Overseas learners jump online
A third of the international students at an Auckland college preparing students for university are now studying online from their home countries.
Up International College, which split from the ACG group last year, has 300 students studying from overseas and 600 international students at its Queen St campus.
Chief executive Mark Rushworth said the company spent several million over 18 months developing an online platform that was ready to go at the end of March, just when the Covid-19 lockdown hit.
“We have taken it all online now and we had 100 full fee-paying students in April and well over 200 starting with us this month.
“It’s amazed us. We were looking at the numbers saying, ‘Wow!’”
The school provides one-year courses in a range of academic subjects at a level that Rushworth describes as equivalent to Year 13. It has agreements to provide students to Auckland, AUT and Victoria universities.
“They are paying $28,000 a year — full fees for delivery in their home market,” he said.
Most are in China, with others studying online in South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Oman.
“It was coming anyway in 10 years. What has happened is it’s accelerated it,” Rushworth said.
He said the country’s success at “beating Covid” has created an opportunity to grow.
“If our international education market is $5b now, it could be $8b in two or three years.”