Asia Aware Education Nurtures Future Success

Asia Aware Education Nurtures Future Success

Media release
16 November 2009

Business NZ welcomes the call by the Business Education Partnership to address the need for our young people to be prepared for a future increasingly dominated by Asian economies.

The partnership between the Asia New Zealand Foundation and the business community, is directing its message at both the New Zealand public and educationalists.

Business NZ chief executive Phil O’Reilly says understanding the Asian culture, language and people is paramount to New Zealand’s future success.

“The Asian region is already becoming a powerhouse in the global economy, and as a small island nation we are increasingly dependent on trade with this area to secure our own development.

“Emerging markets such as India, Indonesia and Vietnam are growing in importance with a rising middle class contributing to retail and lifestyle industries. Add these to the major players such as China, Korea and Japan, and we simply can’t afford to ignore the growing need to review our education and planning.

“Doing business in these markets can be very different, and we need to learn how it’s done in each country in order to achieve long term successful relationships there. This means changing priorities in our education systems as well as our way of thinking as a nation. As the world becomes more and more globalised, it’s a necessity not a choice.”

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