SMART SKILLS
Kiwi country as a knowledge centre
Usha Albuquerque

FOR those to whom studying abroad was an impossible dream, educational institutions in New Zealand offer exciting educational opportunities that are internationally acceptable and cost competitive.

The flavour of the year has been New Zealand. Last year, around 2200 Indian students chose New Zealand to study Business Management, MBA, Engineering, IT, Hospitality and Biotechnology, among other courses.

There are eight universities and 14 institutes of technologies in New Zealand offering courses ranging from medicine and dairy farming to engineering, information technology, business studies and film and TV. Most universities and polytechnics in New Zealand offer both degree and professional diploma courses. These range from 1-2 years for the certificate and diploma programmes, to 3-4 year degree courses. Moreover, all programmes have the flexibility to make changes mid-course, whether in subjects, programme or duration of study. So, if you want to do information technology or business studies, but have not studied maths or computers before, you can enroll for a bridging course where you can learn these subjects for one or two semesters to be on a par with other students doing the course. And since the qualifications are internationally recognised you become equipped to pursue a career anywhere in the world.

For Indian students, the requirements for study are simple. As the system of studies in New Zealand is based on the British pattern, universities and polytechnics in that country accept the CBSE and ICSE Class XII, and graduation qualifications with a minimum requirement of 60 per cent. In addition, students need to submit TOEFL or IELTS examination scores for fluency in English.

As it is situated in the southern hemisphere, New Zealand's academic year extends from February or early March to November. Applications need to go in by April/May for the term beginning the next February. Some institutes allow intake of students for both semesters, which works well for Indian students, who can start in July.

Auckland, the centre of business and industry, is a favoured destination for many international students. Auckland University in the heart of NZ's largest, busiest and most multicultural metropolis has 26,000 students, of which almost one-fourth are Asian. Internationally acknowledged, Auckland University has more than 60 departments offering general degree courses in science, business and liberal arts as well as specialist programmes in professional fields like architecture, education, engineering, law, applied arts, and music.

There are also several polytechnics in Auckland offering a range of programmes. UNITEC is one such institute where courses in Applied Management and Information Systems appear to be the most popular among Indian students.

Other popular courses are the Bachelor of Business at the Auckland University of Technology. Several Indian students are also pursuing the PG Diploma in Health and the Diploma in Fitness Training at AUT.

The Manukau Institute of Technology, Auckland, is another institute with information technology facilities.

In NZ's fourth largest city of Hamilton, an hour and half's drive from Auckland, is the University of Waikato. Among the more popular courses here is that of the Bachelor's of Business in Communication, which combines a business degree with communications leading to careers in business, public relations, journalism, television production etc. Another small town in the north island, Wanganui, attracts students from around the world to its Computer and Graphics Design programme at the Wanganui Polytechnic.

Christchurch in the southern island is another location which offers a suitable environment for learning.

With its small population, there is no congestion, plenty of open spaces, and with a high standard of living, it is virtually crime free. It is therefore a clean, green and safe environment to live in.

New Zealand has a multi-cultural atmosphere arising from the Polynesian, Asian and European immigrant communities intermingling with the indigenous Maori people.

Another consideration is cost. Indian students find that living and tuition costs in New Zealand compare well with other countries. For example, tuition fees for international students in New Zealand varies from NZ$ 10,000 - 17,000 pa, while living costs add another NZ$11,000-14,000 pa. Moreover, what most international students enjoy is the experience of taking up part-time work, whether at fast-foods joints, petrol stations, stores and so on. Students can legally work up to 15 hours a week during semester time, and full-time during the summer holidays, earning NZ$ 8-10 an hour.

For more information log on to www.mynzed.com or www.educationnz.org.nz

— The writer is a noted career consultant