Strategic Framework

Assumptions

The need for a Strategic Framework for India is based on several assumptions. These include continued growth of the economic, political, social and cultural links between India and New Zealand, and a growing understanding within New Zealand of the Indian education system and the educational needs and aspirations of its citizens.

Vision

A sustainable education relationship providing significant mutual learning, research and economic benefits.

Principles

There are seven principles.

• New Zealand's education interests in India will take a `whole-of-government' approach, supporting the New Zealand education sector to identify areas of common interest.
• The government's education strategy for India will seek to provide leadership as well as to foster and facilitate the education sector's (commercial) strategy, where compatible with government interests.
• Building New Zealand's reputation as a high quality provider of education services will be important to strengthening the bilateral relationship - led by New Zealand's tertiary sector.
• Targeted but diversified international education activities will ensure the sustainability of an education partnership with India.
• Collaboration between Indian and New Zealand providers should be mutually beneficial.
• Using limited resources effectively will better advance New Zealand's interests in India through collaboration ("NZ Inc", Indian providers, and third parties).
• New Zealand education interests can support New Zealand's diplomacy and economic development objectives with India, and the reverse is also true.

Objectives

The Strategy has four objectives.

• Advance the bilateral education relationship through a programme of education diplomacy initiatives and activities.
• Increase New Zealand providers' market access to education opportunities in India.
• Increase New Zealand knowledge of policy and market trends in Indian education.
• Enhance Indian knowledge of the New Zealand education system, policies and strengths.

Activities

Activities can be clustered into three groups. Activities within each of these clusters are intended to directly support, and are linked to the objectives.

• The work undertaken by the Education Counsellor based in New Delhi (from early 2007). In May 2006 the government announced that a South Asia Education Counsellor will be attached to the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi. Implementing the Arrangement on Education Cooperation between India and New Zealand will be a priority area. Activities will include: helping to establish linkages and information exchange between New Zealand and Indian institutions and agencies; raising the profile and reputation of New Zealand education, particularly of the tertiary sector, in India; and providing information to New Zealand interests on policy and operational trends within the Indian education system.
• Bilateral education initiatives which are linked to other foreign policy or trade objectives. For example, where there are market entry barriers that cannot be resolved through multilateral fora, such as the World Trade Organisation, the New Zealand government is committed to working through these with India bilaterally. India has already signalled an openness to pursuing education issues in this way with New Zealand. India's revised offer on the General Agreement of Trade in Services applies to "Higher Education" only. As well, the Arrangement on Education Cooperation provides for an officials' Joint Working Group where these types of trade issues and other policy matters can be discussed.
• Building New Zealand's profile in India: India will be the focus of discussion in some of the existing government inter-agency gatherings. Further research will be commissioned by the Ministry of Education on the Indian education system and policy environment: A communication plan will be developed to provide information for Indian education officials about the structure and nature of New Zealand's education system. This information will support the New Zealand education sector's Promotional Strategy for India 2005 - 2008.