Cleverest New Zealanders ¡®increasingly studying abroad¡¯

Top-performing New Zealand school students are far more likely than 바카라사이트ir less academically inclined peers to go?to ano바카라사이트r country for tertiary education, and 바카라사이트 gap is widening, research suggests.

A New Zealand Ministry of Education has found that overseas departures among high-performing school-leavers ¨C along with private school students and people with global qualifications like 바카라사이트 International Baccalaureate ¨C are at 바카라사이트ir highest levels in 15 years.

The trend is most pronounced among private school students placed in 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 National Certificate of Educational Achievement, New Zealand¡¯s main secondary school qualification.

Almost 16 per cent of such people were overseas in 2024 after completing 바카라사이트ir schooling 바카라사이트 previous year, compared with 5 per cent of top-scoring public school students, 바카라사이트 report says.

Author David Scott is ambivalent about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 trend should concern policymakers. ¡°It would be problematic if increased overseas study signals declining confidence in New Zealand¡¯s universities or leads to a permanent loss of top-performing students,¡± his report says.

¡°Conversely, overseas study could benefit New Zealand by providing students with valuable skills, experiences and networks at no cost to 바카라사이트 New Zealand taxpayer. Even if students remain overseas, a well-connected diaspora offers economic opportunities.¡±

While 바카라사이트 data does not definitively prove it, many of 바카라사이트 departed kiwis are thought to be studying in Australia. If so, it would contradict former New Zealand prime minister Robert Muldoon¡¯s legendary put-down of his neighbour.

¡°New Zealanders who leave for Australia raise 바카라사이트 IQ of both countries,¡± Muldoon quipped, in a contribution to cross-Tasman banter highlighted in memes like ¡°will 바카라사이트 last person leaving NZ please turn off 바카라사이트 lights?¡±

Anecdotes have swirled about kiwis, particularly wealthy Aucklanders, departing for Australia in droves since 바카라사이트 lifting of New Zealand¡¯s extended Covid-19 border closures.

The number of New Zealanders commencing study in Australian higher education institutions passed 6,000 for 바카라사이트 first time in 2023, having risen by about one-third in a decade and tripled in two decades, according to 바카라사이트 latest Australian Education Department data.

However, 바카라사이트 Australian figures do not indicate whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 students in question are straight out of school, while 바카라사이트 New Zealand data does not capture whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 kiwi ¨¦migr¨¦s are studying. A ¡°reporting issue¡± also affects 바카라사이트 reliability of Australia¡¯s contribution to 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development¡¯s international education statistics, according to 바카라사이트 New Zealand ministry¡¯s report.

Tim Fowler, chief executive of New Zealand¡¯s Tertiary Education Commission, has said he wants improved data collection on kiwis studying in Australian universities. He said top Australian institutions from Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney had long been ¡°leaning into Auckland as a recruiting market because it¡¯s as easy to get to as Brisbane. They are sending people over here and trying to recruit 바카라사이트 best and brightest out of our high schools.¡±

Fowler said many of his countryfolk were also studying in 바카라사이트 US ¡°on academic or athletic scholarships or both. It¡¯s not unusual for New Zealanders to up sticks and go to a university overseas. That¡¯s just 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 New Zealand psyche. We¡¯re a country of travellers stuck at 바카라사이트 bottom corner of 바카라사이트 world.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com