris Whelan: Universities New Zealand Chief Executive says boosting international student count won't return to the 2016 numbers

The Government has its eyes on boosting international student numbers. 

It's looking at extending "in study" work rights with the hope of doubling the sector’s economic contribution to 7.2 billion dollars by 2034. 

Universities New Zealand Chief Executive Chris Whelan says it won't get us back to the highest numbers seen back in 2016.  

He says it will make sure international education gets to a level where it's making a significant contribution to the economy. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The government's going after more international students. It's announced a
plan to double the value of our international education sector
up to seven point two billion dollars in the next
ten years.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Now.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
The plan includes extending in study work rights. Chris Whelan
is University's New Zealand CEO and with US morning, Chris,
good morning. Will the changes make a difference?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Look, I hope so. I think there's a strong ambition
across universities and in fact across the entire industry to grow,
and the kind of targets that are being set here
don't actually get us back to even our high tide mark,
which was about twenty sixteen. So it's a balance. It'll
still be far less than say countries like Australia or Canada,

(00:40):
but it'll still it'll make sure that intertional education actually
gets to I think a level where it's making a
real contribution to this country.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
Why aren't we aiming higher?

Speaker 2 (00:49):
I think there's a social license around us. I think
it's around attracting high quality students. I think we don't
want it to be a straight numbers game, and we've
seen what happens overseas if you push numbers two too far.
It does put a lot of pressure on other services
that are enjoyed by locals, whether it's hospitals or schools.
And you know, it's a finding a basic balance.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
Do you think that extending the hours that they are
allowed to work from twenty to twenty five hours a
week will make a massive difference.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
I think it'll make a difference for some parts of
the industry, so particularly the areas that are more vocationally
focused where students are wanted to get experience, whether it's
nursing or it And I think, you know, it can
be a good thing. We do know that about eighty
five percent of students, the ability to be able to

(01:39):
work while they study is actually a factor that makes
New seven the very attractive destination.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
And what about considering a visa to allow them to
work for six years after they study? Is that something
they're quite keen to do?

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Well? Right now, we give basically three years post study
work rights for someone that gets a degree. That's a
chance for them to find a degree level qualificay level employment.
And you know, and we know that about seventeen or
eighteen percent actually take that up. And of that seventeen
or eighteen percent, ten and every eleven are actually in
degree level employment, so they're actually in well paying skilled

(02:14):
jobs and contributing to the economy.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Chris, what is it that is preventing them from coming
back in the same numbers that they used to want?
Don't they want to?

Speaker 2 (02:23):
Look, it's a competitive world out there. In saying that
international education is forecast to keep on growing around the world,
there are a lot of people in countries where there
just aren't there isn't enough high quality education available to
them locally, or it's too competitive, And you know, getting

(02:43):
a qualification in an English speaking country is still very attractive,
being able to do business in English with the English
speaking world, it's still a real selling point. So for us,
it's about, you know, how do we you know, how
do we put ourselves out there?

Speaker 1 (02:58):
Thanks Chris, Good to talk Chris wheel And University's New
Zealand CEO.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
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