26 April 2017 at 9:00 am
India’s Welcome2NewZealand series kick-starts event season
ENZ launched an event called ‘Welcome2NewZealand’ in India earlier this month to acknowledge the work being carried out by local education stakeholders, and to help ensure prospective students are given all necessary information and support they need from local agents on behalf of New Zealand educational institutions.
Jugnu Roy, ENZ’s Country Manager for India, said Welcome2NewZealand was an opportunity to discuss the current visa regulations, thank agents for their patience through uncertain times and a recent drop in student numbers, and to emphasise ENZ’s student recruitment strategy of moving from volume to value.
"We were very pleased with how the sessions went and have had positive feedback,” said Jugnu.
Held in New Delhi and Chandigarh, the event had ENZ Recognised Agents (ENZRA), licensed immigration advisors (LIA) and other high-performing student consultants in attendance, along with NZ Inc partners.
Welcome2NewZealand included sessions on ENZ’s strategy for the India market, and an update from Immigration New Zealand on policy instructions and how they would like to work with high-performing agents to get high-calibre students into New Zealand.
The New Zealand High Commissioner to India, Joanna Kempkers, chaired the sessions, along with John Laxon, ENZ’s Regional Director South and South East Asia and Middle East, and Daniel Smidt, Area Manager for INZ.
Jugnu said similar events for agents are planned in other Indian cities later this year.
In Bengaluru, ENZ partnered with the FPP EduExpo fair for the first time, following good reviews from colleagues in other markets.
Jugnu said the event was a nice change from previous student fairs that have been very USA- and Australia-focussed.
“In India, we wanted to explore a multi-country event. It’s a cost effective way of flying the New Zealand flag and profiling the country as a world class study destination.”
Jugnu said more than 1000 students attended the fair, with some 77 percent looking at postgraduate qualifications overseas.
“A number of Bangalore students were interested in courses at New Zealand institutions, ranging from environment and sustainability, architecture, biochemistry to specialist engineering programmes.
“It emphasised the importance of student fairs in profiling New Zealand as a high-quality education destination, attracting capable and talented Indian students.”
