Education Strategy for India 2006-2009 - Summary

New Zealand now has an Education Strategy for India 2006 - 2009. This Strategy seeks to create an environment in which a sustainable education relationship can develop, and one that will provide significant mutual learning, research and economic benefits.

The desire to strengthen New Zealand's relationship with India comes from whole-of-government priorities in foreign policy and trade. The education-based drivers for building the relationship with India are derived from the government's overall strategy for international education, and the education sector's academic, research and commercial interests in India.

The tertiary sector will lead our education-related interactions with India . Developing connections within the tertiary sphere is of short and medium-term mutual interest to New Zealand and India. New Zealand's new tertiary education strategy sees international education as one of the ways to strengthen our education system and views global linkages as integral to strengthening the quality of New Zealand's tertiary education and research. In recent years, New Zealand tertiary providers have built institutional and research linkages with India. These providers have also identified the India student market as their second most important market.

The Strategy focuses primarily on activities which government agencies can undertake alone or in collaboration with the sector. There are four objectives: to advance the bilateral education relationship through a programme of education diplomacy, initiatives and activities; to increase New Zealand provider's market access to education opportunities in India; to increase New Zealand knowledge of policy and market trends in Indian education; and to enhance Indian knowledge of the New Zealand education system, policies and strengths.

The Strategy was developed in consultation with other government agencies and peak bodies representing the sector.