New Zealand is fast emerging as the hot favorite destination for Indian students. The percentage of Indian students enrolling in New Zealand institutes has increased nearly 300 % in the last six years. New Zealand has a number of benefits to offer. Apart from affordable and high quality education and safe environment, New Zealand offers default extension of work permit with minimal requirements. It also allows students, coming from foreign shores, to recover the cost of study after they complete education within 9-12 months. In 1998, only 150 Indian students enrolled. This figure rose to 2159 in 2002, and 7,263 new enrolments in 2008 and 9521 in 2009.
Representatives from four New Zealand universities were present to guide the students and answer all their queries. Mr. Farnaaz Mohammed from Massey University said, “Our aim for being here through Oceanic Consultants was not to lure students but give a correct picture of the procedure to study in NZ and instill faith in students that they will be secured and well taken care of.”
Students and parents alike were buzzing at the venue right from morning and the scene remained the same till late dusk. And the same was appreciated by Ms. Jennifer Wilson from Lincoln University, “It is good to see parents’ concern to accompany their children from long distances for the entire exercise. Personally, I felt great to interact with the students and provide them all answers and assurances about their wards’ safety and wholesome development in our nation.”
The man behind the entire effort, Naresh Gulati, CEO, Oceanic Consultants summed it up thus, “The great rush and zeal among students and parents alike depicts the level of misguidance and emotional turmoil these students have to go through to get into a university abroad. Our honest aim was to give a transparent picture to students who want to pursue their dreams abroad and bring representatives from NZ varsities to provide them with first hand information.”
Same opinion was echoed in Farida Memon’s voice from Canterbury University when she said, “We have many Indian students studying in our campus and from my personal experience I can say we are proud to have them and wish to have more of them. The industrious and honest approach to studies and life make us happy to help them fulfill their dreams and I am here to encourage the same.”
An enthusiastic Sameer Aggarwal at the end of the evening said, “I am thankful to Oceanic Consultants to have made it simple for me as I was always looking for the correct guidance in a legal manner. Now, I understand after interaction with varsity representatives here that they are also encouraging and welcoming in their approach.”
