Edu-sports seen as new revenue stream for international education

Minister of Science and Innovation Steven Joyce. Photo / George Novak

Edu-sports is being seen as a new revenue stream to help the Government meet its target of doubling the value of export education to $5 billion by 2025.

Under a new programme, English language providers are being matched with sports academies and tourism providers to deliver customised training packages for athletes who come here as international students.

Minister of Science and Innovation Steven Joyce leaves for South Korea tomorrow where he will be launching "Game On English - Golf", aimed at bringing international students to improve their golf skills while learning English at the same time.

The "Game on English" programme was developed by Education New Zealand to leverage New Zealand's coaching and sports science expertise and English language education and training.

It piloted last year with a focus on rugby in the Japan but is now being extended to other sporting codes like golf, said the agency's business development general manager Clive Jones.

"With the amazing successes of young Korean-New Zealand golfers like Lydia Ko winning on the world stage, Korea is a focus for Game on English-Golf," Mr Jones said.

"Education New Zealand is developing other variants...in areas where New Zealand has recognised sporting prowess including rowing."

Mr Jones said the golf programme will support promising young golfers to spend a month working on their game with professionals at New Zealand's Institute of Golf while improving their English at a language school.

Two Japanese groups came last year under the programme - a group of 12 students from Iwami Chisuikan High School who studied at AIS English Language Centre and played rugby with the Auckland Rugby Union, and 11 from Kanto who attended the University of Otago Language Centre and played rugby with the Otago Rugby Union.

Earlier this year, a rowing pilot was developed between Otago University and the Otago University Rowing Club which hosted four athletes and a coach from Kyoto University.

"The vision...is to continuing extending into different countries where there is demand for sport and English language," Mr Jones said.

While the commercial prospects look good for the edu-sports programmes, Mr Jones said it was too early to tell its significance in supporting industry growth.

He said the programmes focussed on developing education, tourism and sports training packages in fields where NZ has a competitive advantage and build awareness and preference for New Zealand as a study destination.

"Meeting specific needs of international markets and student is a crucial part of achieving a higher value international education industry," he said.

South Korea is New Zealand's fourth largest international student market.

Mr Joyce said: "International education contributed $2.85 billion to the New Zealand economy last year, supporting 30,230 jobs across the country and there's significant potential for further growth."

In Korea, Mr Joyce will also attend the OECD science ministers meeting in Daejeon.

The visit follows Prime Minister John Key's visit to Seoul in March and a visit to Auckland by the Korean Foreign Minister last month.