30 April 2002

Education Minister Trevor Mallard today released a Ministry of Education report on offshore education that shows a significant increase in New Zealand’s public tertiary providers’ involvement in offshore activities.

Seventeen of 36 providers offered offshore programmes alone or in conjunction with partner institutions overseas in 2001. A total of 63 programmes were delivered offshore in 2001 – an increase from six in 1997 (the last year in which such activity was measured).

New Zealand’s offshore programmes in 2001 were concentrated in China and Hong Kong, South-East Asia, including Malaysia, and the Pacific. This parallels existing and historical international education relationships with New Zealand.

Offshore programmes were delivered through distance education, campus-based teaching offshore or a combination of the two.

“The report shows the growing significance of offshore activity to our education providers - not just in terms of the diversified revenue streams it creates, but also in terms of building New Zealand’s strategic linkages and relationships with other countries in the education field,” Trevor Mallard said.

“The government wants to encourage the trend and welcomes the opportunities for increased profile and recognition for New Zealand’s education and qualifications systems overseas. An important challenge, however, will be to ensure that offshore activity grows in a way that is in harmony with New Zealand’s domestic education objectives,” he said.

Trevor Mallard leaves tonight to lead an education delegation visiting North Asia Representatives of education institutions will be travelling with the Minister and looking at exploring new relationships and emphasising existing linkages in the North Asian offshore education market.

Copies of the report are available on the Ministry of Education’s website at www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/international or from the Ministry’s International Policy & Development Unit on phone 04 463 8826.

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