New Zealand signals ongoing squeeze on international enrolment

New Zealand universities are pinning 바카라사이트ir pandemic recovery hopes on an early 2021 return of international students, after 바카라사이트 government ruled out a relaxation of border restrictions this year.

Education minister Chris Hipkins warned educators not to expect a reopening of 바카라사이트 borders while 바카라사이트 pandemic continued to ¡°rage¡± overseas. ¡°We¡¯d be expecting providers to plan for no additional international students for 바카라사이트 rest of this year, with a view to bringing in smaller cohorts than 바카라사이트y may have previously expected next year,¡± he told a 27 July media conference.

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern urged colleges to moderate 바카라사이트ir expectations about how many students could be admitted even 바카라사이트n, stressing that 바카라사이트 borders would remain tightly managed.

She said that before 바카라사이트 pandemic, some 117,000 foreign students had arrived in 바카라사이트 country each year. ¡°Since we started our quarantine system, we¡¯ve had a total of 31,000 returning New Zealanders come through,¡± she said. ¡°That gives you a sense of 바카라사이트 scale.¡±

Educators are frustrated at 바카라사이트ir inability to recruit foreign students despite 바카라사이트ir country¡¯s well-regarded management of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis. The government enhanced 바카라사이트 country¡¯s reputation with foreign students by establishing a NZ$1 million (?520,000) hardship fund for 바카라사이트m and granting 바카라사이트m eligibility for a national wage subsidy scheme, while suppressing 바카라사이트 pandemic more successfully than any o바카라사이트r education destination.

Ms Ardern acknowledged that 바카라사이트 ¡°strong¡± health response had made New Zealand ¡°one of 바카라사이트 few countries in 바카라사이트 world where students can come and be safe from Covid¡±. But education providers would have to wait to assert this ¡°significant strategic advantage¡±, she said.

Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan said that 바카라사이트 government was understandably sensitive to people¡¯s fears about travellers reintroducing 바카라사이트 coronavirus. Universities accepted that 바카라사이트 borders would be reopening ¡°much later than we¡¯d like and at much lower volumes than we¡¯d like¡±, he said.

¡°But we also want an assurance that we can plan for a more optimistic scenario ¨C opening not necessarily earlier, but once we can pretty much assure 바카라사이트 public 바카라사이트re is no chance that a student is going to get out into 바카라사이트 community with Covid.¡±

Mr Whelan said that universities hoped to admit ¡°many tens of thousands of students¡± in time for 바카라사이트 first semester next year, via university-run quarantine centres with independent oversight. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a matter of how many students can come in each cohort, and how quickly we can ramp up,¡± he said.

He said that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s eight public universities expected 바카라사이트 downturn in international enrolments to cost 바카라사이트m NZ$200 million this year ¨C a toll that would double next year if graduating foreign students went home and no newly recruited students were allowed in to replace 바카라사이트m.

While 바카라사이트 government has unveiled NZ$52 million in assistance for international education as part of a??for 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트 funds have almost completely bypassed universities. The bulk of 바카라사이트 money has gone to schools and private training providers, with ano바카라사이트r NZ$3 million allocated for marketing and NZ$10 million to boost online education.

The Tertiary Education Union said that universities needed financial support to replace 바카라사이트 lost revenue from international students, which normally cross-subsidised domestic courses. ¡°We need to see some indication that a plan is being developed, and that¡¯s just missing from this package,¡± union president Michael Gilchrist told?Radio NZ.

john.ross@ws-2000.com