Hon Dr Michael Cullen
Minister for Tertiary Education

13 December 2006 Media Statement

New Zealand strengthens education links with India

An education counsellor has been appointed to strengthen the education relationship between New Zealand and India, Tertiary Education Minister Dr Michael Cullen announced today.

Perya Short has been appointed as New Zealand’s South Asia education counselor, based in New Delhi. Counsellors have also been appointed to Beijing, Brussels, Washington, Kuala Lumpur and appointments are to be made to Santiago and Seoul.

"Ms Short will play a valuable role in building relationships between New Zealand and Indian education agencies, institutions and sector groups in what has been a fast growing and valuable market," said Dr Cullen.

"New Zealand has an excellent reputation in India as a quality education provider.
Last year 2,114 Indian students studied here, six times more than in 2000. Total annual fee income was over $23 million.

Ms Short has extensive diplomatic and foreign affairs experience having held policy analyst and programme manager positions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and with the Ministry of Education’s international division.

The announcement coincides with Education Minister Steve Maharey's bilateral meeting with Indian Minister of State for Human Resources Development, Punrandareswari, SMT Daggubati, in Cape Town, South Africa earlier today. Dr Cullen also discussed the developing bilateral education relationship with India's Finance Minister Sri P Chidabaram when the two met in New Zealand recently.

"We are committed to building a long term relationship with India, and that is why the government has agreed to a New Zealand education strategy for engagement with India. The Strategy focuses primarily on education activities, which government agencies can undertake alone or in collaboration with the education sector, or education sector bodies.

"Previous New Zealand ministerial missions to India highlighted interest on both sides in collaborative research – particularly in the science arena.

"The strategy builds on existing activity, much of which is in the tertiary arena such as strengthening research, science and technology links and in developing links around vocational training.

"We want to improve the quality of our international education relationships. Strengthening our ties with a growing and dynamic economy like India's will therefore assist improving the knowledge base of our education organisations and so help the transformation of the economy," said Dr Cullen.

ENDS

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