1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,320 Speaker 1: The government's going after more international students. It's announced a 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: plan to double the value of our international education sector 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: up to seven point two billion dollars in the next 4 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: ten years. 5 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 2: Now. 6 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: The plan includes extending in study work rights. Chris Whelan 7 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: is University's New Zealand CEO and with US morning, Chris, 8 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 1: good morning. Will the changes make a difference? 9 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 2: Look, I hope so. I think there's a strong ambition 10 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 2: across universities and in fact across the entire industry to grow, 11 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: and the kind of targets that are being set here 12 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 2: don't actually get us back to even our high tide mark, 13 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 2: which was about twenty sixteen. So it's a balance. It'll 14 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 2: still be far less than say countries like Australia or Canada, 15 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 2: but it'll still it'll make sure that intertional education actually 16 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 2: gets to I think a level where it's making a 17 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 2: real contribution to this country. 18 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: Why aren't we aiming higher? 19 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 2: I think there's a social license around us. I think 20 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 2: it's around attracting high quality students. I think we don't 21 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 2: want it to be a straight numbers game, and we've 22 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 2: seen what happens overseas if you push numbers two too far. 23 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 2: It does put a lot of pressure on other services 24 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 2: that are enjoyed by locals, whether it's hospitals or schools. 25 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 2: And you know, it's a finding a basic balance. 26 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: Do you think that extending the hours that they are 27 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: allowed to work from twenty to twenty five hours a 28 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: week will make a massive difference. 29 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 2: I think it'll make a difference for some parts of 30 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: the industry, so particularly the areas that are more vocationally 31 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:28,960 Speaker 2: focused where students are wanted to get experience, whether it's 32 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 2: nursing or it And I think, you know, it can 33 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 2: be a good thing. We do know that about eighty 34 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: five percent of students, the ability to be able to 35 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 2: work while they study is actually a factor that makes 36 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 2: New seven the very attractive destination. 37 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: And what about considering a visa to allow them to 38 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: work for six years after they study? Is that something 39 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: they're quite keen to do? 40 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 2: Well? Right now, we give basically three years post study 41 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: work rights for someone that gets a degree. That's a 42 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 2: chance for them to find a degree level qualificay level employment. 43 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 2: And you know, and we know that about seventeen or 44 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 2: eighteen percent actually take that up. And of that seventeen 45 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: or eighteen percent, ten and every eleven are actually in 46 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 2: degree level employment, so they're actually in well paying skilled 47 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 2: jobs and contributing to the economy. 48 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,119 Speaker 1: Chris, what is it that is preventing them from coming 49 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: back in the same numbers that they used to want? 50 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: Don't they want to? 51 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 2: Look, it's a competitive world out there. In saying that 52 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 2: international education is forecast to keep on growing around the world, 53 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,839 Speaker 2: there are a lot of people in countries where there 54 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 2: just aren't there isn't enough high quality education available to 55 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 2: them locally, or it's too competitive, And you know, getting 56 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 2: a qualification in an English speaking country is still very attractive, 57 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 2: being able to do business in English with the English 58 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,519 Speaker 2: speaking world, it's still a real selling point. So for us, 59 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 2: it's about, you know, how do we you know, how 60 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 2: do we put ourselves out there? 61 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: Thanks Chris, Good to talk Chris wheel And University's New 62 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: Zealand CEO. 63 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 2: For more from The Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 64 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 2: News Talk SETB from six am weekdays, or follow the 65 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: podcast on iHeartRadio.