New Zealand upbeat on wooing more students

Educational institutions in New Zealand are expecting to attract at least 2,000 students from India every year. In the past three years, around 1,000 students from India have been given study visas by the New Zealand immigration authorities.

Though New Zealand wants to increase this number, the institutes as well as the New Zealand government wants to choose the applicants only from the creamy layer following the past experiences, according to Simon Smith, service manager and first secretary at the Delhi's New Zealand Immigration Service Office.

Covering 10 big cities in India for the first time, the New Zealand government and the groups representing several New Zealand educational institutions held the annual 'Education Trade Fair' in Hyderabad on Friday'.

Representatives from over 20 institutions across the country participated in the trade fair and interacted with the students. The trade fair showcased the educational opportunities offered by New Zealand.

Expressing satisfaction over the response recieved for the trade fair, Tricia Reads, chairperson of India Education Export Network (IEEN), said that the interest of these students ranged a range of courses including computer science, IT, biotechnology, hospitality management, journalism among others.