Education as export?

Press, 23 November 1987, Page 6

Education as export?

New Zealand’s educational skills should be marketed Internationally, according to the Minister of Overseas Trade and Marketing,-Mr Moore.

It is an idea he tried to promote about three years ago, but was not successful.

Now he is claiming support from the Market Development Board, which plans to release a paper today entitled "Education as an Export Industry.”

Mr Moore said New Zealand had some advan-

tages for overseas students willing to pay for places in its schools and universities. It was Eng-lish-speaking, relatively secure, and the chances of a student coming into contact with hard drugs were less than in California or London.

Its universities and technical Institutes were superb, and Lincoln College was "world class,” he said.

The “export” proposal was not the thin edge of the wedge on User

pays in education, he said. “It is not an idea that means battling Kiwis cannot get seats in their own universities or training colleges or technical institutes. “It will not be at the expense of aid programmes, and it is not an idea that the taxpayer will have to subsidise.” The proposal would allow universities to fill seats, at a profit which came back to the institution.