17 February, 2004 Media Statement

Work programme to boost export education

Thousand of providers and students in the export education sector will benefit this year from an industry-funded $3.2 million work programme - the first of its kind, Education Minister Trevor Mallard announced today.

"This comprehensive work programme is funded by the export education industry which played a key role in putting it together. The programme spans research, quality assurance, promotion and professional development," Trevor Mallard said.

“The programme will boost our knowledge of international education issues through a number of key research projects and will help New Zealand institutions market the New Zealand brand overseas."

"The export education industry is a hugely important industry to New Zealand, worth around $1.7 billion a year. It's essential that we do everything possible to support it and build on the quality services already being provided to international students who come here to study."

Work programme initiatives include:
- professional development seminars, workshops and other initiatives;
- export education research projects;
- on-line access to research and professional development support materials;
- sector promotion in study guides and on mynzed.com web site, and
- media management, media hosting and market research

Trevor Mallard said the work programme was funded by the Export Education Levy which applies to all 1200 recognised providers of international education in New Zealand.

The levy also funds administration and monitoring of implementation of the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of students, which was last year strengthened to further protect students and lift quality in the international education marketplace.

For providers other than private training establishments, the levy for the 2004 calendar year is at a flat fee of $185 (excluding GST) and 0.45 per cent of tuition fees.

"This year the government wants to raise the levy for private training establishments in response to the collapse late last year of Modern Age and Carich and the on-going costs associated with ensuring students affected by these closures are looked after and able to complete their studies," Trevor Mallard said.

"The Education (Export Education Levy) Amendment Bill, currently before the Education and Science Select Committee, will for private training establishments, raise the tuition fee to 0.7 per cent while the flat fee will remain the same.

"The government expects to spend up to $1.37 million of taxpayer funds ensuring students affected by the collapse of the two private training establishments are able to complete their studies.

"This is a higher figure than previously estimated and the additional $400,000 generated in 2004 by the increased rate on private training establishments will go towards ensuring these costs are recovered so taxpayers do not foot the bill.

Trevor Mallard acknowledged the active part played by six reference groups, nominated by education sector bodies, in the development of the work programme.

Some projects are already underway or complete and a number are being tendered out. All projects are expected to be underway or complete by the middle of the year.

For more information about the reference groups, the export education sector and the tendering of projects in the work programme go to:
www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/international

Details of project tendering are also available in the Export Education Levy section of Education New Zealand’s website at:
www.educationnz.org.nz

A copy of the Ministry's submission to the Minister is available on www.beehive.govt.nz/mallard/export-education-levy/

A summary of the work programme is attached.

EXPORT EDUCATION LEVY WORK PROGRAMME 2003/2004 FINANCIAL YEAR
A RESEARCH PROJECTS
A1 Contestable research fund
A2 Stocktake on NZ literature on export education
A3 Achievement levels of international students
A4 Obstacles to student transitions between courses/sectors
A5 Managing cultural diversity in the classroom
A6 Interactions with international students

B PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOOLS
B1 Upskilling Principals and Boards of Trustees on the Code and other requirements
B2 Good practice in teaching international students
B3 Supporting international student managers and support staff re pastoral care responsibilities

C PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TERTIARY
C1 Supporting tertiary admissions staff
C2 Role of the pastoral care professional (Foundation)
C3 Role of the pastoral care professional (Experienced practitioners)
C4 Internationalisation of education
C5 Supporting academic programme delivery

D PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CROSS-SECTOR PROJECTS
D1 Code compliance seminars
D2 Resources to support Code professional development
D3 Legal guidelines for those involved in export education
D4 Supporting community development
D5 Upskilling accommodation providers

E PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TESOL/TEFL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages/Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
E1 Improving management of TESOL/TEFL institutions
E2 Contestable funding pool for local TESOL/TEFL support initiatives
E3 Linguistic and cultural awareness training modules
E4 Establishing national standards for English language levels
E5 Information data base on TESOL/TEFL organisations, programmes, qualifications and resources
E6 Minimum qualifications required for ESOL/EFL teaching

F Promotion (New Zealand International Education Marketing Network)
F1 Media Management
F2 Translation of Mynzed website contents into Chinese
F3 Advertorial placement
F4 Media hosting
F5 Inclusion of definitive institution lists in Study in NZ directory
F6 Inclusion of brand pages and lightweight brochures in Study in NZ
F7 Inclusion of Code of Practice signatories list on Mynzed website
F8 Translation of Mynzed contents into Brazilian Portuguese
F9 Ring-fenced branding enhancement fund
F10 Education New Zealand desk research
F11 Ring-fenced agent promotion/other

G Quality Assurance
G1 Code of Practice administration & monitoring

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