EIT contributes significantly to the Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti economies, BERL says in an economic impact assessment report released this week.
The economic research, analysis and advice consultancy says EIT's contribution makes up about one percent of the East Coast regions' economies as measured through the generation of GDP and employment.
"That includes operations of EIT and expenditure attracted from international students and others who move to Hawke's Bay to study," BERL executive director and chief economist Ganesh Nana pointed out.
One of three BERL economists who worked on the report commissioned by EIT, Dr Nana said the number of international students attracted to EIT was a little higher than he might have expected.
The internationals who comprised 6.3 percent of the total student body last year originated from 49 different countries. The report noted that EIT's international student numbers had grown steadily over the last five years.
EIT also offered wider economic benefits that fell outside the scope of the economic impact assessment, Dr Nana said.