Export Education Innovation Programme Strategic Overview
The Government has announced funding of $0.5 million in 2004/05 and $1.0 million each year subsequently, to encourage and support innovation in export education. The Export Education Innovation Programme Strategic Overview and Operational Guidelines document attached outlines the purpose of this Export Education Innovation Programme, what funding will be used to achieve, the criteria for assessing funding applications and other matters relating to the governance and administration of the programme. As the fund is administered by the Education New Zealand Trust Request For Proposals for the fund are available at www.educationnz.org.nz
Purpose
12. Innovation is central to the health of the export education industry - while demand is growing, so is competition - and new providers and modes of delivery are developing rapidly. In the short-term innovation usually entails more risk than continuing with the tried and true. However in the medium/ long-term insufficient innovation can prove a big detriment to competitiveness and sustainability.
13. The overall purpose of the EEIP is to assist the long-term development of a sustainable and high-value added export education industry. It will help sustain and improve the long-term economic performance of the export education industry, as well as increase reputational benefits to New Zealand (with wider diplomatic and trade spin-offs) and benefits to the domestic education system (e.g. through knowledge exchange and professional development). It aims to make a contribution to the development of international perspectives and experience among New Zealand's education community, through exposure to an increasing range of different environments and opportunities.
14. The EEIP is a means of providing support for organisations to take some of the risks necessary to move the industry forward, while helping to provide a framework for limiting and managing those risks. The EEIP is intended to encourage well-managed innovative activity among education exporters.
15. The programme is not only aimed at innovation and change when seen from the perspective of one organisation or group of organisations, but also on the effects on the structure and potential of the industry as a whole - for example, encouraging increased involvement in offshore delivery modes. This follows on from widespread agreement among stakeholders that increased diversity, in markets and modes of delivery, is desirable - tempered by the understanding that there are market limits to this.
16. In summary the EEIP will:
- Help support New Zealand organisations to develop their export education services to meet changing market demands and to take new opportunities that arise.
- Help ensure the industry is diverse and not overly exposed to risk concentrations (e.g. over-dependence on one or two supplier nations, or limited delivery options).
- Help ensure that business risks and domestic educational risks associated with innovative activities are identified and managed.