SOUTH Canterbury's international student market looks set to grow this year, with each student expected to spend up to $30,000 in the region.
This week, Education New Zealand predicted the export education industry to increase by more than $250 million this year alone. It said Chinese student numbers were on the rise again.
Education South Canterbury chairman Gerry Fennessy said that while the number of international students had stayed steady over the past few years, this year - for the first time in a while - Roncalli College had a student from mainland China.
That was an encouraging sign because the number of students from China had "dropped significantly" after the 2002-2003 financial year, due to bad publicity following the closure of some private schools, he said.
fake rolexAn international student usually spent between $25,000 and $30,000 a year, including tertiary fees, homestay costs and personal expenses, Mr Fennessy said.
At Mountainview High School, there were 27 international students, with another five set to join them later this term or early next term.
postcard printingThe school's international programme director Bruce Aston said the school had three Chinese students and one who would start soon, but that number was half of what South Canterbury schools had about 10 years ago.
Mr Aston said if Chinese students did return to New Zealand, they would most likely stay in the big cities.
However, it seems Timaru's size hasn't deterred Aoraki Polytechnic, which may explore the Chinese market this year.
In an article in The Herald, Timaru mayor Janie Annear said: "This visit to China [for the World Expo] is also a chance to further cement ties with our sister city, Weihai. Developing opportunities has been difficult but we have had a recent breakthrough, with Weihai wishing to investigate training of its nurses at Aoraki Polytechnic."
Polytechnic chief executive Kay Nelson said she supported Mrs Annear's attendance at the World Expo, which runs between May and October, but the polytech hadn't made a decision as to who, if anyone, would accompany Timaru's delegation.
Last month, the polytech bought the Aoraki International College and the Aoraki English Language College in the hope of attracting more international students to Timaru.
China remains New Zealand's dominant Fendi Replica Handbags export education market, but it doesn't seem to be the case at South Canterbury high schools.
Most of the 29 international students at Roncalli College were from Germany, while of the 20 at Timaru Boys' High School, most were from Thailand, Tonga or Korea.
Thailand and Korea also seemed to be the most popular place of origin of foreign students at Mountainview High School.
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