First NZ-India Education Week maintains key education connections

The schedule of online events included panel discussions, specialist masterclasses, events with alumni, a showcase of New Zealand’s Māori culture, and a daily trivia quiz.

Attendees included the New Zealand High Commissioner His Excellency David Pine, New Zealand and Indian academics, international staff at education providers, agents, Indian media, and government officials from both countries. ENZ’s India Team saw high audience and student engagement at the events, thanks to the online platform’s Q&A and chat functions.

The NZ-India Education Week is part of the New Zealand Government’s Recovery Plan for the international education sector under the third stream, ‘Transforming to a more sustainable future state’.  

“The NZ-India Education Week helped us build relationships with India’s education leaders, and keep a New Zealand education experience in the hearts and minds of our Indian students,” ENZ Regional Director – Asia, John Laxon, says.

Indian students are the second-largest cohort of New Zealand’s overall international student population, behind only China. Pre COVID,  they had also been the fastest growing international student cohort at New Zealand universities.

The NZ-India week builds on a number of internationalisation initiatives at a government level that will provide a platform for further growth beyond COVID-19. In February 2020 former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters attended the inauguration of the second NZ Centre in the world at Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, supported by all eight New Zealand universities.

“We are committed to investing in New Zealand’s education links with India for the long-term,” John says. “Indian students enrich our communities and our education institutions are partnering on world-leading research projects. With all the disruption caused this year by COVID-19, it’s very important to us that we continue to strengthen our bonds with India.”