Joyce to visit Oman, Qatar & Saudi Arabia

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce will today travel to the Gulf states of Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to raise New Zealand’s profile as a destination for international students and to support education companies seeking to grow their business in the region.

“Since 2008 students from the Gulf States studying in New Zealand have grown by 33.4 per cent and are now approaching 7500. This makes the Gulf States our fifth largest source of international students,” Mr Joyce says.

“Education consultancy companies have successfully undertaken work and are continuing to bid for significant contracts in a number of countries in the region.”

Mr Joyce’s visit will include the signing a Memorandum of Cooperation with Oman. The Minister will meet with government ministers in Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, undertake portfolio related visits, and attend functions promoting New Zealand’s education sector.

He will give the closing address at the largest education fair in the region – a key event for New Zealand institutes to promote themselves in Saudi Arabia.

New Zealand will be represented over the course of the education fair by universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, english language schools, and a number of education consultancy businesses, along with officials from Education New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand, Trade and Enterprise and MFAT.

“New Zealand has a growing international reputation of delivering high quality education. The international education industry remains in good shape to double its economic contribution to New Zealand to $5 billion by 2025. The Gulf States and the Middle East are an important part of that future growth,” Mr Joyce says.