Sour Grapes, Hot Potatoes, Go Banana, Apples vs Oranges, Rotten Apple, Carrot & Stick, Crushed Cherry, and Biwi Kiwi: My “Education” notes from NZ visit.

This week was so well spent in New Zealand indeed. My first touchdown in this country was 13 years ago and I clearly remember that the country at that time was not so easy for Vegetarians like me then. However, now it has certainly become more understanding even though my breakfasts and lunches included an overdose of fruits and vegetables that the thoughts that linger on include fruits still…

Go Banana: As I boarded the early morning Air NZ flight to Wellington, what woke me up “literally” was the best ever SAFETY INSTRUCTION VIDEO that I have ever ever seen in any of the flights that I have experienced. Yes, I did watch it from beginning to end and then also googled for a copy of the same… This was the introduction to the NZ ingenuity and I encourage you to watch it before you go further on this blog… You will “GO BANANA” on it…

Apples versus Oranges: The Big Five are US, UK, Australia, Canada and NZ. However comparing the trends between them indicate that we are often comparing APPLES with ORANGES. The reasons for students to go to the countries differ and if you take a closer look, you find that while while US has been on a steady and gradual decline over the last few years, Australia and UK have seen a significant growth and then a significant drop, Canada has seen a definite growth and now a slowing down and NZ has held itself around 5000-6000 Indian students a year for several years now. The reasons for the “education” being more with “migration outcomes” is more with NZ and Canada than with other destinations though Post Study Work and Settlement continues to be a factor for 90% of Indian students seeking education overseas. You may say that there is a decline of about 10% this year but then, it is also a fact that as a market share, NZ has actually increased… 5000 of 150000 Indian students in 2009 to 5000 of 60000 in 2012… Certainly a commendable increase of marketshare… Infact the marketshare for NZ of the total Indian outgoing student numbers has increase by 300% over the last five years… The Private Providers and Polytechnics are getting more Indian students and the visa does not differentiate. Hence, comparing the experiences of one with the other can be similar to comparing APPLES with ORANGES….

Carrot: NZ needs to identify the “migration pathway at the most economical price” as the CARROT that it can dangle.

Rotten Apple: The one sector within the education space in NZ that needs more regulations or self regulation are the PTEs. Quality extremes are visible and while there is greater acceptance for commercial vendors in today’s world, some continue to be more about finding “loopholes” than delivering the “quality”. Similarly there are a few polytechnics who seem to moving towards aping the business models of the lower quality PTEs and some are moving into the University space. The challenge for the regulators is to pick out the ROTTEN APPLES and discipline them or isolate them to avoid rotting of the entire basket. A CARROT and STICK approach required. Possibly through the Australian style SVP (Streamline Visa Processing) methodology that can be offered to chosen and complying institutions.

Sour Grapes: NZ is unique in a way that the various sectors (PTEs, Polytechnics and Universities) sometimes offer the same course being sought by the student. Hence for the student, the differentiating lines tend to smudge between the sectors and as ROI becomes an issue, the hard sell of the lower institutions can win over the difficult process of higher institutions. Then instead of focussing on making their internal processes and fee proposition as attractive, the complain often points at the short-cuts adopted by the others. SOUR GRAPES possibly.

Forbidden Fruit: NZ Universities generally are far more conservative than the Universities in other countries and have very high standards. There is a need to convey their strengths to the world in a way that they do not remain a FORBIDDEN FRUIT. My only concern is that the employers that we met seemed to be considering the graduates of the Universities and the Polytechnics to be “like two peas in a pod” and the same applies also to the Immigration NZ as far as visa processing for the two sectors are concerned. With the focus moving towards final outcomes more than experience, the other sectors are gaining over the Universities. It can change with some efficiencies on part of the NZ Universities especially in the minds of Indian parents who remain in possession of mindsets that favour degrees over diplomas and Universities over Polytechnics… How and Who will devise the strategy is the question. Does it not bother the Universities that their approach and need to keep doing recruitment visits to attract students even after being in India for 15 years indicate that the brand has just not been communicated adequately. Pull is missing… and differentials gradually weaning.