21 December 2016 at 9:00 am
Cricket great bats for NMIT
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) has re-signed Sri Lankan cricket star Mahela Jayawarden as a brand ambassador for 2017, in a move to entice more international students to New Zealand.
NMIT chief executive Tony Gray said the cricketer is a household name in Sri Lanka and India. These are both important markets for overseas student recruitment, making Jayawardena an influential asset for NMIT.
"We’re fortunate to have such a superstar batting for NMIT. He has been a regular visitor to NMIT and genuinely believes in the opportunities that NMIT can give fellow Sri Lankans,” said Tony.
"Having Mahela as brand ambassador will help us show Sri Lankan students that Nelson and Marlborough are the places to come to study and enjoy life at the same time."
The arrangement will see Jayawardena promoting the educational attractions of NMIT in Sri Lanka, appearing on banners, posters, videos and social media for the institute.
Tony Gray says NMIT wants to build its Sri Lanka numbers, especially students attracted to accountancy and business programmes. Currently, less than 20 per cent of Sri Lankan students who want to attend university in Sri Lanka are able to gain a place due to high demand and limited spaces - making overseas education very attractive.
"We already have more than 30 Sri Lankans studying at NMIT and living in Nelson. They fit in very well, speak very good English and work hard,” said Tony.
