Nueva Zelanda: Overseas students worth $36m to top of the south economy

Nueva Zelanda/Marzo de 2017/Autora: Sara Mei/Fuente: Stuff

RESUMEN: Los estudiantes internationales valen cerca de $ 36 millones a la tapa de la economía del sur, según las últimas estadísticas. Los resultados fueron anunciados esta semana por el Ministro de Educación, Capacidades y Empleo Paul Goldsmith. Los números fueron parte de un informe que examinó el impacto económico de la educación internacional en las regiones de Nelson, Marlborough y Tasman, elaborado por Infometrics y la Oficina Nacional de Investigación. La contribución regional del Producto Interno Bruto (PIB) para Nelson, Tasman y Marlborough fue de $ 35.6 millones incluyendo impuestos.

International students are worth about $36 million to the top of the south economy, according to the latest statistics.

The findings were announced by Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith this week.

The numbers were part of a report that looked into the economic impact of international education in the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman regions, put together by Infometrics and the National Research Bureau.

The regional gross domestic product (GDP) contribution for Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough was $35.6 million including tax.

The report said international students in the  regions spent an average of $28,500 per person in 2015/2016.

The industries that work directly with international students injected $22.2 million into the local economy and created 207 jobs.

When adding the spin off to other businesses in the region from international students a total of 334 jobs were created and the local economy was boosted by $33.2 million overall (excluding tax).

Nelson Regional Development Agency chief executive Mark Rawson said the numbers were «really good news».

«It’s a significant contribution to the economy.

«One of the reasons we value international students is that we really appreciate the link between international education, visitation and international investment.»

Rawson said the value of international student spend in the local economy also filtered through and benefited other industries locally.

Nelson English Centre owner James Upton said the figures were good news and in line with what he had expected.

«Nelson English Centre has had a good year, January, February and March have been the busiest in the 20-year history of the school.

The school had recently shifted to a bigger premises on Selwyn Place.

«The renovation was done out of confidence in the industry,» Upton said.

Upton said the centre had 125 students at the moment. That number halve during winter.

He said most students were from Switzerland. Of the 350 students they have on average a year, Swiss students accounted for 30 per cent.

«Nelson is a bit unusual, it has a profile of students that is different to most places.

«Our second highest group of students come from other countries in Europe, such as France, Germany and Czech Republic.»

Education Nelson Marlborough project manager Zoe Gray said the spend was a «huge economic boost for our region».

She said Nelson and Tasman took out the top two spots as New Zealand’s best-performing regions in the latest ASB Regional Economic Scoreboard.

«Obviously it contributed towards it, it’s great for our local economy,» Gray said.

She said one of the goals of Education Nelson Marlborough was to double the value of international education in the regions.

Gray said they wanted to achieve that by «adding to the diversity by recruiting from different countries, having a diverse range from students across the globe».

The findings are part of the nationwide report that was published last year which looked at the wider economic impact of international education in New Zealand.

That report showed the 2015/2016 value of international education rose to $4.28 billion, a 50 per cent increase from $2.85 billion in 2014.

The findings placed international education, both onshore and offshore, as New Zealand’s fourth largest export industry.

The economic value was made up of $4.04 billion from international students studying in New Zealand, and $242 million from services delivered offshore.

The Government announced a target in 2010 to lift the economic value of international education to $5 billion by 2025.​

Fuente: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/90496641/overseas-students-worth-36m-to-top-of-the-south-economy