2 December 2020 New partnership creates pipeline of international students

International students will be able to begin preparing for a Lincoln University qualification from home while the borders are closed, thanks to a new partnership with Education New Zealand (ENZ).

The partnership is a Global New Zealand Education Pathways initiative with the UK-headquartered University Consortium (NCUK) and 81 of its accredited Study Centres.

It enables international students to begin studying in their home countries for pathway courses towards Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at any of New Zealand’s eight universities.

As part of the Government’s Recovery Plan for international education, the partnership involves an investment of $10 million over three years towards innovative products and modes of education delivery.

The aim is to enable the international education sector to not only recover from the shock of COVID-19, but to transform to a more diversified, sustainable future state.

The partnership will deliver a world class New Zealand education across the world and develop a pipeline of international students to study in here when the time is right.

“This innovative initiative gives students around the world more choice and flexibility when it comes to how and when they gain a high-quality New Zealand education,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins said.

“It also exemplifies New Zealand’s high-quality education, which is agile, future-focused and student-centred.

“The Government recognises that international education will play a vital role in the recovery of the New Zealand economy from COVID-19. Prior to COVID-19, it was our fifth-largest export earner and generated around 45,000 job nationally.”

ENZ Chief Executive Grant McPherson said the partnership is a first for New Zealand.

“It’s the biggest university sector-international education collaboration to date, and it’s the first time that the Government has facilitated international students beginning their New Zealand study offshore.

“It’s also an important move to support New Zealand’s international education sector, which has been devastated by the impacts of COVID-19. We are piloting this initiative with the university sector and will then use our findings to inform our approaches with other sectors.

“As the world recovers, international education can help build relationships that benefit both the students who choose to study here, and New Zealand. Reciprocity needs to be at the heart of international education.”

New Zealand’s universities are also offering more than NZD $300,000 in annual scholarships dedicated to students carrying out one of the new qualifications.

Universities New Zealand Chief Executive Chris Whelan said New Zealand’s universities were committed to developing innovative solutions that connect New Zealand to students globally.

“This initiative, developed in partnership with NCUK, offers an excellent pathway for international students who are looking to study at New Zealand’s high-quality universities,” Whelan said.

“International education is a vital component of our sector, bringing benefits to our domestic students and research community, as well as to our universities. We look forward to developing this further and to welcoming these students to New Zealand in the future.”

From December onwards, NCUK’s Study Centres will start promoting pathway qualifications to study at all of New Zealand’s eight universities, with intakes beginning in March 2021.

Further information on the initiative is available at on the Study in New Zealand website.

Pathway qualifications
Students commencing the pathway in 2021 would start their New Zealand study in 2022 or 2023, after completing one of three relevant NCUK pathway qualifications:

• A one-year international foundation year programme to enter an undergraduate degree in New Zealand (recognised as equivalent to ‘University Entrance’ by the University Quality Assurance Committee)
• A one-year international year one programme, equivalent to one year’s study towards a business or engineering bachelor’s degree
• A pre-master’s programme towards a master’s degree in New Zealand.