Its new strategy pivots around growing the economic contribution of the sector to a whopping $4.4 billion by 2027 – largely through enticing more international students to the country.

ENZ highlighted key markets across Asia with significant growth potential, stating an aim to spread awareness of New Zealand’s educational offerings in these countries.

“In the first year of the strategy, the focus is putting additional investment into markets we have identified with growth potential. These include India, Vietnam and the Philippines, and some specific sectors within markets like Japan and Thailand,” said ENZ acting chief executive Dr Linda Sissons.

“We need to start now to grow awareness of New Zealand in these markets if we are to achieve our growth targets. Moving forward, we will continue to seek growth through diversifying markets while maintaining our strength in traditional markets such as China and India.”

The plan feeds in to the New Zealand government’s ambition to double the value of the country’s export earning within the next decade.

New Zealand’s international education sector has started to bounce back following the pandemic, when the country was subject to some of the world’s most stringent lockdown laws.

“International education has made a good start to its recovery, with more than 69,000 enrolments in the first full academic year since borders reopened and universities returning to 86% of pre-pandemic numbers,” explained Sissons.

We need to start now to grow awareness of New Zealand in these markets if we are to achieve our growth targets

Linda Sissons, ENZ

She added that ENZ would have to be very strategic about its efforts to attract more students.

 “As a small agency with a finite budget, ENZ needs to be very smart and maximise every opportunity for New Zealand,” she said.  

“We look to use the potential of scale, impact, and leverage as the measuring rods for everything we do, as we commit to the government’s export double goal.”