The first trimester (March–June) of 2018 has seen 32 percent more international undergraduates begin studying at the University compared with the same period last year.
The rise—from 180 to 239—is the third consecutive annual increase in international undergraduates at the University.
The University has also seen a more than 10 percent increase in new international Master’s, postgraduate diploma and postgraduate certificate students.
In total, including PhDs and students at Victoria University as part of exchange and other international programmes, 986 international students have started at the University this year.
In 2017, there were 3,548 new and continuing international students at the University, and data indicates this number will be significantly higher for 2018.
“We have students from 114 countries—a broader range than ever before,” says Assistant Vice-Chancellor (International) Julia Innocente-Jones.
“Our established markets are growing and we’ve moved into new regions like Latin America and, more recently, Russia. China is still our biggest cohort but we’ve also received students from all over the rest of Asia as well as the United States and Europe. India is a key growth market for us and we’re doing really well in Malaysia and Vietnam.
“We feel so honoured that, out of 18,000 universities around the world they could have attended, these students have chosen Victoria University, so we do everything possible to ensure they receive an excellent education and have the best experience possible.”
As well as contributing to Wellington’s economy, the international students add to its multicultural vibrancy, says Ms Innocente-Jones.
Many factors have led to them choosing Victoria University, she says, starting with the quality and relevance of the University’s teaching and courses.
The University’s international standing is also important—in the latest QS World University Subject Rankings it is among the top one percent of universities in the world for 17 subjects and in the top two percent of universities overall.
With students from so many countries and nearly half its academic staff also from overseas, the University offers a diverse and inclusive environment, says Ms Innocente-Jones.
The global mix and atmosphere is good for international and domestic students alike, she says.
“Not only do international students get a New Zealand experience when they come here but they have access and exposure to so many different cultures and languages. They learn so much. And our domestic students learn from them as well. It’s so beneficial for all our students.”
The University offers a free extracurricular Victoria International Leadership Programme, which also has had a record number of participants this year.
“The International Leadership Programme is a strong unique selling point for us with international students. They really pick up on it because they see how it enables them to develop as global citizens,” says Ms Innocente-Jones.
Wellington’s reputation as a safe, affordable and accepting city with lots of easy-to-access outdoor and cultural attractions is important too, she says, along with the University’s close links to government, the law, business and other sectors of the capital.
Pathways to studying at Victoria University offered by the Victoria Foundation Studies Programme taught by ACG New Zealand International College have also contributed to international undergraduate growth, and the University is working closely with high schools in Wellington and elsewhere in New Zealand to enable their international students to continue on to study at the University.