International students are a vibrant part of our education sector providing immense benefit not only to our economy but also to New Zealand education providers, educators and domestic students. The exposure we get from their overseas thinking helps raise New Zealand education standards, and the people-to-people connections established are important for young people as they increasingly operate in a global marketplace.
The current research was conducted by Deloitte on behalf of the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) in partnership with the Department of Labour (the Department), in order to monitor the health of the education and pastoral support provided to international students in New Zealand. The Ministry and the Department were particularly interested in examining the changes since the 2003 survey in the following areas:
- The general characteristics of international students;
- The self-reported academic performance or success of international students;
- The satisfaction of international students with educational, pastoral and support services, living conditions and social services;
- Students’ experiences of working in New Zealand; and
- The future plans of international students, including their work plans.
Methodology
The survey comprised eight sections, examining the following areas:
- The factors influencing choice of New Zealand as a study destination;
- Students’ living arrangements, including homestays;
- Students’ educational and work-related experiences and self-reported academic progress;
- The availability of and satisfaction with institutional services and facilities;
- The availability of and satisfaction with sources of social support;
- Social relationships of international students;
- Life satisfaction; and
- Students’ future plans.