TODAY’S globalised and highly-connected world has made it easier for individuals to travel abroad not only for holidays, but also to seek out an international education. With institutions around the world getting recognised and ranked for the quality of their education, it is not surprising then that students are increasingly considering the option of furthering their studies abroad to ensure they are getting the best form of learning for themselves.
A recent study by FPP EDUMedia Inc and Intead LLC revealed that 74 per cent of Malaysian students want to study abroad in order to receive a quality education, with 49 per cent willing to go overseas in a bid to pursue specific academic interests.
More than any other country surveyed for the study, 53 per cent of students in Malaysia are also looking to achieve a different lifestyle out of their stint overseas.
New Zealand is firmly committed to providing excellent learning opportunities for Malaysian students, and over the years, it has grown as a key education destination among students in Malaysia.
Last year, New Zealand saw a 5 per cent increase in the total number of Malaysian students pursuing their education there. The number of first-time students coming to study in New Zealand from Malaysia also rose by 35 per cent — a testament to the rising reputation of New Zealand’s high quality education.
Highly regarded, widely recognised qualifications
With an education system that encourages inventive and innovative thinking and teaching techniques that reach far beyond traditional learning, education institutions in New Zealand provide internationally recognised qualifications that provide Malaysian students with great leverage to build their career path. In fact, New Zealand’s qualifications are recognised in more than 50 countries through the Lisbon Convention.
All of the eight universities in New Zealand also feature in the top 3 per cent globally, with many of their programmes featuring in the top 50 QS subject rankings. For example, Civil and Structural Engineering at the University of Canterbury ranks higher than Oxford, Cornell or Monash universities.
The business schools in three of New Zealand’s universities — the University of Waikato, the University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington — also hold the prestigious ‘Triple Crown’ accreditation. Only 73 business schools around the world have been given this sought-after accreditation.
In addition, five of New Zealand’s universities are recognised as a Five Stars institution by the QS Intelligence Unit. These universities all earned Five Stars in the ‘Internationalisation’ category, which looked at the proportion of international students and staff and strength of international partnerships with other universities.
This highlights the importance that New Zealand education institutions place on partnerships with schools around the world. Malaysia, for one, is an important market for New Zealand institutions.
New Zealand is also the most peaceful English-speaking country in the world according to the 2015 Global Peace Index which compares 162 countries for safety and the risk of personal violence.
Partnerships
The commitment to providing the best academic and real-world skills to Malaysian students has culminated in several partnerships with institutions in Malaysia and the introduction of initiatives that make it easier for Malaysians to study in New Zealand.
Last year, New Zealand’s Queenstown Resort College partnered with Malaysian college Kolej Yayasan Saad (KYS) to offer its adventure tourism management diploma for Malaysian students. As part of the partnership, students will be involved in a nine-month internship with adventure tourism operators in Queenstown, otherwise known as the capital of adventure tourism.
Such partnerships expose Malaysian students to New Zealand’s hands-on approach to education and provide them the opportunity to be equipped with not only internationally recognised qualifications but also the relevant skills and experience to enter the workforce, be that in Malaysia, New Zealand or anywhere else in the world.
The new Pathway Student Visa recently launched will also provide Malaysian students pursuing their education in New Zealand with a more seamless study experience. Launched earlier this year, this visa will allow international students to undertake up to three consecutive programmes of study with selected education providers on a single visa that is valid for up to five years.
With processes such as this and with New Zealand being an exciting place to learn and grow, we look forward to and warmly welcome more Malaysian students to pursue their academic interests in New Zealand.
Peter Bull is general manager, international at Education New Zealand.