Whanganui showcased to Chinese education agents

Education agents (clockwise from centre left) Simon Gao, Jing Cui, Kenny Ren, Chinese student Isabella Lee, Eleven Wu and Susie Wang visit a classroom at Whanganui Girls' College.

Five international education agents have visited Whanganui in a promotion of the city as a quality international education destination for students from China.

The agents, who were in Whanganui on Wednesday, November 22, and Thursday, November 23, are based in China and Auckland.

Whanganui and Partners strategic lead education and youth Heather Cox said the visit was part of a collaboration with the Central Regions Alliance, which comprises the economic development agencies in Hawke's Bay, Manawatu and Taranaki, and is a follow-up to the group's visit to China in May this year to promote New Zealand education.

The agents visited UCOL, YMCA, New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy (NZIPCA), Whanganui City College, Whanganui Girls' College and Whanganui High School as well as enjoying some sightseeing and Kiwi hospitality. They spent some time at New Zealand Glassworks where they each made a paperweight to take home.

"Rather than visiting every school a networking event, like that which took place at the NZICPA, is set up for agents and international education providers to engage," Ms Cox said.

"This is because agents need to get an idea of the entire destination, not just see classroom after classroom.

"It was really cool and the agents loved it – they were already saying how Whanganui had been the best tour."

The purpose of the Central Regions Alliance is to pull together marketing power to have a stronger presence in China. All the economic development agencies receive some funding from Education NZ via the Regional Partnership Programme, a fund specifically established to help promote the regions. In 2016, Whanganui received more than $7 million from international education.

China is New Zealand's largest source country for international students. More than 34,000 Chinese students studied in New Zealand in 2015, including about 1100 in the central regions.