While we’ve believed for a while that our region is one of the best places to live, international students are starting to agree.
The region’s international student enrolments increased 21 per cent since 2014, with over 270 additional students signing up to study in Nelson, according to the latest International Education Snapshot Report released today.
Nelson/Tasman’s total international student enrolments for 2015 reached 1,577 compared with the previous year’s 1,300. This represented 1.1 per cent of enrolments nationwide.
The report says the region’s growth was led by Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics which account for 41 per cent of all enrolments, in Nelson/Tasman.
The substantial increase follows a nation-wide trend which Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says is reflected in the report.
“Total income from tuition fees rose to more than $1 billion nationwide. This is a record for the international education sector in New Zealand and is a tribute to the combined efforts of everyone involved.”
International education is New Zealand’s fifth largest export industry and supports more than 30,000 jobs. Figures released by Statistics New Zealand shows the industry is worth $3.1 billion.
“Not only do these students boost our regional economies, they increase our cultural awareness and become lifelong ambassadors for New Zealand,” says Steven. “It’s great to see Nelson/Tasman play such an important role in increasing one of our fastest growing export markets.”
