19 August 2015

Record international student numbers great news for the Hutt

Chris Bishop, National List MP based in the Hutt Valley, has praised the growth in international student numbers at the Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec), which have reached an all-time high.

Almost 700 students (approximately 460 Equivalent Full-time Students) from countries including China, India, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the USA and Vietnam are studying with WelTec this year. 450 of the students are attending class at WelTec’s Petone campus, more than 200 are studying at the Hospitality campus at 52 Cuba Street, with others studying at WelTec’s Church Street campus. The students are undertaking a range of undergraduate and graduate programmes in the fields of Business, IT, Engineering, Health and Hospitality.

“With the majority of these students studying at WelTec’s Petone campus, these students are making a significant positive impact on the local economy.

The 35 per cent increase over 2014 follows a 150 per cent increase since 2011, and is forecast to grow even more.

“This is good news for the Hutt Valley, good news for greater Wellington, and good news for the New Zealand economy as a whole.

“Export education plays a vital role in maintaining New Zealand’s links with the international community. We welcome those students who choose to come to New Zealand to study and who bring with them many unique insights that add quality to our learning environment.

“In a global society our future workforce and leaders will be required to work in flexible cultural and language environments across a number of countries. Attracting more international students not only exposes New Zealand learners to a diverse set of cultures, it also has a significant impact on the local economy.

“Along with attracting investment from this Government, international students in the Hutt help create jobs and lift incomes for a wide range of Hutt Valley workers, from the education sector, to retail and hospitality.

“This record high number of students is further proof that the Hutt Valley is a wonderful place to work and study, and bodes well for the future of our community”, concludes Mr Bishop.

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