The New Zealand Education Agent course, developed by ICEF Academy with Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao, aims to equip agents with the “highest quality of guidance”, so they can effectively provide information to students wishing to study on the island.

The program will include modules on the country’s education system, work policy and legislation and its culture – and will be free to study at the agent’s own pace, apart from a paid certification exam, which will be an optional cost.

ENZ’s sector services manager called the course an “important milestone” for the country and its sector.

“This course gives education agents the comprehensive insights they need to effectively advise students considering Aotearoa New Zealand for their studies.

“By ensuring education agents are well-informed about our education system, culture, and policies, we can enhance the overall experience for international students and support their success,” she said.

ICEF said the launch comes as international study policies around the world are “evolving” – the current clampdowns on International student numbers in neighbouring Australia may come to mind.

“New Zealand is becoming an increasingly important study destination and its addition to the ICEF Academy portfolio supports our mission to raise industry standards, help education counsellors diversify, and drive optimum student recruitment outcomes,” noted Markus Badde, ICEF’s CEO.

Recent survey results from AECC indicate that New Zealand is one of the countries students are looking to as an emerging destination, amid growing frustration around Canada, Australia and the UK’s rocky rhetoric and policy changes.

By ensuring education agents are well-informed about our education system, culture, and policies, we can enhance the overall experience

Sahinde Pala, ENZ

Education New Zealand figures published in early July stated that 69,135 international students were in the country in 2023 – a meteoric 67% rise on 2022 numbers, showing the country is fully recovered and then some from the pandemic border closures that hampered its recruitment efforts.

What’s more, some 84% of those asked in an international student survey conducted by ENZ said they would positively rate the country’s study experience.

The course in New Zealand is ICEF Academy’s seventh course in its portfolio of “destination training”, after France, the UK, the US, Ireland, Canada, Australia and China.