Summary
The Government will invest up to NZ$2.5 million in a new support service to help more schools recruit, enrol and retain international students from 2027. Education Minister Erica Stanford said the initiative targets both schools with established international programmes and those struggling to enter the market, aiming to widen participation and lift capability across the school sector. About 611 New Zealand schools currently enrol international students, but the Government said participation is constrained by practical barriers, including limited capability and expertise in international recruitment, enrolment and student support, difficulty building offshore networks, and challenges securing homestay accommodation.
Education New Zealand (ENZ) selected academyEX as the preferred provider following a competitive tender, with the contract starting in October 2026 and ENZ overseeing implementation. The service will provide schools with tools, templates and resources, along with training, coaching and advisory support covering the full international student journey, tailored to each school and available to both first-time recruiters and those looking to expand existing programmes. The move is part of the International Education Growth Plan, which targets 105,000 international student enrolments in 2027 and NZ$7.2 billion in sector export revenue by 2034.
Stanford said the task now is to maintain momentum and support education providers so more communities can benefit from the economic, cultural and educational value international students bring.
Commentary
The Government's NZ$2.5m investment in school-level international recruitment aims to break the capability bottleneck that has kept many schools out of the market. Of the 611 schools currently active in international education, many lack the offshore networks, specialist recruitment staff and homestay resources needed to participate. academyEX will provide end-to-end tools and training, from recruitment through to student support, with first-time recruiters likely to benefit most.
For small and medium-sized business owners, growth in international student numbers flows directly into local spending, with opportunities in homestays, transport, retail and extracurricular services. The targets of 105,000 enrolments by 2027 and NZ$7.2b in export revenue by 2034 point to a decade of expansion across the international education supply chain. Notably, the plan emphasises community participation, and SMEs could explore partnerships with schools to deliver complementary services such as cultural experience programmes, short courses or student lifestyle services.
On the other hand, competition for international students is intense, with Australia and Canada also actively courting students, and New Zealand will need to stay competitive on visa settings, education quality and student experience. For businesses reliant on the domestic market, the inflow of international students brings a more diverse customer base, but service capacity will need to match cultural differences and seasonal fluctuations.
Keywords: international education, New Zealand schools, international student recruitment, academyEX, Education New Zealand, Education Minister Erica Stanford, International Education Growth Plan, export revenue target
Source: The PIE News
Disclaimer: This article is compiled from publicly available sources for general information only. The analysis and commentary are editorial opinions. MiDeer Observer does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided. Readers should seek independent professional advice before relying on this content, or contact us for more information.
